Henry VIII (2003) (TV)

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 | 16th Century | Roman Numeral In Title | Tudor | Queen Of England

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Creating the Ultimate Beowulf (2008) (V)

Anachronisms abound in this revisionist "historical drama"

Other reviewers have commented on historical inaccuracies in this mini-series; I'd like to comment on the screenplay and its apparent attempt to "modernize" this historical story. Aside from Winstone's Cockney accent (unlikely in a palace-reared king at a time when French was still used widely in the English court), would Henry VIII *really* have said "how come" instead of "why" and would Catherine Howard *really* have said to someone that "it's down to you that I'm here"? I must also note that I've read a lot about this period in English history, and don't actually remember any huge Catholic uprising led by a noble from York (wonderfully played by Sean Bean though the role was); surely such a significant episode would have made a bit of a splash in the many histories of Henry VIII that I've read?

I will say that once I realized how hopelessly anachronistic this version was (about 5 minutes into part 1, shown here in Canada over the last week or so), I just settled back to enjoy the spectacle; and, for the limited, soap-operaish trashy wallow that this mini-series turned out to be, it was quite enjoyable. Some very fine actors hopefully received reasonably hefty paychecks for this, and some of the scenery and effects were very nice to watch. But for anyone interested in real history, this is about on par with the feature film "Elizabeth" of a few years ago, which posited a modernized version of the first English queen of that name that was, historically speaking, simply laughable.

Watch it for the actors; don't watch it for any sense of authenticity.