Inspired by and adapted from the successful 1970 BBC television series, Keith Michell reprised his award-winning portrayal of King Henry VIII, this time with six different actresses playing his wives.
It is 1547, and on his deathbed, Henry looks back over his long reign and the part his six marriages played in it – without producing the male heir he desired so much – are told in flashback.
His first queen, Spanish Princess Katherine of Aragon (Frances Cuka), had one fatal flaw: her children died (except daughter Mary), so he pressed Rome for an annulment.
When that failed, out went Cardinal Wolsey (John Bryans) as chief minister, and Henry made himself head of the Church of England instead of the papacy and married Anne Boleyn (Charlotte Rampling).
When she, too, failed to produce a male heir (only Princess Elizabeth), he had her beheaded for “infidelity” and “witchcraft”.
The third queen, kindly and gentle Jane Seymour (Jane Asher), died giving birth to sickly Prince Edward, and Henry then married minor princess Anne of Cleves for diplomatic reasons. Her complete lack of female charms prompted another annulment and the fall of Thomas Cromwell (Donald Pleasence), who had recommended her.
Henry’s marriage to his fifth wife, Anne Boleyn’s lovely cousin Catherine Howard (Lynne Frederick), again proved childless and, when it was discovered she had been carnal with servants both before and after her royal marriage, she was also beheaded.
Finally, Catherine Parr (Barbara Leigh-Hunt), stands at his deathbed, now a young widow.
Bernard Hepton was the only other actor to reprise his role from the 1970 TV series, playing Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.
Keith Michell would later play King Henry VIII again in The Prince and the Pauper (1996).
King Henry VIII
Keith Michell Thomas Cromwell
Donald Pleasence Anne Boleyn
Charlotte Rampling Jane Seymour
Jane Asher Katherine of Aragon
Frances Cuka Catherine Howard
Lynne Frederick Anne of Cleves
Jenny Bos Catherine Parr
Barbara Leigh-Hunt Norfolk
Michael Gough Suffolk
Brian Blessed Thomas More
Michael Goodliffe Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
Bernard Hepton Gardiner
Garfield Morgan Wolsey
John Bryans Wriothesley
John Bennett Fisher
Peter Madden Mary
Sarah Long Warham
Richard Warner Thomas Seymour
Peter Clay Edward Seymour
Michael Byrne Sir Ralph Ellerker
Michael Godfrey Thomas Culpeper
Robin Sachs Chapuys
Nicholas Amer Abbot
Basil Clarke Weston
Clive Merrison French Ambassador
Alan Rowe Brereton
Mark York Norris
David Bailie Lady Rochford
Margaret Ward Bowes
Colin Rix Smeaton
Damien Thomas Maria de Salinas
Imogen Claire
Director
Waris Hussein
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His first queen, Spanish Princess Katherine of Aragon (Frances Cuka), had one fatal flaw: her children died (except daughter Mary), so he pressed Rome for an annulment.
Henry’s marriage to his fifth wife, Anne Boleyn’s lovely cousin Catherine Howard (Lynne Frederick), again proved childless and, when it was discovered she had been carnal with servants both before and after her royal marriage, she was also beheaded.
