Sad

Rating: 1/10 (21 October 2006)

After over a year of anticipation, I could not even finish the movie. The equivalent to a a trip to the dentist comes to mind. I've always thought the 1938 version could be much improved upon. It remains my favorite. If I had to choose my biggest complaint - it would be the multiple minutes of silence and 'reaction' shots. I almost felt as though I was watching an unedited version. I was hesitant about contemporary music being used as the soundtrack but did not find that to be an issue. There is one consistency between the 1938 version and this one - the inaccurate portrayal of Louis XVI as dim-witted. All historical accounts show him to be a well-meaning and aggressive monarch who was afflicted with depressive episodes. It is disappointing that he is continually mis-respresented.
To be fair, I am an historian with emphasis on pre-revolutionaly French history. Therefore I may be more biased than others