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Farewell, My Queen

Original title: Les adieux à la reine
  • 2012
  • R
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
8.9K
YOUR RATING
Virginie Ledoyen, Diane Kruger, and Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
A look at the relationship between Marie Antoinette and one of her readers during the final days of the French Revolution
Play trailer2:32
1 Video
25 Photos
DramaHistoryRomance

A look at the platonic relationship between Marie Antoinette and one of her female readers during the first days of the French Revolution.A look at the platonic relationship between Marie Antoinette and one of her female readers during the first days of the French Revolution.A look at the platonic relationship between Marie Antoinette and one of her female readers during the first days of the French Revolution.

  • Director
    • Benoît Jacquot
  • Writers
    • Benoît Jacquot
    • Gilles Taurand
    • Chantal Thomas
  • Stars
    • Léa Seydoux
    • Diane Kruger
    • Virginie Ledoyen
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    8.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Benoît Jacquot
    • Writers
      • Benoît Jacquot
      • Gilles Taurand
      • Chantal Thomas
    • Stars
      • Léa Seydoux
      • Diane Kruger
      • Virginie Ledoyen
    • 36User reviews
    • 130Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 12 nominations

    Videos1

    Theatrical Version
    Trailer 2:32
    Watch Theatrical Version

    Photos25

    Virginie Ledoyen in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Julie-Marie Parmentier and Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Julie-Marie Parmentier and Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Diane Kruger in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Xavier Beauvois and Diane Kruger in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Benoît Jacquot in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Virginie Ledoyen, Diane Kruger, and Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Virginie Ledoyen, Diane Kruger, and Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Farewell, My Queen (2012)
    Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Léa Seydoux
    Léa Seydoux
    • Agathe-Sidonie Laborde
    Diane Kruger
    Diane Kruger
    • Marie Antoinette
    Virginie Ledoyen
    Virginie Ledoyen
    • La duchesse Gabrielle de Polignac
    Noémie Lvovsky
    Noémie Lvovsky
    • Henriette Genest dite Madame Campan
    Xavier Beauvois
    Xavier Beauvois
    • Le roi Louis XVI
    Michel Robin
    Michel Robin
    • Jacob-Nicolas Moreau
    Julie-Marie Parmentier
    Julie-Marie Parmentier
    • La servante Honorine Aubert
    • (as Julie-Marie Parmentier de la Comédie Française)
    Lolita Chammah
    Lolita Chammah
    • La domestique Louison
    Marthe Caufman
    • La domestique Alice
    Vladimir Consigny
    • René dit Paolo
    Dominique Reymond
    • Madame de Rochereuil
    Anne Benoît
    • Rose Bertin
    Hervé Pierre
    Hervé Pierre
    • L'abbé Hérissé
    • (as Hervé Pierre de La Comédie Française)
    Aladin Reibel
    • L'abbé Cornu de la Balivière
    Jacques Nolot
    Jacques Nolot
    • Monsieur de Jolivet
    Jacques Herlin
    Jacques Herlin
    • Marquis de Vaucouleurs
    Martine Chevallier
    Martine Chevallier
    • Madame de la Tour Du Pin
    Jacques Boudet
    Jacques Boudet
    • Monsieur de la Tour du Pin
    • Director
      • Benoît Jacquot
    • Writers
      • Benoît Jacquot
      • Gilles Taurand
      • Chantal Thomas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In this movie, Diane Kruger speaks French with a German/Austrian accent - which is undoubtedly how the Austrian-born Marie Antoinette would have spoken herself.
    • Goofs
      On several occasions when soldiers are marching through the main and side gates of Versailles, and also when Sidonie goes to Le Petite Trianon for the first time and falls into a puddle, you can clearly see the very 21st century anti-terrorism concrete security barriers and bollards flanking the gates.
    • Quotes

      Agathe-Sidonie Laborde: In a way, Your Majesty, you're asking me to go as bait.

      La reine Marie Antoinette: An ugly word for a pretty mouth!

      Agathe-Sidonie Laborde: Words are all I possess. I wield them well.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Parole de cinéaste: Benoît Jacquot (2017)

    User reviews36

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    More about seduction, loyalty, and betrayal than social upheaval
    Written and directed by Benoît Jacquot and based on the novel by Chantal Thomas, Farewell, My Queen explores the death throes of the French monarchy over a period of three days in July, 1789. Set in the Palace of Versailles at the beginning of the French Revolution, Sidonie (Lea Seydoux), known as the reader for Queen Marie-Antoinette (Diane Kruger), is responsible for selecting books and reading them aloud to the queen. Because of her closeness to the monarch, she is able to act as a spy, securing information about events taking place inside and outside the palace, pressing selected servants for information, and eavesdropping on conversations to gather the most up-to-date gossip to pass along to Marie.

    The film is seen from Sidonie's point of view, a vantage point that illuminates the sharp social divisions inside the palace with the servants living in crowded rat-infested quarters, and the royals dwelling in opulent accommodations. Lea Seydoux delivers a powerful performance as the devoted servant of the queen, conveying an air of mystery about who she really is in a way that adds to her allure. Kruger portrays Marie-Antoinette as sensual and hedonistic and there is a hint of more than Platonism in the way she interacts with both Sidonie and the Duchess de Polignac (Virginie Ledoyen), a relationship that tests Sidonie's loyalty.

    On the morning of July 15th, news spreads rapidly that the king had been awakened at two in the morning. No one knows the reason, but fear spreads throughout the court. If the king is ill, who will protect those totally dependent on the nobles who control their lives? It is soon revealed, however, that the king is not ill, but that a mob has stormed the Bastille and a revolt has begun against the aristocracy. Little information is available. Rumors abound based only on conversations whispered in the hallways and the servant's quarters. When the King travels to Paris and the Queen decides against an escape to Metz, an aura of inevitably descends on the Palace and the nobles begin to abandon ship, competing for places on the coaches seeking a safe haven.

    Antoinette makes every effort to continue with business as usual, looking at magazines to admire new styles and colors for the coming season, paying scant attention to the fact that her name is number one in a list of 300 targets for the guillotine. Fearful of losing her only connection to the world, Sidonie is willing to risk the ultimate sacrifice if it is in the queen's best interest. Even though Farewell, My Queen is historically questionable and may hold us at arms length emotionally, it provides a fresh view of events that we know about only from history books or stuffy costume dramas.

    Jacquot captures the authenticity of time and place and also the human side of the power struggle. Unfortunately, the film pays little attention to the issues that led to the revolt, never mentioning the abuse of power by the monarchy. Indeed, the Revolution serves only as a backdrop for the story which is more about seduction, loyalty, and betrayal than social upheaval. Rather than making a statement that is relevant for our times, the intricacies of sexual intrigue and love triangles dominate the film, titillating rather than persuading, and making the goings on difficult to care about.
    helpful•19
    3
    • howard.schumann
    • Sep 17, 2012

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 21, 2012 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Spain
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook (France)
      • Official Facebook (United States)
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
      • German
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Tạm Biệt, Nữ Hoàng Của Tôi
    • Filming locations
      • Salon de l'Oeil-de-Boeuf, Château de Versailles, Versailles, Yvelines, France
    • Production companies
      • GMT Productions
      • Les Films du Lendemain
      • Morena Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,597,998
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $72,100
      • Jul 15, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,366,835
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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    Virginie Ledoyen, Diane Kruger, and Léa Seydoux in Farewell, My Queen (2012)
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