Film review: Firebrand

 As I've said, some historical figures will be portrayed more than others and it is all the more exciting when one of the lesser known ones is given their chance to shine.

With this one, it is Catherine Parr in the hot seat - and I mean that in every sense of the word. The Tudor court towards the later years of Henry VIII's life was full of pitfalls and dangers and regardless of your rank or apparent popularity, your life was always one step away from disaster and a very painful death.

For those unaware of the history, in 1536 Henry VIII was in a jousting accident. Not only was he out cold for an hour or more and historians now believe that he suffered some serious damage to his front temporal lobe - the part of the brain focussed on personality. But on top of that, the weight of the horse landing on his leg, led the skin to literally split and tear, causing ulcers that never healed properly. 

And it wasn't as though he was a happy go lucky monarch to begin with.

So almost ten years later, we have a king who was a far cry from the "golden prince" he was when he first ascended the throne. Jude Law is unrecognisable in every sense as the beast that wore the crown, for all the fine silks and hosiery in a feeble attempt to cover the ulcers and rotten flesh, the character he portray is of a mentally unstable old man who holds the strings in an iron fist as he staggers from apparent joy to a wild rage in the space of a few seconds.

And God help you if you put a foot wrong. 

Into this perilous world, we find Alicia Vikander's Catherine Parr. A woman twice married before, a woman of letters - as the expression went, whose sharp intellect has to be muted in order to survive her third marriage. Catherine Parr even acted as Regent while Henry VIII was in France, thus laying the groundwork for future monarchs. Ms Vikander matches and exceeds Mr Law's performance - not an easy feat. I have noted before that when actors are given a chance to portray something they haven't had the chance before, they really do let it rip and up the ante. And Mr Law has certainly done so. 

As noted in interviews, he joined in the environment of the filmmaking, with the director Karim Aïnouz ensuring a sensory rich environment for the actors to play in, he commissioned a perfume to mimic the smell of Henry VIII's skin ulcers and would douse himself in the stench before they called action. 

Queen Catherine is a multifaceted role and we see every side with Ms Vikander's Oscar worthy performance.  

Special mention for the cast must go to Simon Russell Beale as Stephen Gardiner - I was most excited when I heard the casting and he does not disappoint for a moment. As well to Sam Riley and Eddie Marsan as Thomas and Edward Seymour respectively, brothers to the late Queen Jane. And Amr Waked as the poor soul as a physician to the ailing King - a position few would want to have.

While keeping the family tree and power brokers clear in the mind may be a struggle for those not familiar with the period - regardless, this film is a beautifully crafted piece of cinema that brings to life the people and the time in which they lived.