May 2 - The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Part 2 - Anne Boleyn

THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII: PART 2 – ANNE BOLEYN

After the birth of the Princess Elizabeth, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are happy for a while. However, Anne soon begins to suspect Henry is involved with other women.  Anne becomes pregnant again, she hopes with a son. Lady Rochford, the wife of Anne’s brother George, out of spite, plots with Thomas Cromwell, the Chancellor  to bring Anne down. Cromwell speaks to Henry against Anne, saying that he is blamed for the deaths of Catherine of Aragon and Thomas More caused by his involvement with Anne. Anne gives birth to a stillborn son, sealing her fate, as Henry blames her. He begins to listen to those who accuse Anne of infidelity. Cromwell starts pressing various men under torture to admit they had sexual relations with Anne.  Anne is arrested and taken to the Tower of London on May 2, 1536. [38:56 to 41:13] Anne’s alleged lovers are convicted of treason. With her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk presiding, Anne is put on trial for treason and convicted. Henry has already selected Jane Seymour as wife number three. Cromwell and the King want Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to get Anne to agree to a divorce, but she refuses. Ann’s accused lovers are executed. Cranmer hears Anne’s last confession in which she steadfastly denies her guilt. Anne is executed. 

A tragic story of injustice. Anne dies because of something outside her control, the inability to have a son. A classic case of a political show trial because as Anne says the verdict was determined before her trial ever started.

The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir (Ballantine Books, New York, 2010) at pages 136-144 gives the date she was arrested

Director  - Naomi Capon

Producer - Mark Shivas and Ronald Travers

Starring -

Keith Michell as Henry VIII of England

Dorothy Tutin as Anne Boleyn

Patrick Troughton as the Duke of Norfolk

Bernard Hepton as Archbishop Thomas Cranmer

Sheila Burrel as Lady Rochford

Anne Stallybrass as Jane Seymour

Wolfe Morris as Thomas Cromwell

Michael Osborne as Mark Smeaton

Jonathan Newth as George Boleyn

Screenplay - Nick McCarty

Awards - . The film won the Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Michell) Emmy award. It was also nominated for the Outstanding   Drama Series, Outstanding New Series, Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a leading role in a dramatic series (Michell) and the Outstanding Single Program, drama or comedy.

First shown - January 8, 1970

Runtime - 1 hour 30 minutes