PBS’s ‘Wolf Hall’ Inspires a Tudor Marathon
Beth Saulnier, Correspondent 2:03 p.m. EDT April 14, 2015
“Wolf Hall” is a historical drama about Henry VII’s story that airs on PBS on Sunday nights. The show, based on two Hilary Mantel novels, shows Henry’s efforts to divorce Catherine of Aragon.
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“Wolf Hall” is a historical drama about Henry VII’s story that airs on PBS on Sunday nights.
The show, based on two Hilary Mantel novels, shows Henry’s efforts to divorce Catherine of Aragon.
We’re in a golden age of TV, and these days it’s not uncommon for the small screen to be more tempting than the big one. If you’re a fan of historical drama, PBS is currently serving up a particularly delicious treat on Sunday nights: “Wolf Hall,” the latest interpretation of the Henry VIII tale.
Based on two Booker Prize-winning novels by Hilary Mantel (Wolf Hall and Bringing Up the Bodies), the show’s six episodes chronicle Henry’s efforts to divorce Catherine of Aragon and his ill-fated marriage to Anne Boleyn, as seen through the eyes of royal advisor Thomas Cromwell. It’s not a comprehensive survey of Henry’s marital sextet: it ends with Anne getting separated from her noggin as his yen turns to wife number three, Jane Seymour. Two episodes of “Wolf Hall” have aired so far, but if you missed them you’re not out of luck: you can catch up at pbs.org or via the PBS channel on a streaming device like Roku.
I’ve viewed the whole series, and if this sort of thing is your cup of tea, you’ll be in pig heaven: the show is smart, beautifully made and (while rather cerebral) absolutely riveting. Yes, it’s been slammed for being glacially paced; I prefer to think if it as thoughtful and deliberate.
Mantel’s novels are notable for humanizing Cromwell, the self-made lawyer who’s often depicted as scheming and ruthlessly ambitious. Here, he’s the story’s moral center, and Mark Rylance — a celebrated stage actor most familiar to movie audiences for the unsettling 1995 drama “Angels and Insects”—turns in a quiet performance that’s nothing short of brilliant. The rest of the cast is also great, including Damian Lewis (of “Homeland”) as the king, Claire Foy as Anne and Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey, one of the luckless many who fall from Henry’s favor.
This material has, of course, been trod before, and well. So if you’re in the mood for a Tudor binge-watch, there’s joy to be had via streaming or DVD.
If you’re not too particular about historical accuracy, there’s Showtime’s “The Tudors,” which you can stream not only on Showtime Anytime (if you subscribe to the channel on cable) but also on Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video. Over four seasons, Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Henry in his younger, hunkier and svelter days; there’s violence aplenty and nudity galore. The show may be a guilty pleasure, but it’s blessed with a fantastic cast including Jeremy Northam as Sir Thomas More, James Frain as Cromwell, Sam Neill as Wolsey and Peter O’Toole as the Pope. Henry Cavill, now starring in the rebooted “Superman” films, plays the king’s best friend.
In “The Other Boleyn Girl” — a mediocre movie with a top-notch cast—the focus is partly on Anne’s sister, Mary, whom Henry tossed aside in favor of her more alluring sibling. It stars Scarlett Johansson as Mary and Natalie Portman as Anne; look for Rylance as their father. The cast also includes Eric Bana, Benedict Cumberbatch and Kristin Scott Thomas. It’s available on DVD from Netflix, and you can rent it from Amazon (though it’s not part of Prime).
Want to go back a few decades? In 1969, Genevičve Bujold played the doomed queen in “Anne of the Thousand Days,” with Richard Burton as Henry and the estimable Irene Papas as Catherine. The 1966 classic “A Man for All Seasons,” which won six Oscars including Best Picture, centers on More (Paul Scofield); Robert Shaw plays Henry, with Orson Welles as Wolsey and Vanessa Redgrave as Anne. Both films are available on DVD from Netflix or as Amazon streaming rentals.
Still haven’t had enough? The Royal Shakespeare Company’s two-part stage version of “Wolf Hall,” totaling some five and a half hours, is currently playing on Broadway. So from now until July 5, you can get your Tudor on—live—a mere 200 miles from home.
STARS (for “Wolf Hall” on PBS): 3˝.
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