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Summary: Lady Jane
Review: This movie was very well done. The attention to detail, costumes, and music makes it a "must-see" for people who enjoy films with historical content.
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Summary: Noble, Regal, Sparkling, Solemn, Tragic
Review: This gem of a film is from Helena Bonham-Carter's ingenue days in which she captures the strength of the pious and studious Nine-Days Queen magnificently. Strangely, paintings show she bears a stronger resemblance to Guildford Dudley than Cary Elwes, who makes up for his lack of physical resemblance to Jane's slovenly, disreputable husband by turning out a charismatic and thoughtful performance.
This rather heavy-handed account of Jane Grey's life has a lot of symbolism. In a very English hunting scene at the beginning (which closely resembles a Breughel painting), we see the elders in Jane's life closing in on a deer in much the same way they would trap Jane into serving their own corrupt ends. After Jane is whipped by her mother for her reluctance to marry the obnoxious Guildford Dudley, King Edward comforts her by giving her a puppet to play with. The symbolism of that moment at this point in the film is blantantly obvious.
Michael Hordern's Father Fekenham is a comforting presence in Jane's life, despite their disagreements over religion. He never hides the amount of respect he has for the young girl.
Inaccuracies of the film include the fact that Jane's parents, played by a hard-driven Patrick Stewart, and a ruthless Sarah Kestelman(who reaffirms the fact that the saintliness of Frances Grey's mother, Mary, who was Henry VIII's younger sister, truly skipped a generation)responded to Jane's initial refusal to marry Guildford by respectively slapping her in the face repeatedly and cursing her. While one is greatful that the audience is spared that, the nude scene between Jane and Guildford was a bit gratuitous, and as Jane was actually unwavering in her resentment of her chosen husband, it's highly unlikely that their union was consumated. But the earlier wedding scene was indeed, a phantasmagoria of white and gold, and beautiful to watch.
After her scheming elders place her on the throne, there is no evidence that Jane became, as Americans might say, a forerunner to FDR. She took to her bed, grief-stricken over the loss of King Edward.There is some truth to Guildford's having provided some comfort to her at this time, and part of the dialogue that is heard in the initial coronation scene is based on historical fact.
As Jane's Governess, Mrs. Ellen,played by Jill Bennett, stands by, a helpless witness to her brilliant charge's fate, Jane Lapotaire's gracefully portrayed Mary reclaims her throne, Henry Grey tears down the royal canopy, and all the conspirators, reluctant or otherwise, are placed under arrest. Jane bears these indignities, as she has many others throughout her life, with a courage and patience well beyond her years. John Dudley becomes a turncoat, deciding to return to Catholicism to save himself, much to the dismay of Guildford. But this scheme doesn't work. Jane and Guildford almost escape with their lives, until Henry Grey joins a rebellion to restore Jane to the throne.
Certain scenes of Jane's final days in the tower were given better treatment in the 1936 film, " Nine Days A Queen", starring Nova Pilbeam, and John Mills. But in the scenes of Jane on the scaffold are, for the most part, well-reenacted in this film. The sense of sorrow witnesses have at the brutal death that is to be faced by a girl so young, so brilliant, so sweet, and so innocent is almost beyond expession. Even Queen Mary (I hesitate to call her "Bloody Mary" when her father killed more people and has more flattering nicknames ascribed to him only because he had better P.R.)must have sensed that hers would not be a blessed reign as a result of her having to execute her own cousin in order to marry a Spanish King and restore England to Catholicism.
Frances Brandon Grey is shown curtseying to the Queen who has just executed her daughter and who would soon execute her husband. Ironically, she would become a court favorite with the Queen. But there is some sense of justice in the fact that history has not been kind to Jane Grey's parents.
Trevor Nunn has given the world a sharp, glistening, stately, and lavish production filled with a great sense of period and place. Whatever inconsistancies this film may have with history,its loving homage to Jane Grey is well-paid.
