The great cast and my love for period pieces and fascination with the Tudors were the main attractions, and while not perfect Anne of the Thousand Days is a well-done film a lot of the time. It is let down by Charles Jarrott's direction being pedestrian and lacking in style, almost indifferent; some scenes lacking dramatic oomph especially in the early scenes, not helped by some stodginess in the pacing; parts that felt dragged out like in the early scenes and rushed in others like after Henry and Anne's wedding with the fact of Anne being involved in the church's reform being barely touched upon, and Peter Jeffrey's very bland Duke of Norfolk.
But Anne of the Thousand Days does look amazing, the scenery and interiors are of colourful lavishness and the handsome costumes rightly deserved the Oscar received, the attention to detail always more than evident. The cinematography is first rate as well. Anne of the Thousand Days has also a luscious- in every meaning of the word- music score(especially the love theme used to poignant effect with Anne in the Tower of London counting down the thousand days, and a very witty script. How can one not savour Henry and Anne's charming banter or lines like "you make love as you eat, with a great deal of noise and no subtlety" and "we used the incest excuse last time. We can't have a habit of it"? And we mustn't forget Anne's final speech to Henry, it may be rather prophetic and anachronistic but it is still such a powerful piece of dialogue vividly delivered by Genevieve Bujold (unfortunately it's repeated accompanying toddler Elizabeth in the courtyard and it has nowhere near the same impact, if anything it was unnecessary and clunky). Dramatically it's that scene, the confrontation between Henry and Anne, that's the highlight of the film, it blazes like fireworks and really gave me goosebumps.
As for the acting it was very good, especially Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn. She is very poignant as the character and gives her a strong will too, not afraid to speak her mind. Anthony Quayle's sympathetic but also subtly menacing Wolsey, John Colicos' slimy Cromwell, Irene Papas' touchingly dignified Katherine of Aragon, William Squire's equally dignified Thomas Moore and Michael Horden's agreeable Thomas Boleyn are also excellent. Richard Burton doesn't completely inhabit Henry, being not quite right physically, and he does come across as hammy on occasions, but he portrays Henry still with great gusto and intensity, his interpretation being one of a blustering king with a soul. His chemistry with Bujold is mostly convincing, sometimes early on a little soap-opera-ish but mostly it's charming and witty yet tense and affecting. Overall, Anne of the Thousand Days is a most respectable film with its best things being above very good. 7/10 Bethany Cox
But Anne of the Thousand Days does look amazing, the scenery and interiors are of colourful lavishness and the handsome costumes rightly deserved the Oscar received, the attention to detail always more than evident. The cinematography is first rate as well. Anne of the Thousand Days has also a luscious- in every meaning of the word- music score(especially the love theme used to poignant effect with Anne in the Tower of London counting down the thousand days, and a very witty script. How can one not savour Henry and Anne's charming banter or lines like "you make love as you eat, with a great deal of noise and no subtlety" and "we used the incest excuse last time. We can't have a habit of it"? And we mustn't forget Anne's final speech to Henry, it may be rather prophetic and anachronistic but it is still such a powerful piece of dialogue vividly delivered by Genevieve Bujold (unfortunately it's repeated accompanying toddler Elizabeth in the courtyard and it has nowhere near the same impact, if anything it was unnecessary and clunky). Dramatically it's that scene, the confrontation between Henry and Anne, that's the highlight of the film, it blazes like fireworks and really gave me goosebumps.
As for the acting it was very good, especially Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn. She is very poignant as the character and gives her a strong will too, not afraid to speak her mind. Anthony Quayle's sympathetic but also subtly menacing Wolsey, John Colicos' slimy Cromwell, Irene Papas' touchingly dignified Katherine of Aragon, William Squire's equally dignified Thomas Moore and Michael Horden's agreeable Thomas Boleyn are also excellent. Richard Burton doesn't completely inhabit Henry, being not quite right physically, and he does come across as hammy on occasions, but he portrays Henry still with great gusto and intensity, his interpretation being one of a blustering king with a soul. His chemistry with Bujold is mostly convincing, sometimes early on a little soap-opera-ish but mostly it's charming and witty yet tense and affecting. Overall, Anne of the Thousand Days is a most respectable film with its best things being above very good. 7/10 Bethany Cox