‘Lustful’ period drama perfect for fans of Wolf Hall on Netflix now
Fans of Wolf Hall will enjoy a box office hit period drama following the 16th-century nobility’s turbulent marriages, adulteries and tragedy
One of the most fascinating periods of history is constantly revisited by period dramas – be it films, TV shows or mini-series, there doesn’t seem to be a limit to how many times the story of Henry VIII and his six wives can be told from different points of view and angles.
There are a few works that fall into this category’s hall of fame – such as Wolf Hall, The Tudors and The Six Wives of Henry VIII – and one of the most renowned is now available to stream on Netflix.
This 2008 film tells the story of Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn’s sister and mistress of her husband, King Henry VIII.
In The Other Boleyn Girl, the lesser-known sister takes centre stage as Anne is promised a high-profile marriage in a plot to improve the family’s status.
Mary and Anne become ladies-in-waiting to Queen Catherine following the king and queen’s failure to produce a male heir. Soon, seduced by the king, Mary secretly falls pregnant with Henry VIII’s child, while Anne sets her sights on becoming queen and on convincing him to divorce the Queen to produce an heir.
The rest of the story follows the three through trauma, divorces, childbirth, adultery, struggle and the ins and outs of noble life in the 16th century.
Beyond the gripping story, the film boasts a star-studded cast, including Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn, Scarlett Johansson as Mary, Eric Bana as Henry VIII, Jim Sturgess as George Boleyn, Sir Mark Rylance as Thomas Boleyn, Benedict Cumberbatch as William Carey, and Eddie Redmayne as William Stafford.
The Other Boleyn Girl earned over $78 million after release, almost double the $35 million budget.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews echo that hype. One said they’d been convinced by the performances: “I definitely never expected to like this movie as much as I did. Amazing performances by Johansson and Portman with a really good cast as well. Probably one of the most messed-up and tragic love stories I’ve ever seen.”
Another reflected on the way the production retells an already-known story with ease: “A regularly told tale. Here it is told well with a great cast delivering performances that are trying to keep pace, given the squeezing of so much into such a relatively short time frame.”
A fan simply chose to give their opinion on the central figure of the King, writing: “Lustful king makes things harder than they need to be.”
Finally, most of the praise goes to both of the leading actresses. One reviewer wrote: “Very good acting from both Portman and Johanssen. An overall good watch.”
The Other Boleyn Girl is available to watch on Netflix and can also be rented on Apple TV, Prime Video, Sky and more.
SOURCE: WALESONLINE