Baroness Wilcox of Newport reviews 'Firebrand'

Alicia Vikander as Katherine Parr | Image by: Contributor: FlixPix / Alamy Stock Photo

Baroness Wilcox of Newport

@TheLadyWilcox

Firebrand opens with this title card: “History tells us many things, largely about men and war. For the rest of humanity we must draw our own – often wild – conclusions.” 

Without beginning the review with spoilers, let me just link the phrase “wild conclusions” to aspects of this film – particularly the concluding scenes.

It is the first film in the English language from Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz and debuted at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The film follows the final years of Henry VIII’s reign and his relationship with his sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr.

The characterisation and plot development are clearly written with a modern sensibility and the film attempts to bring a feminist perspective to the relationship between the main protagonists whilst exploring the themes of power, religion, loyalty and betrayal.

Henry is masterfully and at times uncomfortably played by Jude Law

Henry, in his final throes as king, is masterfully and at times uncomfortably played by Jude Law who has come a long way from the spoilt but sensuous playboy Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr Ripley. Law’s physical beauty is buried deep under the costume and character of the tyrannical king who has turned the British state inside out by the religious split from Rome. His research in preparation for the role revealed Henry’s rotting leg ulcer could be smelt three rooms away. Law engaged the services of a perfumer to recreate the awful aroma, which he wore constantly on set – and was barely tolerated by cast and crew alike.

Keen historians will no doubt spot the fictionalised aspects of the script but nevertheless the themes and issues that arise from the interplay between a despot – who literally changed the religion of his subjects to assuage his own demands for a male heir – and his sixth and final wife – who was the only one to both remain married to him and outlive him – are powerful.

Katherine Parr is played by Alicia Vikander, an actress of beauty and grace. It’s a difficult role to demonstrate the inner life of a character who must be extremely careful of everything she says and does. Spies are everywhere in the Tudor court. Appointed as regent-general in Henry’s absence, as he carried on his wars in France, this is where the film’s narrative begins.

The early encounter in the film between Katherine and her childhood friend Anne Askew (brilliantly played by Erin Doherty) sets out an early insight into the character of the queen. The risk to Katherine meeting with Anne is immediately obvious as she is a controversial Protestant preacher that Katherine cannot openly support for fear of being charged with heresy.

Katherine must subvert herself to survive, which links directly to our modern understanding of abusive relationships. In the scenes without Henry she is shown as a wise and careful stepmother to the king’s children, particularly the future Queen Elizabeth I, and we discover that Katherine was the first woman in England  to have a book published in her own name.

The ending of the film is probably the most controversial aspect but if viewed as an alternative interpretation of Katherine’s story for a modern audience – as opposed to actual history – then Firebrand is decidedly worth watching. 

Baroness Wilcox of Newport is a Labour peer

Firebrand
Directed by: Karim Aïnouz
Venue: General cinema release
Distributed by:  MetFilm Distribution

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