Vatel (2000)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Roland Joffé

Writers:

Jeanne Labrune (writer)
Tom Stoppard (English adaptation)

Release Date:

10 May 2000 (Belgium)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Some men are too noble to live among aristocracy.

Plot:

In 1671, with war brewing with Holland, a penniless prince invites Louis XIV to three days of festivities at a chateau in Chantilly...

Plot Keywords:

Secret Love | Card Game | One Word Title | Nobility | Gay

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	François Vatel
Uma Thurman	...	Anne de Montausier
Tim Roth	...	Marquis de Lauzun
Timothy Spall	...	Gourville
Julian Glover	...	Prince de Condé
Julian Sands	...	Louis XIV
Murray Lachlan Young	...	Philippe d'Orleans, 'Monsieur'
Hywel Bennett	...	Colbert
Richard Griffiths	...	Dr. Bourdelot
Arielle Dombasle	...	Princess de Condé
Marine Delterme	...	Athenaïs de Montespan
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu	...	Duchesse de Longueville
Jérôme Pradon	...	Marquis d'Effiat
Féodor Atkine	...	Alcalet
Nathalie Cerda	...	The Queen Marie-Thérèse

Also Known As:

Vatel (Argentina) (video title) (Spain) [es]
Vatel (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Vatel (Portugal) [pt]
Vatel - Um Banquete para o Rei (Brazil) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

103 min | Argentina:125 min

Country:

France | UK | Belgium

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13

Company:

Légende Entreprises

Trivia:

The film opened the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.

Goofs:

Factual errors: William of Orange is referred to as "King of Holland". He was Stadhouder of the Seven United Netherlands, never King of Holland.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cinéma passe à table, Le (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Music for the Royal Fireworks

We should not judge this movie by its cover

Letting yourself be submerged by the visual aspects of this subtle but not so fast movie is the key to its understanding. The images are rich and varied; the atmosphere is deep in history if not somewhat accurate at least attempts to recreate wonderfully the ambiance, decadence and glory that was France during the Reign of Louis XIV. Those who love history will love this movie, not for its content, but for its exuberance and unashamed panache.

I will not attempt to decipher the story line, the words in itself are what is important here. Whether the story is accurate or not or whether is fact or fiction or whose point of view is it, is irrelevant, you should make your own conclusion. The most important aspect for me is its own subtlety, seeing its hidden little treasures in its rich tapestry of images and symbolism was the most fun, also its unassuming little gems of wisdom about human nature here and there, gave enough impulse to the story to keep it interesting, Yes! This is not `The Three Musketeers' for those looking for action and Yes! This is not `Cyrano' either for those looking for the power and poetry of the prose.

What these characters do is not as important as how they do it, specially during those days of very conventional and strict etiquette, their seemingly detached attitude is only a reflection of their hidden emotions as much as their blind following of the rules imposed by a necessary tyrant. Only then we come to understand that this was only a clever device that Louis XIV created to maintain all of these rich dilettante aristocrats busy with life at court to keep them away from the real world and the real politics thus providing him with absolute power (This was his glory not Versailles).

I find that if we look carefully under the varnish and the gold, they were not too far from the farce and ridicule that we see on today's society. When we look around, the music, the clothes and the places might be different, but the treachery, pettiness, envy, jealousy, hunger for power and those who utilize it for their own purposes are still the same. If anything, this movie is a mirror of society at is very worst and best, and a great point of reference to look at ourselves as we were and as we presently are. Those who pretend that this story is just a boring fantasy of the past of some fertile imagination dressed up in pretty costumes with some period music; they need a better set of glasses than an eye doctor can normally prescribe. Those with the sensitivity to appreciate what is not obvious and can read between the lines will be ready for a treat.