Henry and Anne: The Lovers Who Changed History

As a young man, King Henry VIII was virile and handsome, living in an age where masculinity was used as a justification for power. A major blot on the king's happiness was his inability to produce a male heir, the repercussions of which not only shook England but also had international consequences. Filmmaker Chris Mitchell's PBS-aired documentary, hosted by Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb, examines the eventful, passionate, and ultimately tragic marriage of Henry and Anne Boleyn. In those days, when love was a political concern, Henry's first wife Catherine's inability to birth a son became known as the "king's great matter," driving Henry to seek a divorce on the grounds that Catherine, previously married to Henry's brother, was a party to sin in the eyes of God, and the couple were punished with no male children. Henry, who had many mistresses, cast his eyes on Anne Boleyn, an attractive, well-connected, flirtatious woman who spent much of her youth in France. In his effort to divorce, Henry eventually bypassed the disapproving Pope, creating and declaring himself head of the Church of England. The marriage was passionate but turbulent, and Lipscomb here examines their letters to one another while visiting important sites in their relationship. When a male child still was not forthcoming, Henry grew desperate; a subsequent jousting accident caused him constant pain and possibly brain damage, leading to a personality change and increasing brutality. Fanned by court intrigue, Henry accused Anne of affairs and even incest with her brother. A subsequent trial (which Henry did not attend) led to embarrassing disclosures about Henry's alleged lack of skill at lovemaking. More importantly, it also resulted in Anne's execution, which did not end Henry's troubles or violence. Successive marriages finally produced a male heir, but the boy was short-lived and—ironically—it was a woman, Elizabeth I, who would reign, becoming one of England's greatest monarchs. Full of low intrigue, high drama, and historical insights, this documentary covering events fictionalized in the Golden Globe winning PBS miniseries Wolf Hall (based on Booker prize winning novels by Hilary Mantel) is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)