A Cursed Monarchy 

Based on the novel of the same name by Maurice Druon, Les Rois maudits (The Cursed Kings) is the second television adaptation of this seven-volume book which is widely agreed to be an ... See full summary »

Stars:

Jeanne Moreau, Claude Rich, Line Renaud

1 nomination.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Jeanne Moreau	...	Mahaut d'Artois 5 episodes, 2005
Claude Rich	...	Le cardinal Deuze 5 episodes, 2005
Line Renaud	...	Marie de Hongrie 5 episodes, 2005
Vasile Albinet	...	Count 5 episodes, 2005
Serena Autieri	...	Clémence de Hongrie 5 episodes, 2005
Dan Badarau	...	Le Capitaine Bersumee 5 episodes, 2005
Patrick Bouchitey	...	Maître Evrard 5 episodes, 2005
Sophie Broustal	...	Le Divion 5 episodes, 2005
Hugues Dalmagro	...	Capitaine des gardes 5 episodes, 2005
Sophie De La Rochefoucauld	...	Dame Eudeline 5 episodes, 2005
Marie de Villepin	...	Reine Philippa 5 episodes, 2005
Hélène Duc	...	Mme de Bouville 5 episodes, 2005
Daniel Emilfork	...	Maître Martin 5 episodes, 2005
Andy Gillet	...	Hugh le Despenser 5 episodes, 2005
Frédéric Laforet	...	Sire de Souastre 5 episodes, 2005
Toinette Laquière	...	Comtesse de Beaumont 5 episodes, 2005
Christine Musset	...	Dame d'apparat Reine Isabelle 5 episodes, 2005
Philippe Nevo	...	Le chevaucheur 5 episodes, 2005
Violante Placido		5 episodes, 2005
Romain Rondeau	...	Henri Tors Col 5 episodes, 2005
Christiane Rorato	...	Mère abbesse 5 episodes, 2005
Wadeck Stanczak	...	Connétable Gaucher 5 episodes, 2005
Vasilescu Valentin	...	Comte de Salisbury 5 episodes, 2005
Aurélien Wiik	...	Edouard III 5 episodes, 2005
Malik Zidi	...	Philippe VI de Valois 5 episodes, 2005

Storyline

Based on the novel of the same name by Maurice Druon, Les Rois maudits (The Cursed Kings) is the second television adaptation of this seven-volume book which is widely agreed to be an accurate representation of actual events. It is the early 1300's and the treasury of France, under the rule of Philippe IV (Philippe le Bel or Philippe the Beautiful), is empty. The king decides the only solution is to raid the treasures of the Knights Templar (amongst others) and concocts various charges of treason, heresy and deviance against the Knights and their Grand Master Jacques de Molay. Having confessed under torture to the crimes of which he is accused, de Molay is condemned to be burned at the stake. With his dying breath he curses the king, the king's advisor (Guillaume de Nogaret), the pope (Pope Clement V) and the thirteen succeeding generations of their families. There follows one of the most dramatic periods in French history, half a century of political intrigue, murder, treason, war ...

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Plot Keywords:

murder | knight templar | burned at the stake | topless female nudity | female nudity | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Official Sites:

France 2 [France]

Country:

France Italy

Language:

Italian French

Release Date:

7 November 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

A Cursed Monarchy

Filming Locations:

Romania

Box Office

Budget:

EUR18,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castel Film Romania, France 2 (FR2), France 2 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

500 min (5 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remake of Les rois maudits (1972)

User Reviews

Why did they remake the 1972 series?

Basically, because they could. The original series was and probably still is the best and most literate TV series ever made on this planet. The producers of this remake kept, for the most part, the very same dialogs, which is a very good thing, but have also shortened and simplified them (a.k.a. dumbing down), which robs the characters of their individuality and turns them into soap opera nimrods. They also "glamourized" many parts and replaced the very stylized, evocative and economical sets of the first series - which truly channelled the spirit of medieval illustrations while giving precedence to the acting, the character development, the story and the costumes - with impressive 3-D sets and some amazing CGI work and special effects. What they couldn't replace was Jean Piat's and Hélène Duc's talent and presence. The new cast is stellar but today's actors just pale by comparison with what came before... Whereas Hélène Duc was malevolence incarnate, Jeanne Moreau just aged badly and is scary to look at... They also couldn't replace Georges Delerue's genius in the music department and they used every opportunity given them to show every execution, rape, hanging, torture scene, burning at the stake, etc. in lurid and sadistic detail, something they learned from the so-called euro historical dramas of the last decade, which I call the history-as-a-series-of-body-fluids school and which owes more to Quentin Tarantino than Maurice Druon. What was only suggested is now shown without any shame or embarrassment. I'm not sure this is progress. But you'll certainly get a great many people riveted to their TV screens and maybe get a few of them to actually buy and read the book when they are sufficiently recovered from the shock...