Henry VIII (2003) (TV)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Pete Travis

Writer:

Peter Morgan (writer)

Release Date:

12 October 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

Heads Will Roll

Plot:

Two-part TV series documenting the stormy 38-year reign of King Henry VIII. |

Plot Keywords:

King Henry VIII | Tudor | 16th Century | England | 1500s

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Ray Winstone	...	Henry VIII
Joss Ackland	...	Henry VII
Sid Mitchell	...	Young Henry VIII
Charles Dance	...	Duke of Buckingham
Mark Strong	...	Duke of Norfolk
Assumpta Serna	...	Katherine of Aragon
Thomas Lockyer	...	Edward Seymour
William Houston	...	Thomas Seymour
Danny Webb	...	Thomas Cromwell
Guy Flanagan	...	Tall Servant
David Suchet	...	Cardinal Thomas Wolsey
Scott Handy	...	Lord Henry Percy
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Anne Boleyn
Benjamin Whitrow	...	Thomas Boleyn
Stephen Noonan	...	Spanish Ambassador

Runtime:

UK:250 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex, England, UK

Company:

Granada Television

Goofs:

Factual errors: Immediately preceding the scene (interior) where the Pope is seen writing his refusal to divorce Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon, there is a panoramic view of the Vatican (with St. Peter's basilica), implying that the Pope was in Rome/the Vatican at the time.DIn fact, the Pope was at Orvieto at the time, and it was there, in the Papal palace, where he wrote and signed this particular document.

Quotes:

Katherine of Aragon: What did I do to upset you, that a maid of mine should turn against me like this?
Anne Boleyn: You failed to give England an heir.
Katherine of Aragon: And that upsets you so?
Anne Boleyn: What upsets the King, upsets me.
Katherine of Aragon: Let me tell you this. You want me to lie before God, and admit my first marriage was consummated? Well, it was not. You want me to retire, and withdraw my daughter's claim as sole rightful heir to the throne? Well, I shall not. Not in a thousand years. Not if you rack me within an inch of my life. So, I hope you have the belly for a fight, Anne Boleyn, because I'll fight you, every inch of the way.

Quite good actually

Surprisingly, it is good. I understand why some may be baffled as to the choice of the actor in the lead but Ray Winstone is not bad at all. And mind you - I am not a big fan of his. Especially as older Henry he gets better and better. His accent is a bit of an issue sometimes - cockney does not wash with Tudor times but then again, he definitely looks the part and plays Henry well. Pity that the script is written in a very modern, sometimes too casual, way. When fragments of Anne Boleyn and King's letters are read out, the original language of the time works really well. The portrayal of Henry as a tyrannical, tough and selfish man is fairly accurate. Let's not forget that Henry was a cruel and conceited King (despite being an intellectual, which believe me is not a redeeming feature) and left the country ruined. He did reform Church but only to a certain extent, which suited him. Despite this reform he was persecuting protestants. His last wife, Catherine Parr (who was a closet Protestant), was in trouble for being too outspoken about religion and King had her investigated behind her back. She escaped serious danger only by the King casually changing his mind. He created a whole new class of poor people and beggars by dissolving monasteries (only because of the money he wanted off them). Casting thousands of nuns and monks out in the streets, leaving poor people without medical care that was provided by monasteries was a cruel and stupid move. Henry was not a good ruler and this film shows him in the more realistic light. David Suchet gives a fantastic performance as Cardinal Wolsley. So does Sean Bean as a Catholic Northern rebel leading the Pilgrimage of Grace against the King.

I quite liked the newcomer Emily Blunt as Katherine Howard. She really conveys that teenage recklessness, that cost her life in the end. Good film and worth seeing.