06 February 2009

One of the reasons

I like reading the book rather than watching the film is because my interpretation of the events in the book is like watching my own version of a film; that and the film-maker's version of events in the book tend to lose some of the detail due to the length or expense.

But occasionally, I will sit down to a film, knowing well as I do that I may be disappointed in what I was seeing.

Very, very occasionally I might even make it to the end of the film and be satisfied with the cuts that have been made, because at least they kept fairly true to the story.

But not with The Other Boleyn girl, whoever made it has made so many historical (I would say mistakes but that is giving them the benefit of the doubt) inaccuracies that it was impossible to get through more than 30 minutes worth.

Now unless I was mistaken, Anne Boleyn was the youngest daughter, and both her and her sister Mary were sent to France at an early age to complete her education at the court of Henry's sister Mary. Now history has it that Anne stayed in France longer than her sister who returned home and caught Henry's eye at court becoming his mistress until he tired of her and set her up with a pension.

Anne refused to consent to Henry's courtship, after he discarded her sister, holding out for more. The book The Other Boleyn Girl clearly had Mary being seduced by the King first then Anne who eventually married Henry - and I can't rate the book that highly for the amount of inaccuracies in it but compared to the film it was enjoyable.

However the film-maker's in their wisdom, had Anne being the older sister and being told that on a royal visit she was to make much of the King and try to seduce him; however Henry fell for Mary.

I hate it when they play with history.. in the sake of a better story for film.. save it for fiction but alas and alack these people are only interested in the dosh to be made.

ps - it's being snowing here since just before 7am, SOH went out at 4.30am to go to work and has said he has been slipping on the roads and is heading for base. I hope he will be ok, I would like him to get home in one piece but the roads are incredibly unsafe and hence I am working from home again today.

1 comment:

Scribbit said...

There are very few movies that are better than the book. Out of Africa may be one, the book was great but the movie drew in elements of her other works as well which I liked.