That's the problem for me.They make out Philippa Gregory practically IS a
historian now and a lot of people believe the hype. The novel was based on the
highly controversial work of real historian, Retha Warnicke, whose crackpot
theories have been lambasted many times.
All the factual inaccuracies were Ms Gregory's, and there are plenty: basic
facts, English culture, clothing etc. Even Mary Boleyn's not knowing how to
make cook or make cheese was all wrong. Running a household was standard
training for any English gentlewoman in the 16th century, even social climbers
like the Boleyns. The distant, 'not getting her hands dirty' lady was a
development of later ages, and Tudor ladies knew how to do everything, even
when they could afford to pay someone else to do it.
I understand that this is a film, based on a work of fiction. I'm happy that
some changes will be made to cover dramatic license and furthering the story.
This applies to costume too so I'm happy with some costume inaccuracy. But
these costumes are just ugly. The French hood fronts are too small. Plain
unflattering to both lead actresses. 'Anne of the Thousand Days', for all its
many factual and costume inaccuracies, at least did Genevieve Bujold the
courtesy of costuming her elegantly, and her inaccurate French hood fronts
suited her.
Never mind the dresses, I'm not sure I can bear a whole film watching
Nathalie Portman and Scarlett Johannson with those things on their heads. I
don't think it will have the comedy value of 'Shakespeare in Love' or the fine
performances of 'Elizabeth', two other glaringly inaccurate but fairly
enjoyable films.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2006 11:26:50 -0500
From: monica spence
Subject: RE: [h-cost] re: The other Boleyn girl
To: Historical Costume
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I read the book too, but it did not make me crazy. It is so easy to make a
mistake about clothing when you are a writer with little or no background in
clothing history. I pretty much ignore that stuff.
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