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Benoît Jacquot, Bruno Coulais, Chantal Thomas, Christian Gasc, Diane Kruger, France, Katia Wyszkop, l'Ancien Régime, la Bastille, la duchesse de Polignac, Léa Seydoux, le 14 juillet, literary adaptations, Marie-Antoinette, The French Revolution, Valérie Ranchoux, Versailles, Virginie Ledoyen
France’s fascination with itself began with Versailles. The foundations of the modern French state may have begun with Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu, but France’s at times narcissistic self-regard, well beyond simple amour-propre began with the imagined country that was Versailles. (Of course it is not entirely undeserved. We French may be a little haughty, but then we have ample reason; it is only when we lose sight of our discretion that it ruffles feathers of unworthy barbarians, i.e. Americans.)
Benoît Jacquot’s latest film Les Adieux à la reine (Farewell My Queen) views the last rites of the original French élite, l’Ancien Régime, through the eyes of the young liseuse (reader) to Marie-Antoinette, Sidonie Laborde (Léa Seydoux). There is a wealth to be gained in a hard look at the sterility of feigned life, but this film (like Ms. Coppalla’s) does not surpass the vacuousness of its inhabitants.