This French drama was shown recently on an international cable channel. We had not seen the film, as it appears it did not get an audience in this country, disappearing quickly from theaters. This project owes a lot to its creator Vera Belmont, who obviously identified herself with the period in which the action takes place, France in the last days of King Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. The production takes advantage of the locales in which the story is supposed to have occurred.
We are presented with an ambitious young woman, Marquise, who is made to be a prostitute by her own father! Moliere and his wandering troupe discovers the beautiful woman, who catches the eye of the actor playing the buffoon roles, Gros-Rene, who goes on to marry her. Marquise had a talent for dance and the theater, but judging by her shaky star, no one would have predicted she would become the great interpreter of texts by Racine and Moliere and along the way attracted the attention of King Louis, an admirer.
This film was obviously a vehicle for Sophie Marceau. Not being a fan of this actress, we approached "Marquise" with a degree of apprehension but we should not have been. An inspired Sophie Marceau gives life to the production in unexpected ways. She is surrounded by some French heavy hitters. Bernard Giraudeau, Thierry Lhermitte, Lambert Wilson, and his father, Georges, Anemone, and a controlled Patrick Timsit, who does not go overboard with his Gros-Rene.
Jean-Marie Dreujou catches the beauty of Versailles in all its splendor, as well as the other locales. The music of Jean-Baptiste Lully is interpreted by Jordi Savall, the Spanish genius who has a tremendous affinity for the music of that period of history and who proved himself worthy of the praise with the work of another composer, Martin Marais, with his contribution in "Tous les matins du monde". Credit must go to the magnificent costumes created for the movie. The art direction is by Gianni Quaranta.
We are presented with an ambitious young woman, Marquise, who is made to be a prostitute by her own father! Moliere and his wandering troupe discovers the beautiful woman, who catches the eye of the actor playing the buffoon roles, Gros-Rene, who goes on to marry her. Marquise had a talent for dance and the theater, but judging by her shaky star, no one would have predicted she would become the great interpreter of texts by Racine and Moliere and along the way attracted the attention of King Louis, an admirer.
This film was obviously a vehicle for Sophie Marceau. Not being a fan of this actress, we approached "Marquise" with a degree of apprehension but we should not have been. An inspired Sophie Marceau gives life to the production in unexpected ways. She is surrounded by some French heavy hitters. Bernard Giraudeau, Thierry Lhermitte, Lambert Wilson, and his father, Georges, Anemone, and a controlled Patrick Timsit, who does not go overboard with his Gros-Rene.
Jean-Marie Dreujou catches the beauty of Versailles in all its splendor, as well as the other locales. The music of Jean-Baptiste Lully is interpreted by Jordi Savall, the Spanish genius who has a tremendous affinity for the music of that period of history and who proved himself worthy of the praise with the work of another composer, Martin Marais, with his contribution in "Tous les matins du monde". Credit must go to the magnificent costumes created for the movie. The art direction is by Gianni Quaranta.