University of Virginia Library

Film Review

'Anne' Arrives

By Steve Wells
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

No, the new breed of directors
hasn't taken over the film industry
completely. There are still movies
being made which simply tell a
story without employing intricate
and inventive directorial
techniques, and which offer lavish
physical productions in hope of
proving that the DeMille era is not
dead. "Anne of the Thousand
Days," which arrived yesterday at
the Paramount, was released last
year, but its style suggests that it
could have been made any time in
the past twenty years.

There is only one set
requirement that I have for "old
school" historic spectacles such as
"Anne" and it is that they have
some substantial content and not
merely be a succession of crowd
scenes with the superficial intent of
awing the viewer. Fortunately,
director Charles Jarrott has spent
most of his time concentrating on
the principals and not the extras,
and, while hardly creating a classic,
has made "Anne of the Thousand
Days" an intelligent, steadily interesting
movie.

Yet, although cinema is a
director's medium, the triumph is
not really Jarrott's, but rather the
actors' and the scenarists'. While
Jarrott has done an adequate job,
his direction often seems stiff, as if
he was being guided by an almighty
rule book of some sort.

The film focuses on the
relationship between Henry VIII
and Anne Boleyn, a lovely, vibrant
young maiden who was forced into
and out of marriage by the
lecherous king. Henry's carnal lust
for her was overwhelming and, in
his quest for her hand, he cared not
whether he did harm to his wife or
his country. Henry had an
obsession with having a son to
succeed him on the throne and
after Anne failed him twice, his
love for her turned to irrational
hate, and he thus arranged for her
to be convicted of adulterous
treason so that he could take
himself a new queen who might be
able to give him a male heir to rule
England.

The screenplay chronicles
Anne's misfortunes with insight,
subtle wit, and fiery dialogue. It
presents Anne as an outspoken lass
(Henry: "Is there anything about
me that you love?" Anne: "No.")
and Henry as a self-aggrandizing
tyrant ("I'm the King of England.
When I pray, God answers. Let no
man forget that."). My one criticism
of the screenplay is that the
transitions of the characters' emotions
are too abrupt.

Richard Burton's performance
as Henry is sharp as a sword and
highly polished. Genevieve Bujold is
likely to steal your heart with her
radiance, poise, energy, and spirit as
Anne; she's unquestionably the
delight of the film. In a strong
supporting cast, Anthony Quayle
and John Colicos are standouts.

"Anne of the Thousand Days" is
not a great film, in fact not even
one of last year's ten best. But it
entertains and achieves unusual
depth for a film of its genre. I hope
there is always a place for such
efforts in our ever-changing
cinematic world.

* * *

As this will probably be the last
review I write this year, I want to
take this opportunity, on behalf of
Mr. Erickson and Mr. Chaplin, to
extend our appreciation to the
theatres of Charlottesville for the
courtesies they have extended to
us. I would also like to give special
thanks to Hollis Farrish and
Crockett Webb, managers of the
University and Paramount Theatres
respectively, for their assistance,
interest, and friendship, which has
made our jobs this year much easier
than they would have otherwise
been. See you in September.