Firebrand: Who knew that there was a Henry VIII period piece released in 2023 with Jude Law and Alicia Vikander? Certainly not me, and I am a fan of the period and the intrigue of that time. Henry VIII was the King of England from 1509 until 1547. He was obsessed with having a male heir and to that end was married no less than six times. He was so committed to this aim that he took on the Catholic church, and made himself his own religion to allow the annullment to his first wife. He was first married to Catharine of Aragon for 24 years (1509-1533), which generally the films and books about the time do not focus on. They show him as impetuous and demanding a child. Later he had two of his wives beheaded (Anne Boelyn and Catherine Howard). This movie focuses on the last marriage to Catherine Parr who he married in 1543 until Henry’s death in 1547. While married, Henry was in France and he had called Catherine his wife the regent (acting in his stead doing the business of government).
Jude Law shows Henry as a man who was in constant pain from his leg. It was an infection that would not heal with the medicine of the day. He was gaining weight and moved from being fairly lucid to being more unstable and eratic. He seemed to have a conspiracy complex of those around him always looking to find ways to hurt him. Law shows this well. He is married to Catherine Parr who was well regarded and genuinely seemed to have affection for the King. Still he was a woman in difficult times, and surrounded by men who wanted power and prestige. Vikander plays Catherine and shows her torment in being married to this unpredictable man. Of course no woman was thought to be ready to rule but she embraces acting as a stpe-mother to Henry’s children including the young Edward and also Mary and Elizabeth (two future queens of England) who are taught some valuable skills. I liked the interaction between the two capable actors. Vikander walks a fine line, especially with power in the balance along with her life. It was no secret about how Henry treated his prior wives, and the children knew it too. I am not clear how historically accurate the ending of this movie is but it is something to ponder. At the very least it is a story that is compelling. I do find more than a little hard to believe but that is alright. I haven’t seen Vikander in a while but it was a welcome sight to watch her work again. I think that Law is a versatile actor who gets better as he ages. If you can find this movie, it is worth checking out.
Mondays With Robbie 