york74

I finally got from amazon.fr the French DVD of this Canadian production with Marie Antoinette expert Chantal Thomas as historical consultant.

It is technically quite stunning when you think that ALL scenes are virtually recreated: just the actors and a few pieces of furniture are real. It really seems shot on location.

As a movie (a docu-fiction?) it is far too sketchy and superficial (just a succession of key moments in Marie Antoinette's life commented by a voice-over with a few dialog by the actors) to be absorbing. The acting is overall competent with Canadian actress Karine Vanasse really quite appreciable as the queen (her final reading of the testament letter is moving).

No Austrian childhood is shown: the movie starts just before the queen leaves her prison for the scaffold and starts remembering her first arrival in Versailles.

The film is historically quite valid (facts and period costume design are respected), even though Marie Antoinette is described as being a little too "tête à vents" even in her mature years. I also found one big historical error: Marie Antoinette is shown in the Conciergerie with both her children (the dauphin is taken from her in the Conciergerie) while it is universally known that she left the Temple prison for the Conciergerie alone.

I finally saw the movie: I really was prepared not to like, but in the end I enjoyed it very much. It's not a movie about the real Marie Antoinette. It's just a personal dream about her and in that sense the film works beautifully in my opinion. I did not find it boring at all. It was a pleasure to watch, like a picture to be framed. And despite its countless inaccuracies, it is even more historically accurate than some would-be historical movies like "Elizabeth". And in the end I found some of my personal Antoinette in Coppola's vision. It's a perfect example of counterhistory, which must be watched with an open mind.

A feast of perfect acting (the three actresses earn applause), inspired direction and splendid photography (which evokes the outside and the inner landscapes of the sister writers), but strictly reserved to Bronte admirers. The screenplay, built upon continuous references to the Bronte artistic work, can create a sense of icy estrangement, but who is familiar with the writings and the life of the Bronte sisters (maybe through the cult Charlotte bio by Elizabeth Gaskell) will be enchanted. It is a pity this movie remains mainly unseen. The only chance to obtain it at the moment is to get the Spanish DVD which also features the French version.