I first saw this movie when I was thirteen years old and I cried and cried and cried. I had no idea who Jane Grey was, I knew nothing about her history, very little about the Tudor Dynasty or England in the middle ages. This was my first foray into the world of the Tudors and one I have remained in ever since! This movie is everything the story of Lady Jane Grey, the eldest daughter of King Henry VIII's sister, is. It is poignant, frustrating, frightening, romantic and tragic. It shows the cold, hostile, manipulative court of the Tudors and within that world it shows a love that is pure, sweet, innocent and eternal. A very young Helena Bonham Carter plays the pious, devout, serious, studious Lady Jane Grey. Guildford Dudley, the youngest son of the Duke of Northumberland whom Jane marries is played by Cary Elwes (of Princess Bride fame). The essence of the movie is Guildford and Jane's love story against the backdrop of manipulation, greed, and the battle for power after King Henry VIII's son dies at just fifteen. With Princess Mary as the rightful queen the powers that be are terrified of a Catholic once more sitting on the English throne and thus we see Jane thrust into the role of Queen for just nine days before Mary's army arrives in London and Jane and Guildford are both charged with treason and sent to the Tower of London which never ended well for most people exiled there. There is so much to love about this movie - the costumes, the set, the music, the acting. In the years that passed since I first watched Lady Jane I have learned enough to know that the love between Jane and Guildford as portrayed in the movie might not have been as poignant and real as I would like to imagine. In fact, there is evidence to suggest they couldn't stand one another but it doesn't change the fact that this movie is one of my all time favorites. As much as the movie has altered some historical facts for creative license there is one scene that I understand they haven't altered and that is the scene of Jane on the scaffold before her beheading.....the fright, the words she spoke are exactly as eye witness accounts reported and oh so chilling. If you love romance, if you love history, if you love tales of first love I urge you to watch this movie! And please let me know what you think.
bye for now Wendy xx
2 Comments
Clare furmark
9/9/2016 02:30:43 am
I will have to look out for this one wendy was it on foxtel??
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Wendy
9/12/2016 12:13:16 am
I'm not sure if it is on Foxtel or not Clare, I know it is on DVD though! xx
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Wendy GoddingWriter of young adult romance with a historical bent. Archives
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