"Marie-Antoinette" the movie

[Smilla]

Originally Posted by iowabelle

I haven't seen this movie... but I have often wondered how the Empress Maria Theresa could have mothered such an incompetent daughter. Maybe the answer is lack of actual contact between the Empress and her children.

Compared to other courts of the time, Maria Theresia's children saw a lot of their parents. Maria Theresia was interested in her kids, left their teachers, nannies and children detailed instructions and put a lot of effort in the education of their kids, e.g. by choosing their instructors carefully. After Maria Antonia had married, she wrote a lot of long letters to her daughter, always trying to guide her even then. She worried about her daughters, but her highest priority was not their happiness but the success of Austria and the house of Habsburg. Someone posted that Maria Antonia was spoiled because she was one of the youngest. I'd like to add that when reading Maria Theresia's letters to her daughter I could really understand her need to rebel against her dominating - if well-meaning - mother by being everything her mother did not want her to be.

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by semisquare

marie antoinette wasnt the first choice for the throne of france. her sister who die from small pox was the first choice. unless im getting her mix up with another royal family

You mix the kings up - Marie Antoinette's much older sister and a reknown beauty Maria Elisabeth should have married the widowed Louis XV. of France, but got the poxs and lost her good looks. Instead she became the (non-religious) "abbess" of a noble ladies abbey (Fraeuleinstift) in Innsbruck because noone wanted her anymore. Which was not as bad as it sounds, but quite a good life as she was independant and the "boss" and could live there exactly as she wanted - a great privilege for a princess in her days.

Louis did not marry again but later his grandson who became Louis XVI. after his grandfather's death married Marie Antoinette. BTW - my avatar shows Marie Antoinette as nine-year-old archduchess. Here you can see a picture of Maria Elisabeth from the same series of paintings of the children of Maria Theresia by painter Liotard.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Ma...g_Lorraine.gif

The originals are on display in Geneva. Absolutely worth seeing.

[Next Star]

[quote=EmpressRouge]The two films cover the same subject matter but I would not call Sofia Coppola's movie a remake. The 1938 film was based on Stefan Zweig's biography while the 2006 film is based on a more recent biography by Antonia Fraser (who presents M-A in a more sympathetic light than Zweig).
Information on the 1938 movie:
http://www.us.imdb.com/title/tt0030418/[/ I said this movie is a remake because this has been the second time that a movie about Marie Antionette has came out.This movie is showing a different way the person thought that Marie Antionette might have been. The facts does not lie second is second and first is first there is no way to exscape that period.

[Sophus]

I have just seen the film and I think it was a very beautiful production... It was nice for once to see her life before the revolution as most of the books and movies about her concentrate about her death. It was also nice that the scenes were filmed on the real locations - Versailles and Petit Trianon as I hate to see historical movies filmed in wrong countries and in wrong palaces... The costumes were amazing but I don't know what to think about the modern soundtrack... I have missed a historical movie like this for a very long time so I am contented... Btw - there will be a new 'Elizabeth' next year - so we have another royal costume drama to look forworth to...

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by Smilla

Compared to other courts of the time, Maria Theresia's children saw a lot of their parents. Maria Theresia was interested in her kids, left their teachers, nannies and children detailed instructions and put a lot of effort in the education of their kids, e.g. by choosing their instructors carefully. After Maria Antonia had married, she wrote a lot of long letters to her daughter, always trying to guide her even then. She worried about her daughters, but her highest priority was not their happiness but the success of Austria and the house of Habsburg. Someone posted that Maria Antonia was spoiled because she was one of the youngest. I'd like to add that when reading Maria Theresia's letters to her daughter I could really understand her need to rebel against her dominating - if well-meaning - mother by being everything her mother did not want her to be.

That is true, Smilla. Stefan Zweig's book mentions that Maria Theresa even had the young Marie Antoinette sleep in the same room as her in the months preceding the marriage so that she would have more time to counsel her daughter.

