Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)

Director:

Charles Jarrott

Writers:

Bridget Boland (screenplay) and
John Hale (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

He was King. She was barely 18. And in their thousand days they played out the most passionate and shocking love story in history!

Plot:

Henry VIII of England discards one wife, Katharine of Aragon, who has failed to produce a male heir, in favor of the young and beautiful Anne Boleyn.

Plot Keywords:

England | King | Heir | Queen | Male Heir

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Richard Burton	...	King Henry VIII
Geneviève Bujold	...	Anne Boleyn (as Genevieve Bujold)
Irene Papas	...	Queen Katherine
Anthony Quayle	...	Wolsey
John Colicos	...	Cromwell
Michael Hordern	...	Thomas Boleyn
Katharine Blake	...	Elizabeth Boleyn
Peter Jeffrey	...	Norfolk
Joseph O'Conor	...	Fisher
William Squire	...	Thomas More
Valerie Gearon	...	Mary Boleyn
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Mendoza
Gary Bond	...	Smeaton
Terence Wilton	...	Lord Percy
Denis Quilley	...	Weston
Esmond Knight	...	Kingston
T.P. McKenna	...	Norris
Michael Johnson	...	George Boleyn
Marne Maitland	...	Campeggio
Nora Swinburne	...	Lady Kingston
June Ellis	...	Bess
Cyril Luckham	...	Prior Houghton
Brook Williams	...	Brereton
Lesley Paterson	...	Jane Seymour
Amanda Jane Smythe	...	Baby Elizabeth
Nicola Pagett	...	Princess Mary
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kate Burton	...	Serving Maid (uncredited)
Liza Todd Burton	...	Beggar Maid (uncredited)
Elizabeth Counsell	...	Anne's Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	Servant (uncredited)
Fiona Hartford	...	Catherine's Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Lilian Hutchins	...	Catherine's Spanish Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Juliet Kempson	...	Cahterine's Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Terence Mountain	...	Executioner (uncredited)
Kynaston Reeves	...	Willoughby (uncredited)
Charlotte Selwyn	...	Anne's Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Anne Tirard	...	Catherine's Spanish Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Rita Tobin-Weske	...	Midwife (uncredited)
Amanda Walker	...	Anne's Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Jarrott

Writing credits
Bridget Boland		(screenplay) and
John Hale		(screenplay)
Richard Sokolove		(adaptation)
Maxwell Anderson		(play)

Produced by
Richard McWhorter	....	associate producer
Hal B. Wallis	....	producer

Original Music by
Georges Delerue		(as Georges DeLerue)

Cinematography by
Arthur Ibbetson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Marden

Casting by
Sally Nicholl

Production Design by
Maurice Carter

Art Direction by
Lionel Couch

Set Decoration by
Peter Howitt
Patrick McLoughlin

Costume Design by
Margaret Furse

Makeup Department
Ron Berkeley	....	makeup: Richard Burton's
Joan Carpenter	....	hairdresser
Tom Smith	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
James H. Ware	....	production supervisor (as James Ware)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Simon Relph	....	assistant director
Nicolas Hippisley-Coxe	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)
Nigel Wooll	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
John Feehan	....	propertyman
Ferdinand Bellan	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Andrew Campbell	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
Frank Graves	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
W. Simpson Robinson	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Aldred	....	sound & dubbing mixer
Don Sharpe	....	dubbing editor
Robin Clegg	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Colin Miller	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Gerald Larn	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Wilson	....	camera operator
Norman Gryspeerdt	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ivy Baker	....	costume supervisor (as Ivy Baker Jones)
Vi Murray	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)
Arthur Newman	....	wardrobe master (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mary Kessel	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Valerie Booth	....	continuity
Inez Easton	....	location manager
Patrick McLoughlin	....	research
Mary Skeaping	....	choreographer
Jeremy Taylor	....	horse master (uncredited)
Joan Williams	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hal Wallis Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1969) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Universal Pictures (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Krause & Schneider Multimedia (KSM) (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Mondo Entertainment (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures France (UPF)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

145 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | 4-Track Stereo (some 35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) (2006) | USA:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | UK:PG (tv rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hal Wallis Productions

Trivia:

Elizabeth Taylor wanted to play Anne, but was rejected as too old at 37.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Ann's "lover" is being tortured he screams out clearly showing metal fillings that did not exist in the 16th century.

Quotes:

[first lines]
King Henry VIII:What is the verdict?
Thomas Cromwell:Guilty - Your Grace.
King Henry VIII:All of them?
Thomas Cromwell:Guilty.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Classics from the Vault: Great Performances That Oscar Ignored (#2.5)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Galliard

Passionate, historical and sombre

It is a memorable film, well nominated, exquisitely costumed. I like Richard Burton best of all in this one. He takes up the role of Henry VIII and gives it many subtle shades of feeling so that you almost understand what might have really transpired in such a king's turbulent soul. He was somewhere between a rock and a hard place and rushed headlong into history with his determined efforts to change the rules of kingship.

Anne Boleyn, here played by Genevieve Bujold, was caught up in these events and ultimately became a casualty of circumstances. I'm not a history buff so can't fill in the true story but it's obvious there was much political intrigue taking place. Also, it rather reminded me of "Othello" in which the ill-fated Desdemona was victimized by Iago's slander. Genevieve portrays Anne with deep conviction and her tremendous vehemence at times sweeps us along through happy moments as well as fiery clashes with family, king, and authorities.

I was enthralled by the excellent supporting actors who formed the king's entourage, and hope to know them by name one day. In particular was their exchange of witty dialogue in the captivating scene which ended in a reference to a "venison haunch." I believe one of these actors later appeared in "Mary, Queen of Scots" (1971) as I recognized the same wonderful voice, and I think it's Vernon Dobtcheff. Well, it's a bit of detective work I must do to confirm.

Anthony Quayle's portrayal of Cardinal Wolsey was right on. Oh the glories of power in high places, so many titled positions he held! Yet in the end the Cardinal could hold onto none of them in a true sense. I feel this is one role where Quayle really excelled as an actor and a very dramatic presence.

For me this film goes hand in hand with "A Man for All Seasons" and "Mary, Queen of Scots" for some great drama on screen.