Angelica

The story takes place in France around 1650. Angelique (Michèle Mercier) is in love with the young, handsome, but also poor Nicholas (Giuliano Gemma), yet is forced to marry the rich Count Peyrac (Robert Hossein) who has a stiff leg and bears an ugly scar across his face. After she got to know him better, Angelique recognizes an amazing, strong character behind that face, though, and falls in love with her husband despite his outer appearance, better late than never... After some time of peace and happiness, coming events cast their dark shadows before. The Holy Inquisition mistrusts Peyrac's scientific experiments, and the couple also makes enemies at the King's court. Peyrac is accused of sorcery. Can Angelique do anything to save him at the trial?

Classic costume drama which spawned no less than 4 sequels, though none of them exceeded the qualities of the first part. One reason for its success is most likely that it had a female lead character whereas other movies of the genre, from Robin Hood to the 3 Musketeers, usually had male stars. With a good deal of love story added, it appealed a lot more to a female audience in the 1960s, but the action scenes are also well paced and directed. I voted 8/6/7/6/6 for the 5 movies of the series.

Pretty damn good not gonna lie. I like how corrupted France is represented and the fact that she falls in love with him despite the ruined body. For a film of 1965, it is incredible how it makes new films look like a joke especially with the budgets and this is being said by a 22yo person. I would recommend it's a good film even if far from best.

This movie is old : 1964. Most IMDb users won't never watch it, as it is probably difficult to get a copy in other countries. The whole angelique series is a very very good example of what french cinema could be. My mother was very fond of the books, and I saw the films when I was a child. I liked them as adventure movies, and I watched them again as an adult and wasn't disappointed at all, even if as an adult i understood the adventure is secondary to the romance. But good romance it is ! Great story, good playing and... Well, All good.

IMHO only pirates of Caribbean black pearl reach the level of these as epic adventure watchable by the whole family. Another awesome movie in a very different way, but let's get back to Angelique...

French history of the time is not really acute, but is good enough. Quite good, indeed, even for an historian. Michele Mercier is great and Joffrey de peyrac is THE MAN every woman dreams of ( I mean Joffrey, not Robert Hossein). Underrated for sure, and this (and other following movies of the angelique series) is by far out of reach of nowadays french cinema, and alas, probably forever.

I really do not understand how it is possible that one of the greatest movie series of 1960`s has got such a small amount of comments on this site. This opening movie of the five-part series is in my opinion one of the best. We can see a successful portrayal of rural France of 17th century, the splendour of the golden age of Lous XIV., the debauchery of the court of Versailles etc. Michelle Mercier is simply beautiful, Toja as Louis XIV. is very good as well. The film features some very well-acted scenes. I can recommend it to anyone who loves historical spectacles. This is one of the best ever filmed, I have doubts whether the present film-makers would manage to match it!

Although I'm not French but Russian... who actually lives in Australia but wants to travel around the world and go to France one day to improve her French ;-) But I love this movie... even more than I loved the book... It's absolutely brilliant and always inspires me so much. I think through all the years the main character has influenced my own character so much... that my friends sometimes say I act and even look a bit like Angelique.

So I don't really think that the movie isn't well known... It beats all the modern Hollywood soapy dramas. And I absolutely vote for it!