As Beautiful as a Fabrege Egg and as Empty

Rating: 5/10 (16 February 2007)

Sofia Coppola offers another look at history's infamous Marie Antoinette, the premise being that she was in life just a simple young Austrian girl delivered to France as a political queen candidate, who liked pretty things, loved children, flowers, clothes, shopping, and sweets, and lived a life oblivious to the political turmoil outside the confines of Versailles until it was too late. Coppola delivers her side of history with a maximum budget, endless sumptuous costumes, shoes, wigs, oft-changed costumed huge cast, top of the line creative cuisine and pastries, a nice little performance by Kirsten Dunst, an extended tour inside Versailles and two hours of minimal dialogue about rather inconsequential matters.
Coppola does mix contemporary music with period music, an anachronism that is not additive but does allow us to see snippets of Rameau's 'Platee' (and a cut version of Susan Graham as Gluck's 'Orfeo' singing 'Che faro Euridice' in French translation on a beautiful stage with a sensuous nude model lying at her feet). And if Coppola's purpose is to demonstrate how the 'media', whether that be printed or verbal history, has painted an incorrect picture of a charming young child/lady who happened to be blissfully unaware of the changes of the day, she has succeeded. It just doesn't seem to be enough story for a two hour slick magazine spread on indulgences in France of the late 18th century.
The cast is well chosen: Judy Davis exudes court etiquette as Comtesse de Noailles, Rip Torn is a fine Louis XV more interested in his consort du Barry as well imitated by Asia Argento, Steve Coogan is Steve Coogan as Ambassador Mercy, Rose Byrne keeps the story afloat as Duchesse de Polignac, and Jason Schwartzman makes us understand why the distracted Louis XVI capitalized the troubles of a clueless court during the time of Revolution.
The endless costume changes are entertaining to the eye but about as repetitive as the too frequent boudoir lack of activity between Marie and Louis. This is one of those films where the Featurette on the DVD makes the evening worth tolerating; it is fresh, funny, informative, allows bonuses, and ultimately explains why the movie was made in the first place. As for the film itself, it is a long static song. Grady Harp