Jodhi May as Anne Boleyn

Jodhi May as Anne Boleyn in 'The Other Boleyn Girl (2003).

I'm afraid to say that this is one of the worst dramas set in this period that I have seen. It is also an adaptation of one of the worst pieces of historical fiction that I have ever read. However I have included this clip because a) it is part of a general group of videos I am posting on Anne Boleyn in dramas and b) Jodhi May is a superb actress and it is not her fault that she got stuck in such a crap drama.

Although I dislike this drama immensely there are two things I did enjoy about it. Firstly I really liked Jared Harris's portrayal of Henry VIII. He looks fantastic as a middle aged Henry who has not yet become the obese king found in the Holbein portraits or the renowned athletic in his youth. It is such a shame that his talents are wasted in this and I would love to see him play the role again.

The other thing I like about this drama (aside from Jodhi May naturally : ), is the depiction of the famous shirt row Henry and Anne had. Anne discovered that Henry was still having his shirts made by Katherine although he did not recognise her as his lawful wife. Understandably Anne was upset about this as mending shirts was a traditional wifely task and whilst Henry was allowing Katherine to do this he was also promising Anne marriage. Furthermore a simple instruction from the king would have ended his shirts being made for him by Katherine. The quarrel ended when Henry put an end to this and employed someone else to mend them instead.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Jodhi
• May
• Anne
• Boleyn
• Henry
• VIII
• Jared
• Harris
• Other
• Girl

[RebelRay]

Jodhi May is the most beautiful woman in the world.

[lilythepink123]

Jodhi May is pretty enough in her way, but isn't she totally miscast as Anne Boleyn? She is shy, awkward, walks like a camel and is totally dominated by her sister Mary. True, the movie is about the "other" Boleyn girl, but still Mary, beautiful though she may have been, couldn't hold a candle to Anne. You are prefectly right, littlemisssunnydale - this production was pure sh** and a disgrace to the BBC.

[szilvavirag]

I think this adaptation is the best. The acting is brilliant.

[molarmama5]

@rees276

I guess the bean counters, were worried about their precious budget.

I was referring to the style.

[rees276]

@molarmama5 Anne wore the same dress for 5 years in that production too

[2012Ursula]

I quite like Jodhi May as Anne. She isn't as brunette as I imagine A.B., but she suggests a woman with emotional depth, someone who would keep Henry guessing. (At times she seems a little surprised by her own emotions, as though she's winging it with Henry.) She reminds me of the Anne in Norah Lofts's novel "The Concubine."

[ripperduck]

@lilythepink123 Maybe but I sure as hell wouldn't kick her outta bed for eating crackers. Woman is damn fine in her own way....

[floom85]

Jodhi May is so beautiful!

[molarmama5]

@mocachic03

Though no doubt well paid, the costume designers, should be horse whipped as the costumes are an abomination. The only production to get them correct is the 1970 "Six Wives of Henry Viii".

[flossie5432]

@stardusth2o Yes they do! I totally agree with you there but the other actresses who have played anne look like her too in my opinion!

[flossie5432]

@Hattaru I sort of agree they chose the right anne especially when she has her hair down at her coronation but I also thought that natalie portman and natalie dormer's portrayal of anne was fantastic and had very fine, gorgeous clothes/costumes for the period that they are set in and considering their budget for the whole film or tv series!

[rees276]

I really liked Jodhi's performance. I thought she played a very different Anne to the one most actresses portray. She looks more like the portraits of Anne than either of the Natalies, or Helena Bonham-Carter, too. This was a low-budget but compelling

adaptation of a fascinating book. Who knows what really happened? This is just another reimagining of one of the most famous stories in English history