The Other Boleyn Girl continues an apparent cinematic fascination with the British Royal family, particularly the house of Tudor. The accomplishments of Henry VIII during his 40-year reign are mostly overshadowed by the fact that he had six wives. The name of Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, is well known. Less common is the knowledge that Anne's sister, Mary, was also the king's bedfellow. The Other Boleyn Girl chronicles the Boleyn family's various dalliances with the King of England.

        The movie is stunning. The sets and costumes are spectacular. Even more striking, however, is the emphasis on the female charactersÑnot just their body parts. Cleavage is downplayed. Personality is enhanced. And while Henry VIII is obviously pivotal to the story, he's pretty much benched here, as the two Boleyn girls elbow their way into the story's limelight. And if Henry is just a stick figure, other key historical figures from his court--Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, or Sir Thomas More--are not even lurking in the wings.

        From the outset, the Boleyn girls are pawns in their family's scrabble to better its position. Mary and Anne are paraded before the king like delicacies on a buffet. Initially drawn to the feisty Anne, the king's attentions are derailed to her sugary sister, Mary. Her sister's relationship with Henry forces Anne to employ desperate measures to recapture the King's attention. Once she snares him back, Anne will accept nothing less than becoming Henry's wife. Such is her allure, the movie attests, that Henry stops at nothing to wiggle out of his first marriage, even permanently changing the course of the church in England.

        The luscious Scarlett Johansson plays Mary Boleyn. Sweet, voluptuous, and blond, Johansson could not be more enticing if she were dipped in chocolate. The camera clearly adores her. She's just right in the role of Mary, who, according to this movie, actually loved Henry. In theory, Mary's sweetness should be counterbalanced by her spicy sister; sadly Natalie Portman doesn't quite make the role work. Portman is unconvincing as the seductress and schemer that Anne Boleyn has to have been. Portman makes it apparent that Anne cares little for the king and so her coquettishness is forced. Portman never settles on an accent, either. Most of the time she sounds Australian. Maybe Eric Bana--who plays the King--was her coach.

        As a soap opera, The Other Boleyn Girl almost works. There is much to be drawn to here; I wanted to like this film more than I did. Sure, there's plenty of eye-candy, but I hungered for something more.

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