No masterpiece

Rating: 6/10 (26 October 2006)

When I was half-way into the film I began to wonder how they would tell the whole story in the time that remained. Then of course the film ended with the Louis and Marie Antoinette leaving Versaille with their children for safety. Had the film continued on to their execution it would have included their harrowing attempt to escape only to be recognized and caught at the border. What a scene it would have been. Also Kirstin Dunst would have had to expand her acting abilities to portray quite a different queen dealing with her jailers and bearing up stoically not only with her impending death but with the knowledge of her son languishing neglected after having been removed from her protection. Would Dunst be up to that?
No way the film will escape being nominated for the costumes and possibly the sets. What textiles! What an array of shades of blue! One could feel the fabrics.
Marianne Faithful was surprisingly good as the august Hapsburg Empress Maria Theresa. It is always a delight to see Shirley Henderson. I thought Jason Schwartzman brought the right measure of languor and debility to the youthful Louis XVI.