The Affair of the Necklace (2001)

In pre-Revolutionary France, a young aristocratic woman left penniless by the political unrest in the country, must avenge her family's fall from grace by scheming to steal a priceless necklace.

Director:

Charles Shyer

Writer:

John Sweet

Stars:

Hilary Swank, Simon Baker, Jonathan Pryce

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hilary Swank	...	Jeanne St. Remy de Valois
Jonathan Pryce	...	Cardinal Louis de Rohan
Simon Baker	...	Rétaux de Vilette
Adrien Brody	...	Nicolas De La Motte
Brian Cox	...	Minister Breteuil
Joely Richardson	...	Marie-Antoinette
Christopher Walken	...	Count Cagliostro
Hayden Panettiere	...	Young Jeanne
Simon Kunz	...	Minister of Titles
Paul Brooke	...	Monsieur Bohmer
Peter Eyre	...	Monsieur Bassenge
Frank McCusker	...	Abel Duphot
Simon Shackleton	...	Louis XVI
Hermione Gulliford	...	Nicole Leguay d'Oliva
Geoffrey Hutchings	...	President D'Aligre

Storyline

Paris, 1786: a woman in court. The Crown murdered her father for his views about the poor, now Jeanne wants her home and good name back. She believes all can be set right if she can talk to the Queen, whose House Minister rebuffs her. With the help of a courtside gigolo, she learns to use what others desire to get what she wants. She needs a patron: with forged letters, she convinces Cardinal de Rohan she is the Queen's confidante and can help him regain royal favor. Jeanne conspires to have the Cardinal purchase a fabulous diamond necklace for the Queen. He delivers it to Jeanne for Marie Antoinette. If the scheme breaks down, what then? Might this affair spark revolution?

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Plot Keywords:

period drama | queen | woman | necklace | france | 

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Taglines:

Her Birthright Was Stolen. Her Dignity Taken. Her Rights Denied. Deception Was The Only Option.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Awards Site - trailer, screenings [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 December 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Farlig intrig

Filming Locations:

Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$125,523, 2 December 2001

Gross USA:

$471,210

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,198,113

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alcon Entertainment

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Hilary Swank, Christopher Walken, and Adrien Brody.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: Napoleon wrote that military blunders and domestic catastrophes fanned the flames of the French Revolution. But the cu-de-gras was a curious palace scandal involving woman of nobility denied, a member of the royal family, and the most magnificent string of jewels in all of Europe. This notorious intrigue came to be known as, L'affaire du Collier.

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Connections

Version of Marie-Antoinette (1975)

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Soundtracks

Beatus vir
Written by Claudio Monteverdi
Performed by Pueri Gaudentes

User Reviews

Accent? Moi?

If we do not like the American/English accents, the French should have made this movie. But they didn't. And if they would have -like they should have as it is their history- who would have seen it, apart from European audiences? But it is annoying that no choice was made of what 'accent' to perform it in. A clear decision was never made and that spoiled the movie for me (though the entrance of Christopher Walken was enough for me to hang on -and I loved the way he reacted to the guard before he was led into le Bastille).

Historically: Mozart's Requiem was heard in one of the scenes -but that was not composed till 1791. And at that time the Affaire of the Necklace was over and the Royals were in deep merde...