The Wives of Henry VIII
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Movie Reviews of The Wives of Henry VIII
Movie Review: A Great Mini Series
Summary: 5 Stars
This PBS mini series, narrated by David Starkey, describes in great detail the six wives of King Henry the 8th and their respective lives and fates. PBS has always been the first and foremost in high quality mini series regarding history. After all, it has seens such great mini series as The Civil War and Jazz. The costumes, authentic to the Tudor Era, and the acting is very well done and the insight into what really happened is exciting and engaging. King Henry the 8th did not intend to marry six wives throughout his entire life. He wanted a son or many sons to be his heirs and future kings of England. He felt he was assaulted with enormous bad luck because his wives proved to be unsuitable and he never fathered a male heir who lived to be king. The series is divided into parts, each tape has the story of his sequence of wives in chronological order. He first married the Spanish-born royal, Katherine of Aragon, daughter of the famous Queen Isabella of Spain. Katherine miscarried all her boys and the only health living daughter she mothered was Mary, the future Queen Mary aka Bloody Mary who in her overzealous Catholic passions, ordered the burning of Protestants in England. Henry the 8th divorced Katherine, formed his own Church, and married Anne Boylen. Anne Boylen, his most famous wife, did not provide him with any male heirs either. Her supposed promiscuity was used to scar her name and as grounds for adultery for which she was beheaded. Next came Jane Seymour. She proved to be his best wife. She gave birth to Edward, but she died while giving birth. Edward lived only until his teens and never ruled England as an adult for he was a sickly boy. Jane Seymour's death brought on the need for a new wife. Henry married Anne of Cleves, a German princess. Here's something silly. Henry the 8th, who was no Adonis himself- he was short and fat, believed Anne of Cleves was ugly and unattractive and soon divorced her. He married the teenage Katherine Howard, who was too young and impetuous to handle the status of queen. She cheated on Henry the 8th with her former lover. She was beheaded and next came Katherine Paar. Although she was a gentle and seemingly fitting queen, she attempted to reform the Church in England to the newly established Protestant/Lutheran religion. Katherine Paar married her first love, Thomas Seymour, after Henry's death. Their story marks the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's story, for when she was still a princess, she was living with Katherine Paar and Thomas Seymour. But that's another story. Here's the thing about Henry the 8th. He did'nt get a male son to be king, but he got the best thing England ever saw as far as monarchy- Queen Elizabeth I.
Movie Review: An Extraordinary Documentary Of Henry VIII & His Wives
Summary: 5 Stars
David Starkey's documentary miniseries "The Wives of Henry VIII" first aired on PBS in 2003 to wide popular and critical acclaim. When the film was released in late September of 2004, I bought the DVD set, (2 discs), and have enjoyed watching them immensely, as have my friends and family. There are four episodes which focus on the lives of Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne Of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr, all wives to the same man, (one at a time, of course), Henry VIII, King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and Supreme Head of the Church of England, (as of 1544).
The episodes are remarkably detailed given the time constraints. The monarch's personal and political reasons for selecting and/or rejecting, (or beheading), his spouses are depicted to some extent. An example is Henry's relationship with Anne Boleyn. The focus here is on the role their marriage played in Henry's divorce from Queen Katherine of Aragon, and the split with the Catholic Church, which sets the stage for the English Reformation, and years of war between Catholics and Protestants. There are obvious simplifications, but this is an excellent overview. It is truly remarkable to see how one man's decisions about his personal life effected the course of British history and that of all Europe. What one should remember here, is that when reading history, or as in this instance, when viewing it, that it is subjective and open to interpretation. There are learned historians who will forever argue, for example, about whether Richard III was a hero or villain.
Dr Starkey, a notable British academic, history teacher, writer, and broadcaster, introduces the series and narrates throughout this almost 3 and one-half hour historical production, directed by Stephen Clarke and Mary Cranitch. The commentary is intertwined with dramatic presentations, (wonderfully well acted and directed), actual historic locations and painted portraits of the protagonists. The costumes are lavish and appropriate to the period. I recommend David Starkey's book "Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII" as a companion to this film. Also, his book "Elizabeth," is one of my favorite and most accessible biographies of Queen Elizabeth I.
The DVD provides clear imagery, a strong picture, and stereo sound. Extras include text biographies and a family tree.
JANA
Movie Review: Fascinating and Entertaining
Summary: 5 Stars
If you have ever wondered about Henry VIII and his tragic 6 wives, the DVD THE WIVES OF HENRY VIII will enthrall and educate you. The Tudors had a brief reign and ruled England during one of the most tumultuous periods in the country's history. Henry VIII changed the religion and the future of England forever. His desire to find love and father a male heir caused him to marry six times and to execute two wives. Dr. David Starkey gives us incredible insight into the mind of Henry VIII and the fates of his 6 wives. The DVD is filled with a visual feast of Tudor England as actors relive history. Starkey may not be an exciting speaker but there is passion in his knowledge. The series is divided into two discs. Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn fill disc one from years 1509-1536. The bulk of his married life was with the brave yet tragic Catherine of Aragon. Disc two continues with year 1536 and Henry's marriage to his third wife Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour was followed by Anne of Cleeves, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr. Only Jane produced the desired male heir and she died soon after childbirth. Henry knew that one male heir was not enough in an era where death often came at a young age. Anne of Cleeves was chosen as wife number 4 after Henry fell in love with a painting of Anne. When they met in person, Henry was repulsed by her appearance. Anne was foreign-born, did not speak English and her style of dress and her mannerisms were alien to Henry. Above all, Henry liked petite women and Anne of Cleeves was more full-figured. The story of each wife is remarkable in itself. Some were highly devoted like Katherine of Aragon while Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour acted out of ambition rather than love. Catherine Howard was the child of the group and paid the ultimate price for her youthful love of frivolity and men. Starkey passes on some interesting facts about the wives. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were cousins. Henry's last wife, Katherine Parr, was already twice widowed when she married Henry. She outlived him and married Jane Seymour's brother, Thomas. History sometimes is too strange to sees true and as they say, "You can't make this stuff up."Movie Review: A real treat for any history lover
Summary: 5 Stars
This mini series was amazing. I saw it when it first aired on PBS, and I was blown away by it, and the DVD is a must have. Everything in it was well done; the costumes were historically accurate, the actors chosen for the roles were perfect for the parts, and it was well narrated and the stories told were historically accurate as well. I'm a history major, so I'm a huge history addict (The highlight of my year is going to renaissance faires) and this particular time period is my most favorite, so I was thrilled when I saw that it was on DVD. I just wish there was more on about Mary Tudor I in the series, since she is one of my favorite historical figures, but other than that, this series is fantastic. It's a real treat for any history buff out there.Movie Review: A Great Historical Account
Summary: 5 Stars
For those who enjoyed the documentary that aired in July 2003 on PBS and couldn't find the DVD to buy, this is it! This is the entire program with David Starkey as the narrator. A very good account with live actors intermixed with historical locations and portraits. My only criticism is that the costumes (particularly the headpieces) tend to be a lot more lavish than what they would have been and equal time should have been spent on the last four wives. The time is allocated more on the number of years they played a role in Henry's life, so the first DVD is comprised of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, the second with Jane/Anne/Katherine/Catherine. All in all, Henry VIII fans will not be disappointed.