Marie Antoinette is a truly beautiful film to watch. It is the end result of a clever, modern remix detailing a rich period of an interesting and misunderstood European monarch, the Austrian born French Queen, born Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen. The same Queen who was famously misquoted saying "Let them Eat Cake," by Gallic yellow journalists of her day.
In the capable hands of director Sofia Coppola, combined with a dynamite crew, they turned out an exceptional film that excels in production design, set decorating, costuming and hairstyles. Simply put, Coppola's third feature film rocks.
This film is told from the observational point of view of Marie-Antoinette, played perfectly by Kirsten Dunst. Coppola weaves the adapted tale of the lonely world of an isolated young woman trapped by her own existence, much like protagonists of her earlier films - The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation.
Fans of Masterpiece Theater and similar period biopics starring heavyweights (like Helen Mirren, Francesca Annis and Derek Jacobi) may be jarred by Sofia's eclectic co-mingling a la film makers Baz Luhrmann and John Hughes. Twisting a modern score and soundtrack with the proper eighteenth century setting visuals, the music is a killer homage to the best of the decadent eighties romantic post punk, so much so, that you half expect rocker Adam Ant to show up to "Stand and Deliver" during a key ballroom scene.
Marie Antoinette is loosely based on author Antonia Fraser's biography of the queen who was beheaded during the French Revolution, but Coppola's focus is on the golden years, and spares us any grit, realism and odiousness that was most of France during this time. This film revels in the superficiality that was Marie's lot until the fall. The excesses are so beautifully staged at the real chateau de Versailles (and several other key French locations) you will toy with the idea of redecorating your home in every shade of blue silk, and want to gild half your stuff.
The film begins with the fifteenth child of the Austrian court, Marie, cautioned by mother Empress Maria Theresa, played by the superb Marianne Faithful, and sent off to marry Louis XVI in hopes of strengthening the Franco-Austrian alliance.
Stripped of her Austrian belongings, even her dog, by the cold as ice Comtesse de Noailles, played by exceptional actress Judy Davis, Marie is schooled in the French ways of court. Morning starters include a phalanx of ladies-in-waiting, and only the one with the highest rank was the one allowed to handle her undergarments, in an exhausting daily ritual of dress.
We finally get to see more of her husband, Louis-Auguste - who is played by an understated Jason Schwartzman who nails the historically noted shy and sexually modest Dauphin. Marie is dutiful, and unfortunately still a virgin - not bearing a child until seven years into the union.
Life becomes a daily obstacle course of whispers and barely contained antagonism, fueled by Madame du Barry, the gaudy consort of Louis XV, played pitch perfect by Asia Argento. She is the lover of the Grandfather King, played by robust Rip Torn. Homesick, and berated by long distance letters by her political animal Queen mother in Austria over her lack of any discernible sex life, Marie Antoinette pines for a confidant, and befriends Comtesse de Polignac.
The film progresses, and Marie's various attempts to seduce the otherwise preoccupied and clueless Louis devolve, replaced with orgiastic shoe buying, champagne quaffing, gambling and indulgences of the most delectable Pâtisserie ever put on film.
The usual boredom in the daily life leads to adventures at masked balls, secret flirtations that become real affairs, and eventually the delivery of the golden ticket child, a boy, to a grateful court.
Louis-Auguste and Marie Antoinette's life forever changed when the Grandfather King, Louis XV dies of smallpox. Marie Antoinette was only 19. In shock, the new king and queen fall to their knees in prayer, with Louis saying, "Dear God, guide and protect us. We are too young to reign."
Coppola's pretty picture is awash in color, especially hues of every conceivable pink and blue. It is filled with so many stunning, opulent visuals that the film almost becomes disguised as a mere confection with a skim coat of crème anglaise, but there is a point here. Coppola perfectly showcases the superficial trappings that Marie was born into, and through external expectations and no fault of her own, nurtured her path as a fated royal in circumstances beyond her control.
The soundtrack kicks for this film, that is if you are a fan of '80s new wave, electronica, and classical works from artists such as "Natural's Not In It," by Gang Of Four, "Fools Rush In" and "I Want Candy" remixed Bow Wow Wow, "Hong Kong Garden," by Siouxsie and the Banshees and other cuts from The Cure, Aphex Twin, The Radio Department, Adam and the Ants and Francois Couperin to name some. I loved it.
Extras:
The comments from the all the keys add a nice touch – especially related to filming in France and production design - but the most interesting parts of "Making" come from the shots on the set. We also get to see multiple takes of the "let them eat cake" scene and also check out many other interesting aspects of the shoot.
Two Deleted Scenes appear. We get "Second Opera" and "Return from Petit Trianon." Both come with text introductions that set up the sequences and let us know why the segments did not make the final film. "Opera" shows Marie's popularity but its tenuous nature as well, while "Petit" depicts Marie's return to Versailles. Neither seems essential.
Cribs with Louis XVI goes for near four minutes, and spoofs the MTV series as actor Jason Schwartzman, Coppola's cousin, takes us through Versailles on a bling-oriented tour – which was a nice touch.
It is obvious watching this film that Coppola was heavily influenced by 80's bands renditions and stylized takes on 18th century ideals of extravagance. The music served as a modern demarcation to frame Marie Antoinette's historic larger than life impulses.
Marie Antoinette is now available for pre-order at Amazon for a Feb. 13th release. It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a March 5th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.
Your Talkback on this Story