W European History

Why do they try to take books and make them into movies? The only book that I have ever read and also enjoyed the movie was Gone With The Wind. And if the producers of Gone With The Wind had tried to cram Margaret Mitchell’s book into and hour and half movie, it would have sucked as bad as The Other Boleyn Girl.

Unlike Phillipa Gregory’s book, the movie version of The Other Boleyn Girl, rushes through the events leading up to the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn. And even though Mary Boleyn (the other Boleyn girl) is the central character of the novel, in the movie she is more or less a bit player. It gives glimpse of her life, but nothing substantial or even interesting. It is a rushed and hurried affair that could have been better on every level. Rarely have I ever disliked a Renaissance movie as much as I did this one.

A big reason the movie fell so completely flat with me, is that I had the pleasure of watching The Tudors season One and Two on Showtime this past spring. If you want to see a new take on a classic Renaissance story, Natalie Dormer brings an unmatched passion and beauty to the character of Anne Boleyn.

Final note: read The Other Boleyn Girl and skip the movie.

Instead of the film version of The Other Boleyn Girl, I suggest you get your groove on with any one of these great historical movies.