Queen Margot (1994)

Young Queen Margot finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage amidst a religious war between Catholics and Protestants. She hopes to escape with a new lover, but finds herself imprisoned by her powerful and ruthless family.

Director:

Patrice Chéreau

Writers:

Alexandre Dumas (novel), Danièle Thompson (scenario & adaptation)

Stars:

Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Jean-Hugues Anglade

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Isabelle Adjani	...	Marguerite de Valois dite La Reine Margot
Daniel Auteuil	...	Henri de Navarre
Jean-Hugues Anglade	...	Charles IX
Vincent Perez	...	La Môle
Virna Lisi	...	Catherine de Médicis
Dominique Blanc	...	Henriette de Nevers
Pascal Greggory	...	Anjou
Claudio Amendola	...	Coconnas
Miguel Bosé	...	Guise (as Miguel Bosè)
Asia Argento	...	Charlotte of Sauve
Julien Rassam	...	Alençon
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Nançay
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Coligny
Jean-Philippe Écoffey	...	Condé (as Jean-Philippe Ecoffey)
Albano Guaetta	...	Orthon

Storyline

The night of August 24, 1572, is known as the Massacre of St. Bartholomew. In France a religious war is raging. In order to impose peace a forced wedding is arranged between Margot de Valois, sister of the immature Catholic King Charles IX, and the Hugenot King Henri of Navarre. Catherine of Medici maintains her behind-the-scenes power by ordering assaults, poisonings, and instigations to incest.

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Plot Keywords:

protestant | massacre | king | valois | france | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for nudity, strong sexuality, and for graphic scenes of massacre

Details

Country:

France Italy Germany

Language:

French Italian

Release Date:

9 December 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Queen Margot

Filming Locations:

Basilique de Saint-Quentin, Saint-Quentin, Aisne, France

Box Office

Budget:

DEM42,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,985, 11 May 2014

Gross USA:

$1,304,237

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,318,578

Company Credits

Production Co:

Renn Productions, France 2 Cinéma, D.A. Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

159 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene between Margot and La Mole, where they stand outdoors wrapped in nothing but a red cloak, was included for the American release even though it had not appeared in the original cut. The American distributors had insisted on the relationship between the two characters being more substantial (the romance was to become the focal point for the American marketing campaign).

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Goofs

In the scene where La Mole and Coconnas are being dragged, alive, from a cart full of dead people at a mass burial site, you can clearly see a 'dead body' in the background blink its eyes.

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Quotes

Catherine de Médicis: I love my three children. I mean, all four of them.

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Connections

Featured in MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special (1995)

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Soundtracks

Elohi
Performed by Ofra Haza
(Ofra Haza (as Haza) - Goran Bregovic (as Bregovic))

User Reviews

Godmother Part 1

Though this film is not very faithful to history or to Dumas' unhistorical novel, it is compelling and very dark fiction. The Byzantine complexity of the French religious wars is simplified into a story of a country manipulated by ruthless, superstitous and inept matriarch Catherine de Medici. The royal family appear as puppets guided to achieve the mother's goals. There are flaws in this repressive system, which cannot overpower the human virtues of courage, love, loyalty and friendship. In the end, and in history, the Medicis are triumphant....but the seeds of the House of Bourbon are sown.