Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)

How sad is this?

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

With his wife beyond child-bearing age and lacking a male heir, King Henry VIII pursues Anne Boleyn, a much younger woman, and ultimately forms the Anglician Church to annul his marriage and wed her in this historical drama starring Richard Burton and Geneviève Bujold. The film won an Oscar for its lavish costumes, yet Bujold's performance is the film's best asset as she brazenly stands up to Henry VIII early on, only to later relish in the power of being Queen; one truly gets a sense of her having grown and progressed over the course of the movie. Director Charles Jarrott never quite manages to disguise the stage play roots of the material with lots of static shots and a heavier emphasis on dialogue over atmosphere, but the project is oddly compelling for a film exploring such a well known slice of history. The performances definitely render the material more engrossing, with both Burton and co-star Anthony Quayle sharing some excellent scenes with the radiant Bujold. By all accounts, Burton disliked his turn here but he actually makes his character nicely sympathetic; even when he goes to reprehensible extremes to try to gain a son, his passion remains heartfelt. Some have in fact been critical of just how much the iconic monarch is softened here, but there is something quite refreshing in how the film tries to capture both Henry and Anne's perspectives.

Visually the movie is a splendor ;the two principals are excellent ,there's no need to add to the praise they have already received;the most difficult part is perhaps that of Ann;She begins as a romantic careless young girl ,who still thinks she can fall in love and marry the man she loves.Little by little,she becomes an ambitious unscrupulous woman;when she realises her fate is sealed ,she transfers her thirst for power to her daughter:the final words are highly prophetic and actually the two apparent losers of Charles Jarrot's two historical movies (Anne in 1970 ,Mary Stuart in 1972) were actually the posthumous winners : Elizabeth The First was one of the greatest sovereigns England had ever had and James Stuart reigned over England and Scottland after her death.

The Tudors have spawned a lot of movies over the years. Perhaps surprisingly, most of them (at least the ones I've seen, and I've seen a few) have been pretty good ones. "Anne Of The Thousand Days" is no exception to that rule. With a great cast and lavish sets, this manages to tell the story of the relationship between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - apparently destined against her will to be the King's mistress, but then, at her demand, and given no choice in the matter, the instigator of both political and religious turmoil as she demands to be not the King's mistress, but the King's wife - and Queen of England - a goal stymied by the fact of the King's marriage to Catherine of Aragon.As Henry and Anne, Richard Burton and Genevieve Bujold put on excellent performances, and the supporting cast was also quite strong. Neither Henry nor Anne were truly vilified; neither were they made heroes. Henry was portrayed as a King overcome repeatedly by lust (the cycle emphasized near the end of the movie with the appearance of Jane Seymour at court while Anne watched at a dinner very reminiscent of the dinner at which Anne appeared at court while Catherine watched.) Henry will manipulate and threaten and do whatever it takes to satisfy his lust. Yet, one gets the impression that - while consumed by lust - Henry does have a sincere concern about the need for a male heir and a belief that England won't allow itself to be ruled by a Queen. He's also clearly portrayed as concerned by his split with the Church, although at the same time one sees that he believes his prerogatives as King take priority over the concerns of the Church or even of God, summed up by his comment that "when the King prays, God answers." Anne on the other hand is a figure of some sympathy. In this movie at least she didn't ask to get mixed up in royal politics; she was the unwilling attention of Henry's lust. Yet, once her destiny was sealed, she also is clearly manipulative, grasping after what she wants, determined to get as much as she can from the King. The politics of the court are well portrayed, and most of what we see is accurate to the historical record, although the movie chooses to end on an obviously anachronistic note, with looks ahead to the glorious coming reign of Anne's daughter, who would defy her father's belief that a Queen couldn't rule England by becoming the magnificent figure of Queen Elizabeth I. This is a worthy piece of the Tudor movie collection. (7/10)

King Henry VIII (Richard Burton), frustrated by his wife's inability to give him a male heir, casts his eye on young Anne Boleyn (Genevieve Bujold) and sets about courting her. She is in love with another man, but no matter to the King; he will have his way. Henry woos and finally wins her when he says she will be his Queen.This is a wonderful historical drama about unbridled lust, unlimited power, and a King's consuming need to have a son. Burton is the perfect Henry; with his magnificent voice and stately manner he's terrifying and foolish and truly lord of all he surveys. As Anne, Canadian actress Bujold, in her first Hollywood film, matches Burton's strength and passion. Both actors are eloquent and charismatic and it is a pleasure to watch history unfold and be changed because of this love affair.Elegant homes, castles, and the English countryside make for stunning locations and the Oscar-winning costumes are sumptuous. Heartily recommended.