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La Reine Margot [1993]
from Pathe Distribution
starring Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Vincent Perez, Virna Lisi
directed by Patrice Chéreau

Features:

• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial 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

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

• 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 did not much care about their fate. This made the film unexciting. Yes it looks great and authentic but every character is portrayed as brutal and none come across as really likable which gives the film an unbalanced feel. You get to the point where you just wish they would all kill each other and be done with it. This is not light... more info

• 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 lived at a fast rate since it seems to be destined to be short. On top of this "live fast die young" message is a pretty good attempt at representing the politics of the French Wars of Religion layered on top of a gang war with more twists than the Godfather. The Massacre which forms the key event of the story is breathlessly... more info

• 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. The first half is very impressive as it builds up to the bloodily realized St Bartholomew's Day Massacre, but the aftermath is less effective despite a number of potentially intriguing plot developments and relationships. But then, director Patrice Chereau is always better at set-up than delivery. Certainly you tend to observe the characters as they go through hoops rather than being... more info

• Magnificent
  A truly wonderful French film - beautiful to look at, passionate, brilliantly acted, heart-breaking. The French are very good at having 'ugly'men play noble characters like Henri de Navarre which makes a refreshing change from the UK/US 'good=beautiful, ugly=evil' equation. Yes this is violent and gory, but how could a film portraying what became known as the worst massacre in France before the Revolution be anything else? And despite that, the doomed love affair between Adjani's Margot and Vincent Perez's... more info

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