Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)

This retelling of one of history's most famous love affairs features Richard Burton as a vain, selfish Henry VIII and Geneviève Bujold as his second wife, the beautiful, headstrong, and ill-fated Anne Boleyn. The story is well known: Henry, tired of his first wife and desiring a male heir, forces annulment of his marriage, thus driving a wedge between England and the Papacy. He is smitten with young Anne but, unlike her sister, she refuses his advances until he promises to make her Queen. The break with Rome leads to the banishment of Cardinal Wolsey, the death of Sir Thomas More, and the rise of Thomas Cromwell all of who are excellently portrayed in the film (by Anthony Quayle, William Squire and John Colicos respectively). As the titular thousand days pass, Henry becomes more and more dissatisfied with Anne, whose grim fate is a famous moment in British history. The film is excellently made, with sumptuous costumes, bright and colourful cinematography, excellent acting (especially by Bujold), and a good script.

Fmovies: 15 minutes into the movie, you forget that you are not seeing Henry VIII and his soon to be beheaded Queen Anne. The costumes and sets are breathtaking and the end, even tho you know what will happen, still illicits an audible gasp from everyone who sees it for the first time. Along with Lion in Winter and a handful of others, this should be required viewing for every student of history, film and drama.

This fine movie comes so close to excellence ; Genevieve Bujold gives a performance full of power and passion as the French-educated courtesan who won the admiration , love and finally enmity of England's most colorful King. Richard Burton, as Henry, rides rough-shod over all who oppose him in his pursuit of marital bliss (and a male heir). The supporting cast interacts beautifully - my only regret is that the part of the usurped Queen Katherine (Irene Papas) is given little screen time and portrays her as more abrasive than abject (historically, Katherine made a touching appeal to her husband at the trial of the validity of their marriage). Other historical elements such as the schism with the Church of Rome and the political machinations of members of the court have been downplayed in order to concentrate on the love story. Thus this movie should be viewed as a costume drama rather than an accurate representation of historical events. In spite of these and other inaccuracies I still heartily recommend this movie as a spirited rendering of Royal lust in "Merry Olde England" and on a broader level as a kind of morality play showing how the pursuit of one's hearts desire is often more rewarding than the achievement of one's ambition (or, as Henry and Anne both learned to their cost, when you get what you want you may then realize that you don't really want what you get).

For another view of this same era see the film version of Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" - I also strongly recommend "Henry VIII and His Six Wives", starring Keith Michell and adapted to a movie from a six-part TV series (which I believe is also available as a boxed set).

Anne of the Thousand Days fmovies. This magnificent and well-crafted historical costumer is set in Henry VIII (Richard Burton who garnered an Academy nomination and Golden Globe) age , concerning his life and lovers , and especially his relationship to Anne Boleyn . Based of the playwright by Maxwell Anderson which is particularly accurate as a history lesson . The origin conflict takes place when Catherine of Aragon (Irene Papas ) was previously married to Arthur , Henry VIII's older brother . Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (Anthony Quayle) was the most influential member of Henry's council , but Wolsey failed to obtain the Pope's permission for Henry 's new marriage to Anne Boleyn (Genevieve Bujold , in her breakthrough international film role) . Wolsey came swiftly in distress and his possessions including the Palace of Hampton Court passed to King . Then Henry breaks with Catholic Church and secretly married Anne , creating the Anglican religion . When the King proclaimed himself as Head of the England Church was inevitable that Henry and Thomas Moro would clash . Those who stood in Henry's way , even those he claimed to love, invariably ended up on the scaffold and many catholic priests were led from their cells in the Tower of London and beheaded . Later on , Henry falls in love with a young favourite named Jane Seymour and he wishes to marry her . But the marriage to Anna did not last long and she was accused of adultery with his brother and four Communers .

