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Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on a novel by Alexandre Dumas, La Reine Margot concerns the events behind infamous Massacre of St Bartholomew in sixth-century France. Isabelle Adjani plays Margot, betrothed for political reasons to one man (Daniel Auteuil) by her mother (Virna Lisi), while she is, in fact, in love with another (Vincent Pérez). Despite the bond that grows between the reluctant couple, plots are hatching all over the castle against the royals. Adventurous, exciting, erotic and given strong artistic credibility through its outstanding cast, the film is enthralling and visually sumptuous. Directed by Patrice Chereau, less known outside of France than is the film's producer, Claude Berri (director of Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources). --Tom Keogh
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Surround ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: The historical novel by Alexandre Dumas was adapted for the screen with this lavish French epic, winner of 5 Césars and a pair of awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Isabelle Adjani stars as Marguerite de Valois, better known as Margot, daughter of scheming Catholic power player Catherine de Medici (Virna Lisi). Margot is a heiress to the throne during the late 16th century reign of the neurotic, hypochondriac King Charles IX (Jean-Hugues Anglade), a time when Protestants and Catholics are vying for political control of France. Catherine decides to make an overture of good will by offering up Margot in marriage to prominent Protestant Huguenot Henri of Navarre (Daniel Auteuil), although she also schemes to bring about the notorious St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of 1572, when tens of thousands of Protestants are slaughtered. The marriage goes forward but Margot doesn't love Henri and takes a lover, the soldier La Mole (Vincent Perez), also a Protestant from a well-to-do family. Murders by poisoning follow, as court intrigues multiply and Catherine's villainous plotting to place her son Anjou (Pascal Greggory) on the throne threatens the lives of La Mole, Margot and Henri.
SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Cannes Film Festival, Ceasar Awards, Golden Globes, Oscar Academy Awards, ...Queen Margot (1994) ( La Reine Margot )
SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Cannes Film Festival, Ceasar Awards, Golden Globes, Oscar Academy Awards, ...Queen Margot (1994) ( La Reine Margot )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
59 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"La Reine Margot" is one of the few movies to capture the gritty reality of the 16th-century. The opulence and the extravagance sits side-by-side with dirty streets and intense violence. The acting is superb as well, with none of the cast disappointing. The powerful beauty of Isabelle Adjani contrasts powerfully with the serpentine nature of Virna Lisi as Catherine de'Medici.
The action moves from the sumptuous religious drama of Notre-Dame where an unwilling Margot is forced into marriage with her Protestant cousin, Henri; to the filthy streets of Paris, where numerous Protestants crowd the steet and Margot picks an anonymous stranger as her lover. Sewers, secret rooms, grubby streets and abandoned chateau juxtapose next to palaces, cathedrals and throne rooms. Passionate lovemaking scenes between Margot and La Mole contrast with the horrendous brutality of the Massacre and numerous secret assassinations. Artistic metaphor is rich throughout the movie, as well. Margot is married in red, but ends the film in a bride-white dress that is stained in blood.
The story - grotesque, mesmerising and violent - is based on real events; and, although not entirely accurate, it is the finest film to date on the horrific events of St. Bartholomew's Eve, 1572 and on the ultimate fall of the Valois dynasty.
The direction, the acting, the music, the scenery, the costume - everything about "La Reine Margot" is 5 stars!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The missing star is not for the film, but for the edition released on DVD. It's the slightly more edited Miramax release version (144 mins), not the full French original (161 mins). It's a bit less explicit and violent, and shorter. The missing bits jar, especially in the end scenes. It would be great to see the original released as even the French DVD seems to be the shorter version.
43 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I was amazed by the high quality of evey part of this filming. The acting, special effects, storyline, scenery, costumes, camera... I'm afraid to say that it is streets ahead of recent hollywood offerings. The subtitles are irrelevant. After five minutes one does not notice that it is in French, so captivating is the film itself.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
"Welcome to the family, it's a peculiar one...."
In a desperate attempt to unite Catholic and Protestants, a marriage of convenience is arranged. It's clear that the motives are purely political, even during the wedding... Read more
Published 5 months ago by GeekZilla
Vive La Reine
A film about the power of women in an age of denigration. All tales are told for a current audience and the platitudes of those who complain of historical inaccuracies need to... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Dr. Delvis Memphistopheles
Just a minute
This is one of those French films that engender far more adulation abroad than they do in France. Just compare the reviews here with those on similar message boards in France. Read more
Published on 26 Nov 2009 by R. Napier
great movie
I have given (legal)copies of this disc to so many friends who were unaware of the movie. They loved it.
Published on 8 Nov 2009 by D. Croser
What about the good old times?
This movie is perhaps not quite historical. It is a story of Alexandre Dumas. But is gives a view in the period of the hugenots and the not so decent life a the french court (which... Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2009 by P. Pieters
Authentic Historical grit
What a magnificent achievement by all concerned. It has just made vivid for me an episode of history that I have read about quite a few times, but only as a cause of other events. Read more
Published on 10 Feb 2009 by John Ferngrove
A FEBRILE FRENCH FABLE
That Isabelle Adjani is a febrile character plotting and loving in 1576 France in a frenetic world where you could be killed for just proclaiming to be a Catholic or Protestant is... Read more
Published on 5 Jan 2009 by usman
Characters were weak & lets the film down
If you want a night of blood, madness, dirt and sex...this film is for you. It is a great story but I just did not believe in the characters (with the exeption of Henry)and hence... Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2007 by Rainbow1Gold
History as only the French do it
This is a classic rewrite of a Dumas novel (with some very considerable changes to the story). What the film gives us is a marvellously dirty, smelly, small Paris in which life is... Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2007 by Charles Vasey
A half-decent historical drama
La Reine Margot/Queen Margot feels like that old joke about starting with an earthquake and building up to a climax. Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2006 by Trevor Willsmer
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