Set against the savage Catholic/Protestant wars that ripped France apart in the 16th century. Based on a novella by the celebrated Madame de Lafayette, the action centers on the love of Marie de Mezières for her dashing cousin Henri de Guise, thwarted when her father's political ambitions force her into marriage with the well-connected Philippe de Montpensier, who she has never met.
When Philippe is called away to fight, she is left in the care of Count Chabannes, an aging nobleman with a disdain for warfare, and soon becomes exposed to the sexual and political intrigues of court. Read more …
Impressively photographed and designed and robustly acted by its ensemble cast, The Princess of Montpensier demonstrates Tavernier’s versatility as a filmmaker.
Robustly acted and dynamically photographed; Tavernier is equally adept at directing intimate encounters as choreographing savage battles, conveying the sense of a society tearing itself apart.
A well rounded exposition of the passions and the ensuing tangle they can create.
Bertrand Tavernier, in his 70th year, directs with the energy and panache of a much younger man.
Despite some good work from Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet as her hapless husband, everything’s scenery, even the story.
Handsome costume drama.
A huge, swirling, monumentally satisfying epic taking in war, peace and many a point in between.
For all the film's undoubted flair, there is something oddly inconsequential about it.
It suffers from not having one relationship in particular to make us care deeply about, and Marie is a little too aloof for her own good, but it is highly enjoyable and informative nonetheless.
Bertrand Tavernier has always been one of French cinema's consummate storytellers and he's at his most elegant and engaged in The Princess of Montpensier.
This is one of those costume dramas that the French do well, at once vigorous and intelligent, authentically detailed but with a little irony in hand. It is never less than enthralling.
The Princess of Montpensier manages to be that rare thing, a thoroughly modern-seeming period film that is confident that the story it's telling is compelling enough so as not to necessitate the addition of torturous contemporary parallels.
Interview: Bertrand Tavernier
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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