No costume dramas for Johansson and Portman on red carpet

The latest royal costume drama, The Other Boleyn Girl, made its London debut on Tuesday night, with the American actresses Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman braving chilly conditions on the red carpet. The film, which tells the story of Henry VIII's ill-fated second wife Anne Boleyn (Portman) and her elder sister Mary (Johansson), is based on Philippa Gregory’s 2002 bestseller of the same name. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall attended the premiere, with Portman joking to Charles that the film would make interesting viewing for the Prince.

The London premiere contained none of the frisson of the recent Berlin film festival screening, when Portman and Johansson kissed for the press in an effort to end rumours of unsisterly behaviour and ego clashes on set.

Reviews so far are mixed. Variety.com described the film as "sexy, good-looking... with the feel of an Old Hollywood studio costumer freshened up with contempo technique and acting styles" but suggested that Natalie Portman was the least comfortable of the three leads acting with acquired English accents (Eric Bana, who plays the king, is Australian).

The Daily Telegraph described the film as "a ripe, vulgar old bodice-ripper" but noted that the costumes, created by Sandy Powell, were the real stars.