'Marie Antoinette' a Pleasant Surprise

Rating: 8/10 (1 November 2006)

Part chick flick, period piece, and historical drama, Sofia Coppola's latest film, 'Marie Antoinette', avoids easy labeling. Although flawed, the film succeeds as an engrossing account of the rise and fall of one of history's most derided and iconic figures. With a strong cast, lavish production values, and an unusual soundtrack, 'Marie Antoinette' is completely one of a kind.
Marie Antoinette, who became queen of pre-revolutionary France at the young age of 19, gained notoriety for her outrageous spending habits, eccentric behavior, and wild partying. This life of decadence occurred amidst a national crisis in which the people of France lived in poverty and on the brink of starvation. Marie Antoinette's famous "let them eat cake" comment, more or less summed up the general attitude of the upper class: proclaim ignorance in the face of injustice.
It's important to note that the film avoids going into much detail concerning the French Revolution of 1789. Those looking for an accurate and all-encompassing historical account of that event had better look elsewhere. That's not what this film is about. Instead, director Sofia Coppola decides to center the film around Marie Antoinette's personal life. The film is told primarily from her perspective and tries to see things through her eyes.
Kirsten Dunst stars as the ill-fated queen, whom we meet at the beginning of the film at the age of 15. Marie Antoinette is on her way to the Palace of Versailles where she is to spend the rest of her life married to a man she hardly knows. Audience sympathy is built around Marie Antoinette's unfair situation. Not only does she have no say in her marriage (pre-arranged, of course), but also the only responsibility she is expected to live up to is to get pregnant and, thereby, produce an heir to the throne. The situation is complicated when her husband, the future King Louis XVI, seems unwilling to consummate the marriage. Louis, played by Jason Schwartzman, is portrayed as being completely passive to the point of absurdity. He's so soft-spoken and dim-witted that we can't help but feel sorry for Marie Antoinette.
One of things that I liked about the film is that it's high on the charm factor. Director Sofia Coppola, for instance, infuses the film's soundtrack with modern rock music that ordinarily would seem out of place in a historical film. Somehow, it works and doesn't distract from the story. Also, the film's personality matches that of Marie Antoinette, herself: lighthearted, over-the-top, and eccentric. This helps in creating an intimate atmosphere, in which a long dead historical figure feels a little bit more relatable and accessible to a modern-day audience.
The film has received mixed reviews and got a combination of boos and applause when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. It's certainly not a movie for everyone. One of the film's problems is that it's lacking in any real substance. By the end of the film, it was unclear to me what the director was intending to say. The movie is obviously taking a sympathetic approach to Marie Antoinette and tries to portray her as a victim of snobby high society. But beyond this, the film offers very little analysis. Also, by avoiding the events surrounding the French Revolution, the film comes across as rather shallow. After all, no one would really remember or care about Marie Antoinette if it weren't for the Revolution.
The film is also noteworthy for being the first movie production allowed access to the Palace of Versailles. By shooting on location, 'Marie Antoinette' feels completely convincing and authentic. With beautiful sets and great cinematography, the film is almost worth seeing just for the production values alone.
Sofia Coppola, director of the critically acclaimed 'Lost in Translation', has succeeded in creating a compelling interpretation of a historical figure. 'Marie Antoinette' is a pleasant surprise in an otherwise dull year for movies.