I argued briefly, stating that the film would not necessarily glorify its subject, that there was a very distinct possibility it would actually be a condemnation of its lead character. Still, she refused. Now having seen Quills , I find it hard to tell my mother to see the film. As a discussion of the role of the artist vs. that of society, Quills is often fascinating stuff, but if you found the Marquis de Sade utterly revolting before going in, the film is unlikely to change your mind. And that, naturally, is precisely what makes it fascinating.
Quills is a biography by design, though it certainly has no qualms about fiddling with the details.
Emperor Napoleon, however, gets word that Sade's novels are still circulating amongst the general public despite his decree against such activity, and he orders that a new man be put in charge of the Asylum to crack down on the lax security. But it's not all fun and games, either. With regards to the drama, though, he's a detriment. Thankfully, the handling of Sade is far more graceful. The Marquis is a nasty and repugnant person, a manipulator and a lecher, and he's also much like Flynt, the kind of guy you have to put up with if you value your own freedom.