HiT Lady Jane

Lady Jane was the first leading role for a very young Helena Bonham Carter, and a film debut for the renowned theatre director Trevor Nunn. Plus its an amazing story. So, surely nothing could go wrong?

 

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16 thoughts on “HiT Lady Jane

  1. This doesn’t seem to work for me. Nothing happens when I hit play and the “Download” leads to an error message. I’ve tried several times- anyone else have this problem? The other podcasts in the series are working.

  2. Oh boy, comments. I didn’t realize you were doing movie review, so yay for that.

    I first saw this film shortly after my first child was born. I was 21 and filled with post-baby-birthing ick and therefore, I LOVED this film. Like, pink puffy heart googly eyes loved it. Cried like the proverbial baby at the end. Howevah. I also knew a lot about Lady Jane Grey (she’s been an obsession of mine since spending a year in England as an impressionable 13 year-old) so I knew most of it wasn’t historically accurate. Somehow I was able to separate the mushy love story from the history and just enjoy the film. That said, I haven’t re-watched it since then, so maybe it hasn’t held up as well. I shall give it a watch and see how I feel about it now, lo these many, many years later.

    1. Hi Julie. I must admit that all I knew about Lady Jane when it came out was the sort of Victorian story my mother had told me. It was a bit slushy for me I have to say. Wolf who had not seen it, was not impressed it must be said!

  3. An old post, I know, but I’d like to cast a vote for Nova Pilbeam and John Mills as the best Lady Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley to grace the silver screen in “Tudor Rose”. Yes, the film resembles a pantomime and even omits any mention of Jane’s staunch Protestantism, but Pilbeam and Mills really do capture the essence and dignity of their characters — although Pilbeam has been criticised for being a bit too cheery in some scenes.

    I used to love the 1986 Trevor Nunn version, but it’s too adolescent for me now.

    1. You’re with Wolf then!? I must admit I had not heard of Tudor Rose; I must give it a go although how could they avoid Lady Jane’s Protestantism? Anyway, I love John Mills of course.

  4. Okay, here’s a confession: I LOVED Trevor Nunn’s “Lady Jane” in my younger days. So much that I used to fantasise about living in Tudor times. Then, when I watched it again recently, hoping to recapture the magic, unfortunately it had gone away. It didn’t thrill my adult self as it did my teenage self.

    Mind you, I still think Cary Elwes is cute and I like his smile, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

    “Tudor Rose’, on the other hand, was a delightful surprise. I expected to be bored stiff, but it’s now one of my favourite period films. There’s something about its naive, old-fashioned charm that resonates with me.

    1. Yes…it is rather a shame though isn’t it? D’you think we change as we get older, or is it just that it looks dated compared to other films? I must try this Tudor Rose thing…

      1. I’ll get into trouble for this, but here are some theories for my present lack of enthusiasm:

        1.I’m much older now and no longer part of the target audience.
        2.Instead of providing a window into a time and place now gone, the movie gave us Dallas and Dynasty in Tudor costumes.
        3.The music was heavy-handed and a total mismatch. It sounded more suited to a western or cowboy flick.
        4.Helena Bonham-Carter and Cary Elwes are a cute couple, but their love scenes seem to drag on forever.
        5.I love Michael Hordern and Patrick Stewart, but they are terrible here.

        Having said that, however, the opening scenes in the snowy fields were beautifully filmed, almost resembling a painting, Reminded me of Bruegel the Elder’s “Hunters in the Snow” series.

        1. Yes I tend to agree. I have to say I thought Wolf nailed it. But yes I also agree about that opening scene, it was a thing of beauty, and brilliant! Yes, absolutely, it IS that Bruegel it recalls! Good spot, as they say!

          1. The part where the deer is surrounded on all sides equals Lady Jane’s plight later on, in the events leading up to her execution. Life and death in the 16th century was brutal, regardless of your privilege or rank.

            Which brings me to the poignant description of Jane waving a silent farewell to Guildford as he passes by her window in “The Nine Days Queen: Lady Jane Grey and Her Times”, written in 1909 by Richard Davey. Just thinking about it now is making my throat close up.

            I agree with Wolf O’Reilly. If only the producers of “Lady Jane” had not been compelled to include those overly sentimental and risible love scenes, it could have been a decent period piece.

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