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Anne Of The Thousand Days [VHS] [1969] starring: Richard Burton, Geneviève Bujold, Irene Papas, Anthony Quayle, John Colicos

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Rating: - Treading the field of gold

This film evokes wonderfully the darkness and machinations underlying the splendour of Henry's court, in a way that equals A Man for All Seasons. Bujold's Anne plays convincingly the strong, spirited woman who beguiled and held Henry at bay before finally succumbing to the aura surrounding his majesty. Her emotional journey through to final betrayal by the man she has come to love, is hauntingly echoed by Irene Papas' portrayal, on the margins of the story, of Henry's first discarded Queen Catherine. Burton's Henry is basically a philanderer who justifies his behaviour in the eyes of God by the need to father a male successor. Savage and sensitive, a poet yet a murderer - Burton plumbs the depths of his evil and self-deception. Anne's bravery and detachment when facing death; her spineless father - nicely captured by Michael Hordern; Anthony Quayle's corrupt, ruthless and yet oddly sympathetic Wolsey: it all leaves a vivid and often historically accurate impression of the splendour and terror surrounding good King Hal.

Rating: - Grand entertainment

Anne of the Thousand Days is an enjoyably lavish entertainment from the days when duelling kings and commoners were all the rage at the box-office - Beckett, A Man For All Seasons, The Lion in Winter - before Cromwell and Mary Queen of Scots all but killed off the genre. As history, its better at the general details than the specifics, but it's magnificently staged and not without some dry wit and humour ("We used the incest excuse last time. We can't make a habit of it."), most of it intentional - there's not a writer alive who wouldn't be aware of the effect that giving Richard Burton dialogue like "Divorce is like killing - after the first time it's easy" would have on an audience. There's even some pathos in the final image of Henry callously riding off to his next bride as his last one's bloodstains the hay on the executioner's scaffold. Burton is on good form before he lurched into drunken autopilot mode, and Genevieve Bujold does well as the alternately innocent and vindictive Anne Boleyn. Even the usually arch and hammy John Colicos is fine as the overambitious Thomas Cromwell, but it's the eternally undervalued Anthony Quayle who steals the acting honors as Cardinal Wolsey, even making you feel for the old monster as he falls from favor.

Despite a couple of minor glitches in two shots, Universals R2 DVD boast's an excellent 2.35:1 widescreen transfer but no extras.

Rating: - anne of a thousand days

l feel that this is a wonderful film, richard burton has always been a favouite of mine, but he excells being henry king of england.

Rating: - A must have for all Tudor fans!!!

Buy this DVD!!What a wonderfull film this is!As Tudor fan you MUST have for example a Man for all seasons...and THIS!!The settings,Charles Jarrott the director,the music of Georges Delerue,the costumes(Oscar Winner),the Shepperton studios atmosphere...it is all superb in this film!The acting of Burton and Bujold is absolutely marvellous.The dramatic history of this mother of Gloriana is very well told.The discussions at court,the fire in the words..it is all there.And this DVD isn't even expensive.The combination of Wallis,Jarrott and the shepperton studios is pure magic for me.Furthermore,the screen format is original 2,35:1 Widesreen(very important for movie lovers!)The image is completely restored,the colours give great contrast.The playing time is far over 2 hours.It is hard to keep your eyes dry at Boleyn's tragic end.Cromwell is to blame for it.Get rid of her Henry said,I need a male heir,and our beloved Anne is sacrificed.But she fights back!,beautifully performed by Bujold.Now we wait for that one movie from Charles Jarrott that still is not available on DVD,and a great shame:Mary,Queen of Scots starring Glenda Jackson and Vanessa Redgrave.Historically not faithfull,but the acting and costumes
are as great as ever!It will come out some day!I never believed this movie was brought out on DVD....and there it is!

Rating: - Anne of the Thousand Days

Anne of the Thousand Days is a stunning film which tells the story of Anne Boleyn, from commoner to Queen. It is a passionate film, richly produced and acted, with star performances from Genevieve Bujold as Anne and Richard Burton as King Henry VIII.

Anne has freshly returned from the Court of France. Her family, the Boleyn’s, are riding high at the court of King Henry, largely due to the favors that Anne’s sister, Mary (Valerie Gearon) provides him with. Henry however is bored. His wife, Katherine of Aragon (Played majestically by Irene Papas) has failed in providing a male heir to secure the Tudor dynasty. Anne, who is secretly betrothed to Henry Percy (Terrance Wilton) catches the Kings eye, and so begins the most passionate and shocking love story in history.

With outstanding performances from Anthony Quayle (Cardinal Wolsey), John Colicos (Thomas Cromwell), Michael Horden (Thomas Boleyn), and William Squire (Thomas More), Anne of the Thousand Days paints a colorful and startling picture of one of the most fanatical and ruthless periods in English history. We are taken on a journey into the past, through the court rooms which denied Henry’s right to Divorce Katherine of Aragon, into the Bedroom of Anne whose affection he won after so long, and onto the Scaffold on Tower Green in which Henry ended Anne’s thousand day rule.

Bujold and Burton never gave better performances. Henry is portrayed by Burton as a spoilt, desperate man, who will do anything to secure his succession, and does. Anne is a complex, and powerful being who is determined and willful up until the sword descends. This is a film that has its inaccuracies historically, but captures the time perfectly. Margaret Furse’s Costumes won a deserved Oscar, and Georges Delerue’s musical score complements Charles Jarrott’s photography perfectly.

This has to be my all time favorite film. Having been out of print for some time, it has now been restored to DVD. I certainly would recommend that you invest in a copy… and some tissues!

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