Oh, really??

What are we to make of this new film "Anonymous" which posits that Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford was the real author of Shakespeare's plays and poetry?  The problem anybody has who wishes to make such a claim - whoever they put forward as the "real" author - is that they have to explain why such a person would not wish to claim the works as their own.  Why would they agree to their writings being published in someone else's name?  And this is where this film becomes silly, because its theory is that de Vere was the love-child (and indeed incestuous lover) of Queen Elizabeth I, and that for political reasons this information had to be suppressed at all costs, and therefore de Vere could not be allowed any sort of fame or public profile.  The fact that there is not one scintilla of evidence for such a claim seems to have been ignored - I am reminded of that old newspaper adage "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story".  So it may turn out to be a good film, or maybe not, but it's complete fantasy - which is perhaps not that surprising given that the director's previous credits include "Independence Day" and "Godzilla".