Marie Antoinette films

Do you have time to kill?

Watch one of these Marie Antoinette films! If you are into historical films about royals, you must watch the Marie Antoinette film from 2016, written and directed by Sofia Coppola. My personal favourite!

Kirsten Dunst stars as Marie Antoinette and Versailles Palace stars as itself, just gorgeous!

Since the early days of the film industry, over 20 Marie Antoinette films were made. Her fascinating story and horrible death under the guillotine are excellent movie material.

Here are some of the best Marie Antoinette films, in no particular order.

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Marie Antoinette (2006)

You can watch Marie Antoinette online on Amazon prime and on Netflix. 

Director: Sofia Coppola

Writer: Sofia Coppola

Starring: Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette, Jason Schwartzman as Louis XVI of France and Rip Torn as Louis XV of France.

Apart from the first few scenes of the movie where we see Maria Antonia in the Hofburg Palace in Austria, most scenes of this film are recorded at the Palace of Versailles.
That is actually the small and secluded habitat where the life of Marie Antoinette took place until the start of the French Revolution.

The film does not dwell on the political and historical issues that led to that revolution. It merely depicts the reality of the life of this royal family, living in their golden cage.

It is a feel-good movie with beautiful dresses and outrageous hairdos, showing a life of partying, gambling, eating and drinking. Meanwhile, you feel the pressure on this teenage Queen, who got married at age 15 to a 16-year-old boy and becomes queen at age 19. The pressure to produce an heir, to behave, to live up to the expectations of her mother (the empress of Austria) and her brother, and that of all courtiers that are watching every step she takes.

The costumes in the 2006 film "Marie Antoinette" are one of the main characters, if you ask me.

Sofia Coppola collaborated with costume designer Milena Canonero to create visually striking and unique costumes that reflect the spirit of the time period and the people.

While the costumes in the film may not be historically accurate in terms of precise replication of 18th-century French fashion, they are intentionally designed to convey the essence and atmosphere of the era.

The film takes a more subjective and interpretive approach to historical accuracy. You might even come across a pair of Converse All Start shoes when you look closely!

The film ends with the Royal family leaving Versailles Palace at dawn. They don't know where they are going, and neither is it explained to the viewer what happens next. The last shot is of Marie Antoinette's bedroom, shattered by the angry mob. It says enough, we all know how it ended.

Watch the Marie Antoinette (2006) Official Trailer on Youtube 

The film is based on the biography Marie Antoinette: The Journey, by Antonia Fraser. 

Farewell, My Queen (2012) 

You can watch Farewell, My Queen  online on Amazon prime. 

Director: Benoît Jacquot

Writer: Chantal Thomas

 Starring: Léa Seydoux as Sidonie Laborde, Diane Kruger as Marie-Antoinette and Virginie Ledoyen as Gabrielle de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac.

This film also has the Palace of Versailles as decor. We see the life of Marie Antoinette through the eyes of a servant.   

Sidonie Laborde is 'reader to the queen' during the last days that the royal family is in the palace. The French Revolution is on its way and the tension is felt during the entire movie.
When the film starts on the 14th of July 1789, the day starts as usual. But the mood changes as whispers and gossip fill the lavish rooms and hallways.   Many aristocrats and servants flee the palace when the news of the storming of the Bastille gets around. Sidonie serves her queen until the end. 

The film sheds a very different light on Court life at Versailles Palace. The small rooms of the servants, the flees, the rats and the smells. The disdain with which the nobility treats them. It all gives a clear picture of life in the 'downstairs' of the Palace of Versailles.

Watch the Official Trailer of Farewell, My Queen on Youtube 

The film is based on the book Farewell, My Queen: A Novel by Chantal Thomas. Original title Les adieux à la reine. 

Marie Antoinette (1938)

You can watch Marie Antoinette  online on Amazon prime. 

Directed by W. S. Van Dyke

 Starring: Norma Shearer in the role of Marie Antoinette, Tyrone Power as Count Axel von Fersen, John Barrymore as King Louis XV, and Robert Morley as Louis XVI.

The 1938 movie "Marie Antoinette" is a historical drama film directed by W.S. Van Dyke. Norma Shearer is starring in the role of Marie Antoinette. The movie is known for its lavish production design, which includes elaborate sets and costumes. A notable aspect of the film is the attention to detail paid to historical accuracy. The filmmakers reportedly consulted with experts on 18th-century French history to ensure that the costumes, sets, and dialogue were as authentic as possible.

Although the film was one of the most expensive movies of the 1930s, with a budget of over two million dollars, it is in black and white. 

The film is based on the book "Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman"  by Stefan Zweig (1932)

Watch the Official Trailer of Marie Antoinette (1938) on Youtube 

Marie Antoinette Queen of France (1956)

Also known as "Shadow of the Guillotine"

You can buy  Marie Antoinette Queen of France online on Amazon. 

Director: Jean Delannoy

Writers: Jean Delannoy, Philippe Erlanger, Bernard Zimmer

Stars: Michèle Morgan, Richard Todd, Jacques Morel

"Marie Antoinette" (1956) is a historical drama that tells the story of the life of Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France during the late 18th century.

This film goes on where the 2006 version stops. It shows the later years of the life of Marie Antoinette. The forced move to the Tuileries Palace in Paris, the flight to Vareness, the imprisonment in the Temple and the executions of the Royal couple are all depicted.

The movie depicts Marie Antoinette's lavish lifestyle at the French court, filled with opulent parties, extravagant fashion, and political intrigue. It explores her struggles to adapt to the strict protocol and traditions of the French court, as well as her personal relationships, including her close bond with Count Axel de Fersen.

As the years pass, Marie Antoinette becomes increasingly unpopular among the French people, who view her as a symbol of extravagance and indifference to their suffering. The film portrays the tensions leading up to the French Revolution, as well as Marie Antoinette's attempts to protect her family and maintain her position amidst the growing unrest.

"Marie Antoinette" (1956) is in French, but you van buy a Blue ray or DVD with English subtitles. 

Watch this Trailer of Marie Antoinette Queen of France (1956) on Youtube 

La Révolution Française (1989)

The French Revolution

You can watch The French Revolution online on Amazon. 

Directors : Robert Enrico and Richard T. Heffron.

Stars: Jane Seymour as Marie Antoinette and ,Jean-François Balmer as Louis XVI

"The French Revolution" is a historical drama miniseries released in 1989. It was directed by Robert Enrico and Richard T. Heffron.

This epic production chronicles the events of the French Revolution, one of the most significant and transformative periods in French history. The miniseries spans a total of six episodes, each focusing on different stages and key figures of the revolution.

It portrays many key historical figures, offering a multi-faceted perspective of the era. One of these figures is Marie Antoinette, played by Jane Seymour (who you likely know better as Dr, Queen, Medicine Woman).

You can watch the full movie  La Révolution Française (1989)  with Englisch subtitles on Youtube. It is also for rent on Amazon Prime.

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