The Act of Treason (25 May 2008)

As Jane Seymour's fortunes rise, Anne's fall. Several of those close to her including her brother are tortured into confessing treason and beheaded.

Director:

Jon Amiel

Writers:

Michael Hirst (creator), Michael Hirst

Stars:

Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Natalie Dormer

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	King Henry VIII
Henry Cavill	...	Charles Brandon
Natalie Dormer	...	Anne Boleyn
Nick Dunning	...	Thomas Boleyn
James Frain	...	Thomas Cromwell
Jamie Thomas King	...	Thomas Wyatt
Hans Matheson	...	Thomas Cranmer
David Alpay	...	Mark Smeaton
Stephen Brennan	...	John Seymour
Anita Briem	...	Jane Seymour
Max Brown	...	Edward Seymour
Padraic Delaney	...	George Boleyn
James Gilbert	...	William Brereton
Anthony Brophy	...	Chapuys
Clive Geraghty	...	King's Physician

Storyline

Jane Seymour's brother, Edward, is appointed a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber. Anne believes she can still marry off Elizabeth to France and repel the Seymours, but Cromwell is only following Royal orders to get rid of the Boleyns and switch to the imperial side, as her father Thomas senses. They believe to have triumphed when Henry refuses Chapuys's discrete alliance offer, but Cromwell tortures musician Mark Smeaton into a false confession of adultery with Anne. Brereton confesses to ensure the Queen's death, Sir Henry Norris and her own brother George Boleyn are equally found guilty and precede her beheading, only Thomas Wyatt is -wrongly- acquitted.

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Plot Keywords:

torture | adultery | confession | beheading | jealousy | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance | War

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Octagon Films, PA Tudors, Peace Arch Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

54 min

Did You Know?

Trivia

Just before the credits there are several flashes of images. They include two different period portraits of Henry VIII, one of Anne Boleyn shown twice, and a half-second of modern film of the Campanile of San Marco filmed in the Piazza of Venice, Italy (always shown right after Anne's portrait). The significance of a tower in Venice is never explained in the episode, although it may be an analogy to the Tower of London where Anne was eventually sent to.

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Goofs

Right after Brereton is executed, we can see the executioner swinging his ax a couple of times, like he would chop off several heads. But at one point (at the fist swing) we can actually see, that there is no one kneeling in front of him, he is just swinging the ax in the air but the audience is reacting like a head would have been chopped off.

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Quotes

Anne Boleyn: [Indignantly] I know the truth! You look for dead men's shoes!
Sir Henry Norris: Madame, I really must protest.
Anne Boleyn: I mean, you suppose if anything bad happened to the King, then you would think to have me!
Sir Henry Norris: Madam, if ever I had such a thought, then I wish my head were cut off.
Anne Boleyn: Oh, that could be arranged!

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Connections

Version of Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972)

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Soundtracks

"Mr. Beveridge's Maggot"
Traditional
From John Playford's 'The English Dancing Master' Vol. 3 (1728)

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