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Summary: Made me think about my religion
Review: I do not know much about the Tudor history. What made this movie exciting to me was Lady Jane's staunch Anglican faith. By watching this film I learned some of the crucial differences between the Catholic faith and the Episcopal (Anglican) faith.
For someone so young she showed great faith which I greatly admire. She was truly a martyr for her religion.
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Summary: LADY JANE....EXCELLENT MOVIE
Review: Although in "real life" Guillford and Jane didnt get along, this is a wonderful story irregardless. And besides that, it has great historical information.
I thought that it was a beautiful love story and it makes you wonder if both Janes and Guilffords parents werent so power-hungry, they might have fallen in love the way they did in this movie.
Helen Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes shines in this movie!!!!
I have loved this movie for many many years since I was around 15 and Im going to be 30 next month!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Summary: Wonderful Film!
Review: I first saw this film when I was 15, and I have owned it now for several years. It was this film that piqued my interest not only in Lady Jane Grey, but in the entire Tudor dynasty. Yes, there are historical inaccuracies, but what's new in film, eh? The love story is completely fabricated, but touching and amusing all the same. Cary Elwes is a greatly under-appreciated actor. His performance in this film reveals a depth that I truly haven't seen him express in anything else. Helena Bonham Carter is perfect as usual. She looks like she stepped right out of a 16th century portrait. One thing I do wish was included in the film is the time that Jane spent living at Catherine Parr's (Henry VIII's 6th wife) home with the future Queen Elizabeth and Catherine Parr's then husband, Thomas Seymour. Apparently there were all sorts of things going on there between Bess and Tom and it would have been interesting to see how Jane reacted and dealt with that. This is a tragic, romantic, and touching film. I highly recommend it to anyone, but especially those who love period films or have an interest in the Tudor Dynasty. It's marvelously entertaining!
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Summary: Slow in the middle, but a great movie!
Review: I have to admit, although I love the drama of 16th Century England, "Lady Jane" exaggerates the life of Jane Grey. But I won't get into detail, because the movie was was excellent... in the beginning and the end. Parts in the middle left me saying "HURRY UP AND DO SOMETHING!" because of all the sitting and historic talk. It was actually a bit too historic in the dialogue, but too exaggerated in the acted portrayals... But still, the acting WAS carried out beautifully by Helena Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes, and the costume, hair, make-up and music was absolutely classic. I've been trying to find the soundtrack ever since I first saw the movie. Buy the movie today! You'll like it, and you might learn something.
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Summary: GREAT HISTORICAL FILM!
Review: Great movie! I loved it! i saw it in school and i loved it so much i ordered it online! I WATCH IT ALL THE TIME! IF ONLY THEY HAD MADE IT ON DVD!
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Summary: a nice love story (if you overlook the inconsistencies)
Review: Historically, "Lady Jane" is a piece of ...[garbage]. The real Jane was much more of a pawn than the film suggests and Jane and Guilford hated each other. That being said, if you overlook the fact that if you ever use this film as a basis for an historical essay about Jane you will get an F, it is a lovely romantic story. It was Helena Bonham Carter's first film and even then it was clear that she had a great future ahead of her. The chemistry between Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes was magical. The sets and costumes were magnificent.
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Summary: a good cry movie
Review: This is such a wonderful movie. Not too many people have heard about "Lady Jane" as it only spent a brief time in the theaters. Helena Bonham Carter and the very young and beautiful Cary Elwes are wonderful together. Unfortunately, if you know the actual story of Lady Jane Grey, it doesn't quite match up to the movie version, but the love story between Lady Jane and Guilford is touching and wonderful.
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Summary: Great movie!
Review: I saw the movi on TV, so I don't know how much was cut out, but I loved it! I'm really into the Elizabethan era, so a fairly historic movie with my favorite actor was wonderful. I was a bit dismayed that Dudley and Jane fell in love, but I understand the mptives, as obviously some people don't- if the two hated each other, it wouldn't have been such a great movie. All in all great his. fic. flick.
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