Suffolk

Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972)

Actors: Peter Madden (actor), John Bloom (editor), Kay Mander (miscellaneous crew), Michael Byrne (actor), Donald Pleasence (actor), Waris Hussein (director), Charlotte Rampling (actress), Mark Shivas (producer), Michael Goodliffe (actor), Michael Gough (actor), Brian Blessed (actor), John Bennett (actor), Jane Asher (actress), Clive Merrison (actor), John Bloomfield (costume designer),

Plot: On his deathbed Tudor-king Henry VIII remembers his long reign and especially the crucial part his six marriages played in it, without producing the male heir he desired most to prevent civil wars for the succession as England suffered before his father's ascent. His first queen, Spanish princess Kathryn of Aragon, had one fatal flaw: her children died, except daughter Mary, so he pressed Rome for an annulment, and when that failed out went cardinal Wolsey as chief minister and Henry made himself head of the Church of England instead of the papacy and married Anne Boleyn. When she too failed to produce a male heir, just princess Elisabeth, he had her head roll for 'infidelity'. The third queen, gentle Jane Seymour, died giving birth to sickly prince Edward. For diplomatic reasons Henry married minor princes Anne of Cleves, whose utter lack of female charms causes another annulment and the fall of Thomas Cromwell, who recommended her. Fifth is the lovely Catherine Howard, cousin of Anne Boleyn, but again childless and found to have been carnal with servants before and after her royal marriage, so also decapitated. Finally Catherine Parr, a young widow, stands at his deathbed.

Keywords: adultery, anne-boleyn, anne-of-cleaves, archbishop-of-canterbury, british-royal-family, burned-at-the-stake, caesarean-birth, caesaropapism, catherine-howard, catherine-of-aragon
Genres: Drama,

Quotes:

Henry VIII: Wait, Anne. Only wait.::Anne Boleyn: Ah, then farewell to my young looks!

Thomas Cromwell: Your Grace.::Henry VIII: Whom can a man trust in this world when there is nothing real in it?::[showing Cromwell a miniature portrait of Anne of Cleves]::Henry VIII: Is this a true likeness?::Thomas Cromwell: Yes, sire, I think.::Henry VIII: Where are the great pits in her face?::Thomas Cromwell: She has a queenly manner, I think, sire.::Henry VIII: I like her not!::[shoving and shaking Cromwell]::Henry VIII: She is nothing fair and I like her not!

Thomas Cromwell: It lies within my power to make Your Majesty still more prosperous yet.::Henry VIII: But how would I ever reward you, Crom? You have it all: the Privy Seal, the Garter, Vicar General, the earldom of Essex and Lord Chamberlain. What more could I do for you?::Thomas Cromwell: Your Grace might box my head at times.::Henry VIII: [gives a huge laugh and playfully slaps Cromwell on the face] That would not be seemly. But I'm keeping his Lordship from his business.

Thomas Cromwell: Cromwell walks into the council chamber"You where in a great hurry gentlemen to begin without me"::Norfolk: As Cromwell is about to take his seat at the council table"Cromwell do not sit there.There is no place for you,traitors do not sit with gentlemen."::Thomas Cromwell: Cromwell mumbles "I'm no traitor"::Thomas Cromwell: Cromwell flings down his cap in rage and screams in a loud voice,"Upon your conscience am I a traitor?"::Thomas Cromwell: Cromwell tries to run out of the chamber but the guards seize him"Let me speak to the King"::Norfolk: The guards fling Cromwell up to the table facing The Duke of Norfolk,"No, Cromwell, but by your own law that no man accused of treason may attend his grace.Send to his house to take inventory,take him!"::Suffolk: As Cromwell is about to be led away,Suffolk walks slowly up to Cromwell, "Wait"Suffolk and the rest of the council except Cranmer who is disgusted,tear Cromwell's decorations from his person and give him a beating and a bloody nose.::Suffolk: Now take him away.