Everyone that knows me knows that I dream about moving to Las Vegas. Occassionally, I go over the pros and the cons on moving to Vegas and one of the cons is that Las Vegas is hot! I hate hot! Well, guess what? It is hotter here today than it is in Las Vegas. So, I guess that is a non-issue now. I can strike that from the con list. I really would like to move to England but I am 'trying' to be real and that is probably not the best idea for me. I would have to quarantine my kitties for six months and honestly, I could not do that. Las Vegas though...all I have to do is take off driving.The topic of moving and to the English countryside reminds me of a movie I was watching the other night, "The Other Boleyn Girl". First, this is a book in the category that I love, historical fiction. This particular book is more fiction than history but still the book is good, the movie not so much. Okay, I will come right out and say it. The movie is a yawn fest. Natalie Portman plays Jane and she is just all wrong for that part. Natalie is beautiful and I love her in other movies but in this one, she did not do justice to her part. Scarlett Johansson played Mary Boleyn. She was more well suited for her part but something about that I still didn't like. Well, probably because both of these young women are American and their accents were lacking. As you can see, I am very particular about casting. Anyway, long story short, most people are aware of King Henry's reputation. In the most auspicious light, he was 'difficult'. At the most severe angle, he was a tyrant. In King Henry's day and days not so long ago, women were possessions and held no rights as human beings. To say that life was tough for women then, is a pathetic understatement. Mary had been used by her uncle and father as a pawn to gain favor from the King. And as he did of all women he became close to, the King eventually became bored and tired of Mary wishing her removal from court. In this particular movie, Jane broke the news to Mary and told her that she was "banned to the English countryside." I am thinking 'Hey, how do I get banned to the English countryside???" Some punishment, right? I am thinking things are looking up for Mary. I am thinking Mary will probably run outside and shoot off a rocket or something. Well, guess what Mary did. Rather than jumping in the air and clicking her heels, she burst out bawling! Can you believe it? I am thinking "You silly, silly woman! This is your chance! Run!" Apparently, Mary preferred staying at court and continued abuse by the King (remember only in this movie). I think this was an artistic license taken by this particular author that stepped too far across the line. I refuse to believe any person could be so intent on self destruction to despair about being banned to the English countryside. That is when this movie became too unbelievable for me. No one is that silly. Are they? Just something to ponder.
2 comments:
Both of those two actresses are too beautiful to be the Boleyn women. Someone of a plainer appearance would be more realistic. Those women had puffy eyes and receding chins. At least that is how all the portraits depict them. I bet Henry wishes he could have had NP and SJ types. He could have really strutted around all puffed up.
Receding chins must have been the cat's meow in Henry's day because he really seemed to have a preference for them. Either that or the artist, Hans Holbein 'skills' were not that great in capturing the beauty of King Henry's ladies. :( (Ever since Napolean Dynamite, I really over use the word 'skills'.)
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