Marie Antoinette (2006)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Sofia Coppola

Writer (WGA):

Sofia Coppola (written by)

Release Date:

20 October 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

Let Them Eat Cake

Plot:

The retelling of France's iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette. From her betrothal and marriage to Louis XVI at 15 to her reign as queen at 19 and to the end of her reign as queen and ultimately the fall of Versailles.

Plot Keywords:

Marie Antoinette | Queen | France | Austria | Versailles

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Kirsten Dunst	...	Marie Antoinette
Jason Schwartzman	...	Louis XVI
Judy Davis	...	Comtesse de Noailles
Rip Torn	...	Louis XV
Rose Byrne	...	Duchesse de Polignac
Asia Argento	...	Comtesse du Barry
Molly Shannon	...	Aunt Victoire
Shirley Henderson	...	Aunt Sophie
Danny Huston	...	Emperor Joseph
Marianne Faithfull	...	Maria Teresa
Mary Nighy	...	Princesse Lamballe
Sebastian Armesto	...	Comte de Provence
Jamie Dornan	...	Count Fersen
Aurore Clément	...	Duchesse de Char
Guillaume Gallienne	...	Vergennes

Also Known As:

Marie Antoinette (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, partial nudity and innuendo.

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA | France | Japan

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 | Ireland:12A | Finland:S | UK:12A | France:U | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Germany:o.Al. | Italy:T | Philippines:R-13 | Sweden:Btl | Hong Kong:IIA | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:14 | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | South Korea:15 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

Basildon Park, Lower Basildon, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Sofia Coppola discovered in 2000 the Marie-Antoinette biography by French historian Evelyne Lever, acquired the book rights and asked its author to accompany her on a first tour of Versailles in 2001. Coppola later turned to the queen biography written by Antonia Fraser, more popular in the United States. Lever was later asked to work as an historical consultant for the movie, writing a dossier on the queen in order to avoid mistakes and approximations.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene when Marie is playing outside in a meadow with her daughter, there is a low angle shot which clearly shows a smoke trail amongst the clouds in the sky from an airplane.

Quotes:

Louis XV: [on his death bed] Bring me Du Berry.
Duc de Choiseul: She is gone.

Movie Connections:

References "Canapé" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Jynweythek Ylow

Marie-Antoinette at the Court of Versaille at age 14 through to age 30. Her progression from eagerness, disappointment, compensation and the end, which we all know.

A hauntingly beautiful film about how deep disappointment finds an outlet in "creative" frivolity. The combination of rock music and the rituals of Versaille never "shocks" thanks to the mastery of the direction. There is also a solid mastery of pacing. The slow progression of the film never bores; it reveals in time. The glory of Versailles is not shown

at the beginning but only as the film and the psychology of its heroine develop. The films owes a lot to the leading actress and way she is shot. The close-ups of the expressive face of Kirsten Dunst communicate the whole range of emotions behind a women eager to please and to do well, but who is trapped and inwardly anguished and disappointed. Rarely have we felt so close to a famous woman so far back in time. The film also masters the art of depicting "historical clichés", such as MA playing milkmaid, very convincingly. I was wonderfully surprised by this unusual film, and will see it a second time.