ANNE OF A THOUSAND DAYS casts Anne Boleyn as a proto-feminist. The drama revolves around Henry VIII's promiscuity and the subjugation of Medieval and Renaissance women to the needs of men. People who knew Anne, however, report that she mastered the rules of courtship and welcomed marriage to Henry as a triumph. Nevertheless, Genevieve Bujold's portrayal of Anne's artful submission to an impetuous king and the resolve with which she meets her fate persuasively suggests the predicament of contemporary women who navigate the Scylla and Charybdis of career and family. If the production has any weakness, it is Richard Burton's humorless and oppressive Henry. Hard to imagine anyone marrying him. By most reports, however, Henry worked his will not by bullying; rather, Henry is regarded as having wooed, elevated, exploited, and discredited participants in his government with alacrity. Quibbling aside, the narrative rightly tips its hat to Anne's posthumous triumph as the mother of one of England's greatest monarchs. And the characters vivify England's penchant for finding in its ranks of aristocrats and commoners alike leaders of exceptional ability and patriotism. See ANNE OF A THOUSAND DAYS if for no other reason than to watch Irene Papas turn in a masterful performance as Catherine of Aragon, who, though despised and discarded, defended herself tenaciously before a watching world as wife, mother, and queen. The script truly belongs to Ms. Papas.

RATED 5 STARS 'ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS BLU-RAY DVD 2014 REGION A B C'
*Audio: English & German & Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0
*Widescreen 2.35:1 1080p
*Run time - 146 Minutes
*Release date – 2014

Cast of ‘Anne of the Thousand Days 1969’ includes:
*Richard Burton as King Henry VIII
*Genevieve Bujold as Queen Anne Boleyn
*Irene Papas as Queen Catherine of Aragon
*Anthony Quayle as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey
*William Squire as Sir Thomas More
*John Colicos as Thomas Cromwell
*Michael Hordern as Thomas Boleyn
*Katharine Blake as Elizabeth Boleyn
*Valerie Gearon as Mary Boleyn
*Michael Johnson as George Boleyn
*Peter Jeffrey as Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
*Joseph O'Conor as Bishop Fisher

Released in 1969 and nominated for 10 Academy Awards, Anne of the Thousand Days is a captivating richly textured movie about England’s infamous King Henry VIII’s obsession for his royal succession with a son [not a daughter] and his romance, marriage, and divorce with his ill-fated second wife Queen Anne Boleyn. ‘Anne of the Thousand Days 1969’ stars Richard Burton renowned as one of Britain’s leading Shakespearean actors who plays with his famed magnetic stage presence 16th Century England’s famous King Henry VIII! French Canadian actress Genevieve Bujold plays the title role of Queen Anne Boleyn and Bujold delivers a towering passionate intense performance equal the her co-star Richard Burton!

Directed by Charles Jarrott and produced by Hal B. Wallis who wrote the screenplay based on Maxwell Anderson's same award winning play, ‘Anne of the Thousand Days 1969’ is both and educational film as well as being a sublime piece of dramatic art!.

In ‘Anne of the Thousand Days 1969’ although Richard Burton delivers a mesmerizing powerful performance as King Henry VIII, Burton does not steal the limelight from his co-star the stunning dynamic French Canadian actress Genevieve Bujold. In her first English language film, Bujold delivers the performance of her acting career playing Anne Boleyn with as much passion, charisma and humanity as Burton brings to his portrayal of King Henry VIII. The chemistry between Richard Burton and Genevieve Bujold enables their characters' feelings to exhibit sizzling bolts of electricity on the screen! Actress Genevieve Bujold [Queen Anne Boleyn] credited actor Richard Burton for her superb performance stating “Richard was generous, kind, supportive, inspiring, and witty during the entire filming of Anne of the Thousand Days."

