The King's Whore (1990)

Set in the seventeenth century, an Italian nobleman weds an impoverished countess, who is wooed by the King of Piedmont and faces pressure from his entire court to succumb to his wishes.

Director:

Axel Corti

Writers:

Axel Corti, Frederic Raphael

Stars:

Timothy Dalton, Valeria Golino, Stéphane Freiss

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Timothy Dalton	...	Le Roi Vittorio Amadeo
Valeria Golino	...	Jeanne de Luynes
Stéphane Freiss	...	Le Comte di Verua
Robin Renucci	...	Charles de Luynes
Margaret Tyzack	...	La Comtesse douairière
Eleanor David	...	La Reine
Paul Crauchet	...	Le Duc de Luynes
Amy Werba	...	Heloïse
Franco Valobra	...	Le Duc d'Aoste
Francesca Reggiani	...	Marie Christine
Leonardo Ruta	...	Le Prince Vittorio
Luigi Bonos	...	2nd Priest (as Gigi Bonos)
Elisabeth Kaza	...	Countess Trevie (as Elizabeth Kaza)
Lea Padovani	...	Countess Cumiana
Anna Bonaiuto	...	Countess Longhi

Storyline

The King of Piedmont is introduced to Jeanne, the beautiful young wife of one of his courtiers, with whom he falls madly in love the moment he sets eyes on her. Jeanne, very much in love with her own husband and wishing to be faithful to him, is disturbed by the king's advances and resists him. The king is obsessed with his desire for her and neglects his duties and his kingdom, until the entire court, including his wife and even Jeanne's own husband and his family, put pressure on Jeanne to give in to the king's wishes and become his mistress in order to save the king and the country. When her husband tells her it is her duty to serve the king and give in to his wishes, she goes to the king, but makes it very clear that she despises him and doesn't return his love for her. The king's passion for Jeanne never subsides and eventually goes so far that he loses a war when he returns home to nurse her through a near fatal illness instead of remaining with his troops and leading them in ...

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Plot Keywords:

sword fight | refusal | obsessive love | fatal attraction | king | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality

Details

Country:

UK France Italy Austria

Language:

French English

Release Date:

14 November 1990 (France)

Also Known As:

The King's Whore

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

AFC, Cinecittà, Cinema & Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Malkovich turned down the lead role.

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Quotes

Le Roi Vittorio Amadeo: [to his son] You would have preferred Verua to have killed me. So would I, Vittorio.

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Soundtracks

Miserere
Written by Gregorio Allegri
Performed by The Tallis Scholars
Directed by Peter Phillips, soprano soloist: Alison Stamp.

User Reviews

don't be afraid of a man's love

This movie is deep and has meaning. it's about a woman that won't acept a man that loves her deeply, he's a king and he's handsome he gives her everything she wants you might ask yourself what the problem is well she's afraid of he's love and she loves him to but won't let herself or him know that fact.intresting movie and touching.