Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Anyone watching 'The other Boleyn girl'??

348 replies

Italiangreyhound · 01/06/2013 21:56

Seems like a pretty crap time to be a woman (or a girl)!

Anyone know how true it all is??

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Other_Boleyn_Girl_%282008_film%29

OP posts:
Badvoc · 01/06/2013 23:25

Most if the "evidence" in her trial was laughable and easily disproved.
Anne wasnt even at some of the places she was supposed to have committed adultery!
Another time specified she was actually getting over her mc.
Elizabeth Boleyn died not long after Anne. She had been ill for some time.
Thomas Boleyn went on to serve Henry after his children were killed.
He was certainly not "disgraced".
Elizabeth never lived with her aunt.

StuffezLaYoni · 01/06/2013 23:26

Well, I enjoyed that but a shit load of housework beckons tomorrow so I'm off for Inbetweeners on the iPad a good night's sleep.
Nice talking to you all, thanks for the book advice!

thenightsky · 01/06/2013 23:27

Well, it must be late and I must be tired. I'm crying and I don't do that over films!

Italiangreyhound · 01/06/2013 23:28

Thanks SaggyOldClothCatPuss yes I meant that.

Very sad, very horrible. Glad I don't live then. I'd probably have been a scullery maid!

I am now watching the start of the Tudors but the accent of the Spainish guy is making me think of Puss in Boots!

OP posts:
AnitaBlake · 01/06/2013 23:29

The film takes liberties with the book lol! I'm loving the Tudor season :-) completely in heaven! The two documentaries on Anne and Cromwell last week were fascinating, Henry VIII was very disturbed.

Badvoc · 01/06/2013 23:29

I don't know LRD.
Thomas Cromwell and Anne's faction were staunch reformists.
But how much of that was true religious devotion and how much expediency is between them and God )

LRDtheFeministDragon · 01/06/2013 23:30

True, I guess we'll never know.

I like to think maybe Anne saw the new religion as something that might give her more freedom. And then it all went so horribly wrong.

SconeRhymesWithGone · 01/06/2013 23:30

The film did get one thing right than many others have not: the headdress she wore to her execution.

Badvoc · 01/06/2013 23:35

I will admit to watching the Tudors.
But only because Henry cavil is in it!
(Swoon)

Sleepyfergus · 01/06/2013 23:38

Thenightsky - I cried too. Hmm

Sleepyfergus · 01/06/2013 23:38

And yes to Henry Cavill.

SconeRhymesWithGone · 01/06/2013 23:49

I watched the Tudors, too, in spite of the truly laughable historical inaccuracies (including clothes, btw). It did get marginally more accurate toward the end of the series. The thing that was the most objectionable was the conflating of Henry's sisters Margaret and Mary. The Mary Tudor/Charles Brandon story is so compelling, especially considering the depth of affection Henry had for his younger sister.

And from a feminist perspective, Henry's treatment of his much loved sister (in marrying her off to France) illustrates that women were pawns in the larger dynastic and political struggles, no matter the personal cost. Another interesting dramatic element is that Mary was fond of Catherine of Aragon and in sympathy with her; it caused a breach with Henry.

SconeRhymesWithGone · 01/06/2013 23:56

I am not a complete history pedant when it comes to dramatic adaptations, BTW; it is just that the actual truth is so dramatic and fascinating during this period, why make up different stuff when the truth is so absorbing?

Darkesteyes · 02/06/2013 00:02

Italiangreyhound when my niece was born i clearly remember my mum saying "oh im a bit disappointed its not a boy"

My niece was born in 1995.

Chubfuddler · 02/06/2013 03:16

The BBC version of this is a million times better. The Scarlett johanson/Natalie Portman portrayal is embarrassingly bad by comparison.

sashh · 02/06/2013 06:47

It's pretty great at last to live in an England where the heir could be male or female

Only if there isn't a male, the change in law is about the present royal baby, if your daddy is an earl and you have a younger brother you will not inherit.

mrsfiddymont · 02/06/2013 08:17

LRD Jane Boley, The Infamous Lady Rochford by Julia Fox? Very good book.

deepfriedsage · 02/06/2013 08:38

I am enjoying this BBC2 Tudor fest.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 02/06/2013 10:33

Thank you! I think it was stuffez who asked for book recs, but I will have a look.

Btw, I googled the book, and came across this review of it by Hiliary Mantel - ouch! - have a look what she says about poor Philippa Gregory! Jesus.

www.lrb.co.uk/v30/n08/hilary-mantel/frocks-and-shocks

It is otherwise a really interesting review and talks about the various speculations a lot.

Portofino · 02/06/2013 10:45

I have just done an Amazon Alison Weir fest for kindle. Much prefer her to Philippa Gregory.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 02/06/2013 11:22

Ooh, yes, I like her.

waikikamookau · 02/06/2013 11:29

I saw this and couldn't cope with the Tudors being on straight afterwards, too mch for my brain

waikikamookau · 02/06/2013 11:30

interesting history though

vintagecakeisstillnice · 02/06/2013 16:12

The book isn't bad as a bit of historical fiction, there's a great undercurrent in the book of how as a high born woman at the time you had so little choices in your life.

And the thread of sibling rivalry is well written to my eyes.
The film or at least the half that I forced myself to sit through was fuck awful. They made Mary so wishy washy. Ick.

In the book she's written as been young and unsure, but grows up and does what she has to in order to protect her children and then then to have a marriage of her choice.

OliviaMMumsnet · 02/06/2013 16:19

There was a v g prog on this "the last days of Anne Boleyn"