PLOT ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS 1969: England 1525. King Henry VIII [Richard Burton] is anxious to produce a male heir to secure the Tudor lineage because his first of six wives Queen Katherine of Aragon [Irene Papas] has passed child-bearing age and has borne him only a daughter Mary and two dead sons. Anne Boleyn [Genevieve Bujold] unmarried 18-year-old daughter of courtier Sir Thomas Boleyn, makes such an impression on King Henry VIII [Richard Burton] that he resolves to make her his mistress. Seeing how King Henry VIII used and abused her poor sister Mary, Anne Boleyn [Bujold] defies King Henry VIII [Burton] and unmarried Anne Boleyn refuses to bear his bastards. Anne Boleyn [Bujold] is further incensed when Cardinal Wolsey [Anthony Quayle], acting on King Henry VIII’s orders, breaks up Anne Boleyn’s engagement to the man to whom she is betrothed, the son of the Earl of Northumberland. Realizing that Anne Boleyn will only marry him [King Henry VIII] if she is made Queen Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII [Burton] decides to divorce his Spanish wife Queen Katherine of Aragon. Following Pope Clement VII's refusal to grant an annulment divorce, King Henry VIII [Burton] severs all ties with Rome and makes himself supreme head of the Church of England. Now passionately in love with King Henry VIII [Burton], Anne Boleyn [Bujold] takes Queen Katherine's place and Henry is confident that he will soon have a male heir and makes Anne Boleyn his second wife and Queen. But once again fate is not kind to King Henry VIII. Queen Anne Boleyn's firstborn is a girl named Princess Elizabeth who becomes England’s first great Queen Elizabeth I who reigns from 1558 –1603. Queen Anne Boleyn's next pregnancy ends in the stillbirth of a boy. Convinced that his second marriage to Queen Anne Boleyn is as cursed as his first marriage with Queen Katherine of Aragon, King Henry VIII begins to look elsewhere for a royal consort. King Henry VIII’s eyes alight on the young Jane Seymour who becomes his third wife and gives Henry a son who became King Edward VI. Knowing what is to come, Queen Anne Boleyn becomes hostile towards her husband King Henry VIII and refuses to agree to a divorce. King Henry VIII will not be beaten by his second Queen Anne Boleyn and instructs his minister Thomas Cromwell to prove that Queen Anne Boleyn has been unfaithful to him so she can be charged with high treason. As she mounts the scaffold to be beheaded, Queen Anne Boleyn [Bujold] faces death with equanimity and courage. Queen Anne Boleyn knows that her daughter Princess Elizabeth will become Queen Elizabeth I. At the end of the movie ‘Anne of the Thousand Days 1969’ just before Queen Anne Boleyn is executed, she boldly declares to her husband King Henry VIII “Get yourself a son off of that sweet pale girl Henry if you can and hope that he will live. Remember Henry this our daughter Princess Elizabeth shall be a greater Queen than any King of yours. Princess Elizabeth shall rule a greater England than you could ever have built. Yes Henry our daughter Princess Elizabeth shall be queen and my blood will have been well spent!” Queen Anne Boleyn knows that through her daughter Princess Elizabeth, she Queen Anne Boleyn will ultimately triumph over her evil husband King Henry VIII who loved her and loathed her with equal passion!

‘Anne of the Thousand Days 1969’ is an exceptional historical movie drama with pomp, passion and poignancy in an intelligent humane screenplay featuring remarkable acting performances. At the height of his powers in the 1960s, Richard Burton delivers one of his greatest screen performances as England's most notorious monarch King Henry VIII! While many productions are content to portray King Henry VIII as a fickle selfish tyrant, Richard Burton offers a much more nuanced interpretation that shows a more sensitive compassionate King Henry VIII. For example all of King Henry VIII's painful heart breaking divorces from his six wives were necessitated by his need to preserve the hard won Tudor dynasty. As King Henry VIII, Richard Burton shows his feelings of great guilt and self-recrimination. Burton's King Henry VIII is not the familiar monster we have seen in other movies/plays instead Burton's King Henry VIII is a passionate multi-faceted man who is relentlessly tormented by his human failings and monarchic duties.

Entertainment pure and true
I am not sure the historical factor was really held to in making this film but I can see great acting and entertaining story. It did offer a few things to consider such as, when Anne was in the tower awaiting her fate, did she think back on her love for the king and his for her?

Did she recall when she realized she truly loved him not as the king but as the man?
Did she really back talk the King? or was that added for drama?
Was the King really torn about her death or was it as Tudors shows more just another move in his game of getting his heir?

I did enjoy this so much the costumes were gorgeous and I think probably more true to the times than some of the more recent portals.
Richard Burton: what can be said, he is or was the king of the big screen and he does not let you down in his performance
Lady Katherine- she seemed a bit more angry and cold in this movie than the recent series showed her which gave me food for thought so to speak.
Did Henry have a way of turning the woman to bitter and cold back talkers?
Was Anne Really sweet and spice or was she strong willed and sharped tongue..

Oh How I wish we had a way to find out all the answers. But I do know from watching documentaries.
Anne swore her love for the king way before this movie shows it, however she would not be his bed warmer early on (just as this movie shows).
So if you are wanting to watch for Historical accuracies- you might find a few tid bits here and there but you will entertained-

Grand and interesting. Well worth the small rental fee