The Other Boleyn Girl (Blu-ray Disc, 2008)

I have read several reviews that seem to feel this movie was grossly miscast. While I did not love either Natalie Portman (as Anne) nor Scarlett Johansson (as Mary), I thought Eric Bana was wonderful as Henry. He exhibited just the right balance of royal tenderness (mostly with Mary), cowardice (with first wife, Kathryn of Aragon) and brutality (mostly with Anne). Kudos also to Kirsten Scott Thomas as the Boleyn mother. The story is set in the historical time period during which Henry VIII is desperately striving to produce a male heir to the British throne. First wife Kathryn of Aragon has born a daughter but no male heirs and she is now beyond child-bearing years. The rest, as they say, is history. The romantic part involves the machinations of the Boleyn family to ingratiate themselves with the king by throwing first one then the other of their daughters at him. After dallying with Mary briefly and producing an illegitimate son, Henry turns to Anne. More deceitful and clever than her younger sister, Anne manages to ensnare Henry resulting in the exile of Kathryn and the break from the Church of Rome. The movie briefly alludes to Anne's twisted attempts at producing a male heir including the purported incestuous relationship with her brother, George, which ultimately leads to her undoing. Of course the ultimate irony underlying this entire tale is that after all of Henry's dalliances and machinations to produce a male heir to the throne, England's greatest ruler (45 years on the throne) turns out to be Anne Boleyn's daughter, Elizabeth. Nice costumes, decent acting and a wonderful plot only history could produce.