I just finished watching The Other Boleyn Girl starring Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Eric Bana. It's about Henry VIII and his women (what else?!). To be more detailed it tells the story of Anne Boleyn becoming his wife and queen by intrigue and betrayal and lateron being betrayed and executed herself.
It made me think of democracy and how lucky we are today that we are not dependent on the mood of a fat and brutal king. I feel that the movie is in no way exaggerating facts: Kings back then, and especially Henry VIII were tyranns. Henry even broke with Rome and the catholic church so that he could get rid of his wife Katherine. He wanted Anne and took the risk of a huge political crisis and even war for only one thing: Sex. I think this clip shows very well how Henry's desire for Anne and her intrigue that leads to his break with church are shown in the movie.
We may often bitch about politicians, but thinking what 'politics' were in former times makes me see Merkel, Sarcozy and Co. in a much nicer light - it works quite like a soft-focus effect ;)
Another fact that occured to me while watching the movie is also interesting: Back then (we are talking of the beginnings of 16th century) people had no idea of 'globalization'. America had just been discovered, but there was no thinking of connecting with this foreign continent. A 'global' decision was more of a European decision, when an English king for example married a Spanish woman. What an unbelievable thing for us!! What would the world be without the huge power and influence of America? How would society and politics have developped without America? How would economics work without the American market? And last but not least: What would European papers write about without the Obamas?!?! I guess most of all William and Harry would suffer from that loss ;)
vor 7 Jahren
