The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970)

What makes it different from others?

That was an excellent one.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

I have the DVD version of "Six Wives of Henry 8th" and I love it each time I watch it. Keith Mitchell is Henry 8th. Nuff said. The costumes were beautiful. I fancy myself as a royal expert (at least my family says so). I watch it at least once every two weeks. The women chosen to play Henry's six wives were well played. I noticed two people in the series. The man that played "Thomas Seymour" and the man that played "Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester" were played by the same men in "Elizabeth R" (Henry's daughter by Anne Boylen). The Duke of Richmond is only mentioned once in "Catherine of Aragon". In the history books he lived to see Anne Boylen executed. Why was he not mentioned in "Jane Seymour" when he died? My next question is the man that played "Cardinal Wosley" in "Anne of Thousand Days" was credited in "Six Wives of Henry 8th" as the Narrator/Voice. As many times as I've seen the series I can not recall him. Any one know where he is so for future reference I will hear or see him?

This was one of the most amazing pieces of television/theater. I was 17 when I watched it for the first time and about 10 years ago, acquired the miniseries on VHS. Just recently I was given the DVD set as a gift. I've been re-watching it and I marvel at just how amazing the production and the performances were. At the time Keith Michell played Henry, the actor was in his early 40's yet managed to portray the monarch from age 18 till his death at 56. Simply remarkable and I think Michell is the consummate Henry VIII. As the previous poster, my favorite episodes were Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard; I didn't know Ms. Pleasence was Donald Pleasance's daughter. I also enjoyed Annette Crosbie's performance; she also portrayed Queen Victoria in the miniseries about Edward VII. All in all, this is one of the finest miniseries ever done on television and I doubt we'll see its equal anytime soon.

Wow, i'm a huge Henry VIII/Tudor era fan and, well, this was .... interesting. The only one I watched was the Catherine of Aragon one. And wow...just wow. I've seen bad acting before, but this reached new heights. When the actress who played Catherine was umm.. crying? she wails and screams and i have to admit i rewinded many times... many, many times .... funny, funny stuff. The only person who even showed any slight sliver of talent was the actress playing Anne Boleyn (i might be prejudiced though, i do have a slight obsession with Anne Boleyn, she was a really facinating woman, read up on her, it's worth it!) Also, i have read a lot about the Tudor time period and i think that the characters weren't very acurately displayed, they were all very stereotypical. Only see this movie if you are prepared to see a very important time period, and the important lives of those involved turned into a laughing stock.

Those with a knowledge of the era will appreciate the care taken in bringing it to the screen, minor bloopers not withstanding. Expect something in the technical range of a soap opera; but the writing and acting are generally underrated. In particular, it is very hard to see how Keith Michell, or anyone, for that matter, could 'over-act' in portraying Henry VIII.