Tagline: Passion destroys everything.
France, 1562. Against a background of the savage Catholic / Protestant wars, Marie de Mézières (Mélanie Thierry), a beautiful young aristocrat, and the rakish Henri de Guise (Gaspard Ulliel) fall in love, but Marie’s father has promised her hand in marriage to the Prince of Montpensier (Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet).
When he is called away to battle, her husband leaves her in the care of Count Chabannes (Lambert Wilson), an aging nobleman with a disdain for warfare. As he experiences his own forbidden desire for Marie, Chabannes must also protect her from the dangerously corrupt court dominated by Catherine de Medici. Tavernier translates Madame de Lafayette’s 1622 novella into a bracingly intelligent and moving evocation of the terrible conflict between duty and passion.
Though the themes are classic, Tavernier, with the cinematographer Bruno de Keyzer’s vivid landscapes and Philippe Sarde’s pulsing score, makes them feel passionately, urgently contemporary.
The Princess of Montpensier (French: La princesse de Montpensier) is a French period romance film directed by Bertrand Tavernier, inspired by a short story anonymously published by Madame de La Fayette. It stars Mélanie Thierry in the title role, alongside Gaspard Ulliel, Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, Lambert Wilson and Raphaël Personnaz. The story takes place in the French aristocracy during the Wars of Religion, and focuses on a young woman who is forced into marriage while passionately in love with another man. The film competed at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival and was released in French cinemas on 3 November 2010.
The Princess of Montpensier
Starring: Melanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson, Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet, Gaspard Ulliel, Raphael Personnaz, Joséphine de La Baume
Directed by: Bertrand Tavernier
Screenplay by: Jean Cosmos
Production Design by: Guy-Claude François
Cinematography by: Bruno de Keyzer
Film Editing by: Sophie Brunet
Music by: Philippe Sarde
MPAA Rating: None.
Studio: IFC Films
Release Date: April 15, 2011
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