Interesting screenplay based on the source stage play "Anne of the Thousand Days" by Maxwell Anderson that was originally produced on Broadway in New York at the Shubert Theatre, it describes "England between the years 1526 and 1536" . Dynamic performance by Richard Burton , though he hated both the film and his interpretation and was amazed when he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor . Burton had been the second actor to do so for playing Henry VIII, and the first to win for playing a role that someone else had already nominated an Oscar for playing the same character was actor Charles Laughton , he first played the monarch in 1933 for The private life of Henry VIII (1933) and won the Best Actor Academy Award for his performance . Burton and Genevieve Bujold make an extraordinary battle of wits , they were two of the foremost talents of the time . Actresses Olivia Hussey, Julie Christie , and Faye Dunaway all turned down the role of Anne Boleyn , Hussey was the first choice for the part but she declined due to personal problems she was dealing with at the time , as the leading female part in the end was cast with French actress Geneviève Bujold who gives a marvelous acting . Understanding and charismatic acting by large secondary cast as John Colicos as the ambitious Thomas Cromwell , Irene Papas as suffering Catherine of Spain , Michael Hordern as Thomas Boleyn , Peter Jeffreys as Duke of Norfork , among others . It appears uncredited Elizabeth Taylor as masked courtesan in a lush ball , in fact she wanted to play Anne Boleyn, but was rejected as too old at age 37 .

Sumptuous cinematography by Arthur Ibbetson , reflecting glamorously the spectacular sets and luxurious gowns which won an Academy Award . Evocative and emotive musical score by Georges Delerue . Lavishly produced by Hal B Wallis, fitting accurately to Renaissance time , though the film received mixed reviews, it was a financial flop on release . This engrossing motion picture was brilliantly directed by Charles Jarrot who continued in similar style with ¨Mary queen of Scots¨

Henry VIII's male chauvinistic desire to begat a male heir for the throne of England is a tale often told from many points of view. In Anne of a Thousand Days it's told from the point of view of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII and mother of the infant child who became Elizabeth I.

Anne Boleyn, a high spirited young lass of 18, catches Henry VIII's eye at court. One of his previous dalliances was with her older sister Mary and that paid off well for the Boleyn family. Father Tom sees riches and glory even more and persuades her to really keep the king panting.

Anne succeeds all too well. Henry divorces Catherine of Aragon and marries Anne. But all he begats is another daughter. And Henry still wants a son and he's got an eye on another. It all ends tragically for the Boleyn family.

It's important to remember that as the film opens Henry VIII having caught sight of Anne at his court denies permission for her to marry some young lord whom she is in love with and vice versa. Had he looked elsewhere, had he moved on, all this might never have come to pass.

Anne of the Thousand Days took 21 years to come to the screen. It ran on Broadway for a year in 1948-1949 and starred Rex Harrison as Henry VIII. Richard Burton joins a great list of actors who've portrayed Henry VIII on the screen. Probably the young Charles Laughton did him best, but Burton is certainly fine.

Genevieve Bujold in her screen debut is a stunning and fetching Anne, too fetching for her own good. Poor kid though, in other than a monarchist society that was becoming more absolute during Henry's reign, she'd have married the man of her dreams and lived happily ever after.

Anthony Quayle is a fine Cardinal Woolsey though I prefer Orson Welles in A Man for All Seasons. Michael Hordern as Thomas Boleyn destroys more than one member of his family through his own ambition.

Irene Papas makes a tragic Catherine of Aragon. By all accounts Catherine was a pious woman who had incredible rotten luck with her pregnancies. Only daughter Mary survived who grew up to be the Queen known as Bloody Mary. She settled some accounts when she became Queen.

I think the best supporting portrayal is that of John Colicos as Thomas Cromwell. This Cromwell was the great uncle of the more well known Oliver Cromwell. Oliver has his supporters and detractors, but I've never seen a good word in any history books about Uncle Tom. Colicos has him pegged just right as a serpentine intriguer. By the way after the period of this film is over, Thomas Cromwell made one too many intrigues and got on Henry VIII's wrong side. People usually didn't live long after that and Cromwell was no exception.

When he wrote Anne of the Thousand Days, Maxwell Anderson grew up in a society of law. I think a fine appreciation of that fact comes into the moral of the story. Even an absolute monarch has to obey laws or no one is safe. Until Henry VIII was off this mortal coil, no one was.

Burton and Bujold are majestic in this brilliant costume epic about King Henry VIII's relationship with wife Anne Boleyn. The period is captured beautifully in its set design and costuming. There is great support from Irene Pappas, John Colicos and Anthony Quayle as Cardinal Wolsey. This would be a nice film to double up "A Man for All Seasons" with.