A Fabulous Flop: The Other Boleyn Girl

by Brett Parker

Atonement is a period piece I praised for disregarding its genre conventions and surrounding itself in its sensuality and emotions. The Other Boleyn Girl works in the complete opposite way. Here is a stiff and flat period drama where the filmmakers are oblivious to the underlying cinematic potential lurking beneath the film. Indeed, a story about Henry VIII should hold some interest, considering his rich historical significance. Yet alas, first-time-feature director Justin Chadwick has drained all the excitement from this historical tale and you may find yourself, as I was, bored to tears.

The film follows the story of the beautiful Boleyn sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson). When King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) discovers that his wife Katherine (Ana Torrent) is unable to provide him with a proper heir, Sir Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance) seizes the opportunity to offer Anne up for royal childbearing. Pressured by her family’s obsession with royal status, Anne unwillingly goes along with the plan and allows herself to be impregnated by Henry. She indeed bears him a son until she discovers that Mary has begun a plot to seduce Henry away from both his wife and Mary. Intrigued by the opportunity to become Henry’s Queen, Mary has no trouble betraying her sister and seeing her banished outside of the kingdom. The plot thickens as Henry breaks away from the Catholic Church and Mary realizes she may not be able to provide Henry with the heir he wants.

Most people go to see movies like this for one of two reasons: (1) they are intrigued by the royal court plots that come with period dramas, or (2) they like to see attractive movie stars do naughty things against a historical backdrop. What is so disappointing about The Other Boleyn Girl is that it fails to entertain on both accounts. As a serious drama, it’s too cold and unfocused to be on the same level as, say, Elizabeth. For all the betrayals, heartbreak, politics, and beheadings that are experienced, the film feels surprisingly lifeless. There’s not even camp fun to be had here. The same goes for the sensual aspects. I think the film could’ve benefited if it turned up the erotic heat the way Atonement did. After all, we’re talking about Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, and making babies here. Yet the film hurries past its sex scenes and never pauses to reflect on any sexual feelings.


There are some period pieces, like Amadeus and Marie Antoinette, which make living in the past look like a lot of fun, while others make it seem like it royally sucked. The Other Boleyn Girl falls under the ladder. With most films in this genre, we can usually depend on the technical aspects (cinematography, production design, costume design, etc.) to be top notch. Here, they all prove to be unremarkable and do nothing to pull the film out of its drab atmosphere. Missing are the sights and colors that make even the simplest tales seem sublime.

If one thing does work in the film, it’s the performances. Eric Bana possesses the right intensity and physical prowess to embody Henry, Scarlett Johansson proves very skilled at portraying her character’s vulnerability, and I was impressed with the impressions Jim Sturgess and David Morrissey made in their supporting roles. The real news here is Natalie Portman’s performance. If she’s proven to be wooden in other roles, she lets the inner-vixen out here and possesses a post-feminist presence that gives the film a dose of energy it desperately needs. The most interesting sections of the film are when she stirs things up by messing with both Mary and Henry’s heads. Too bad she isn’t enough to save the film.

That’s not to say this material is completely without interest. I can see the drama in it. It’s interesting how a family would pimp out their daughters in the name of royal advancement. It’s amusing how Henry VIII basically broke away from the Catholic Church in pursuit of a booty call. Plus the film’s concept kind of reminded me of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford in the way it portrays two siblings living in fear of a mythic figure. Could this material have been saved? Absolutely. I think Adrian Lyne would’ve been a great director for this material, for his work wonderfully balances the erotic and the tragic. Perhaps this film could’ve taken a cue from Milos Forman’s Valmont and allow humor into an entangled period situation. Oh and here’s an idea: an interview with Robert Zemeckis on the Beowulf DVD reveals that Ray Winstone has played Henry VIII on stage before. As competent as Bana is in the role, I would’ve loved to see Winstone as Henry. Seeing him mess around with Portman and Johansson would surely be a sight to see.

I realize I’m spinning off into wild thinking tangents here, but you will find yourself doing the same thing during The Other Boleyn Girl. I’m willing to bet you’ll be thinking about anything else than the action on screen in front of you. While most boyfriends will fall asleep on their girlfriends in films like this, the sad thing this time is that the girlfriends might fall asleep themselves.