Let them eat Coppola cake.

Rating: 6/10 (22 February 2007)

Marie Antoinette is one of those historical figures that has been mostly misunderstood and in which her "legend" has preceded the facts. What is interesting, is that which she is most remembered for (the "let them eat cake" statement) cannot be historically linked to anything she had uttered. What is even more interesting is her response to what was attributed to her. In summary, she simply stated that the people of France help to maintain the royal family's well being despite the population's misfortunes and that she would work harder to make their lives happier as well. After Sophia's Lost in Translation, I was expecting a lot. This movie has some moments, yet falls quite short of expectations. The fault lies partly in the movie and partly in the subject matter.
Marie Antoinette was born an Austrian Archduchess. At the age of 15 she was married to the overweight and virginal-soon-to-become Louis XVI of France. Marie was an outsider at the court of Versailles and was treated this way throughout most of her life. The rampant gossiping, along with the rumors of a "cold bedroom" and no heir lead to even more gossiping (lets also not forget the Affair of the Necklace). Madame du Barry (Louis XV's common-born mistress - Asia Argento) did not make life any easier for Marie, in light of Marie's dislike for associating with someone she felt was beneath her. In her youth, she spent and acted frivolously as she apparently did not know or understand the concept of money. After the birth of her children, Marie became much less extravagant and completely devoted to her children. It is in the latter years that Marie Antoinette showed her truer character.
The movie tries very hard to convey Marie's childhood innocence and sheltered lifestyle. She is shown as a bit ordinary and unschooled in the ways of Versailles and France. This is partially successful. As the movie stands, the first hour and half are a tribute to Bacchus and the hedonistic lifestyle. The production value of the movie is really high. The costumes, jewelry, wigs and locations are amazing. Are we being shown this as a contrast? Even the choice of music is appropriate to this. The 80's music reminds me of the yuppie lifestyle and mirrors much of Marie's youth. This depiction of the young Marie is the foremost cause of failure of the the primary goal : To depict Marie Antoinette in a more favorable light. This is of course, unless we are given an unabashed look at her. It is hard not to judge, however. Youth and ignorance cannot be an excuse for every deed. She was born into having everything. It is hard to sympathizes with someone who has everything and squanders it callously. Some would say that she was only 15 years old. Unfortunately, a 15 year old in the 21th century cannot be compared with a 15 year old from 200+ years ago.
The predominant focus of the movie and it's major flaw, is the reliance on showing Marie's youth. It is not in her youth that her saving grace can be found, but rather in her maturation as a mother and monarch. Unfortunately, only the last 20 minutes of the movie focuses on this and is so rushed as to seem unfinished. If this movie wanted to truly show the character of Marie, it should have focused on the 4 years from the fall of the Bastille to her execution. During this time, she showed her character in the face of an angry and blood-lusting mob. Instead we are left with a miss-paced, long, stylized, summer-like nostalgic romp though the 18th century. It's nice, but I wouldn't want to live there.