I believe though that Maria Theresa's interest in edifying her daughter came late. It was only when Maria Antonia was about 9 or 10 did Maria Theresa really start grooming her for the throne of France. I wonder if Maria Theresa's zeal in preparing her daughter (the letters were intense and full of criticisms) was born of the realization that she started her daughter's education a bit late and so did not have enough time.

However, the young girl was said to be the favorite child of her father, Franz Stefan whence came the spoiling.

[ysbel]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

You mix the kings up - Marie Antoinette's much older sister and a reknown beauty Maria Elisabeth should have married the widowed Louis XV. of France, but got the poxs and lost her good looks. Instead she became the (non-religious) "abbess" of a noble ladies abbey (Fraeuleinstift) in Innsbruck because noone wanted her anymore. Which was not as bad as it sounds, but quite a good life as she was independant and the "boss" and could live there exactly as she wanted - a great privilege for a princess in her days.

Louis did not marry again but later his grandson who became Louis XVI. after his grandfather's death married Marie Antoinette. BTW - my avatar shows Marie Antoinette as nine-year-old archduchess. Here you can see a picture of Maria Elisabeth from the same series of paintings of the children of Maria Theresia by painter Liotard.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Ma...g_Lorraine.gif

The originals are on display in Geneva. Absolutely worth seeing.

thanks for sharing Jo. I hadn't known about Maria Elisabeth. Yes, to live independently as a woman was a great privilege in those days. I shall have to look her up.

I'm amazed that the picture of Marie Antoinette in your avatar was taken of her at nine. She seems much older. Perhaps it was the fashion of the day.

[RhapsodyBrat]

Originally Posted by Next Star

I said this movie is a remake because this has been the second time that a movie about Marie Antionette has came out.This movie is showing a different way the person thought that Marie Antionette might have been. The facts does not lie second is second and first is first there is no way to exscape that period.

what is generally understood about what a remake is is that the movie is a redone version of the same older, or original, movie. It means that the scenes, script, characters, etc. are the same though changes may be done to adapt it to present times. it doesn't matter if the new movie is second or third--there's a movie shown just recently which is the second remake of the original one.

as EmpressRouge has said, the 1938 movie is based on a different biography and Sofia Coppola has given the current movie a different treatment so it woun't be classified as a remake.

[Next Star]

Originally Posted by RhapsodyBrat

what is generally understood about what a remake is is that the movie is a redone version of the same older, or original, movie. It means that the scenes, script, characters, etc. are the same though changes may be done to adapt it to present times. it doesn't matter if the new movie is second or third--there's a movie shown just recently which is the second remake of the original one.

as EmpressRouge has said, the 1938 movie is based on a different biography and Sofia Coppola has given the current movie a different treatment so it woun't be classified as a remake.

I don't care that is not a remake but like I said before this is the second movie on Marie Antionette rather you like or not this is not the first movie on her period that is what I am trying to say thank you please before you write.

[Amina]

I have to say i was disappointed by this movie. Although it looked good, there is only so much shots of dancing, beautiful people and pretty clothes before a film gets boring.

For me the first hour was great. Kirsten Dunst was excellent as the new queen. I loved the shots of her travelling to France and i thought the earlier scenes were good at capturing how hard Marie found it to fit into the
French and how particularly she got bored with court life.

But after the first hour, Sofia fills the picture with shots of pretty clothes and people partying, which after a while gets boring. Unfortunately you do not get a real sense of what Marie's life was like; also of the events leading up to the revolution. Another thing is that this film takes place over a 20 year period. Yet apart from portraits changing on the walls, you get no sense of time moving on.

Still i like what Sofia did by adding modern music. Not a bad film, but not one that i would recommend either.

BTW - i don't think that Kirsten needs her teeth fixing.

[GlitteringTiaras]

Last night I decided to re-watch the movie, Marie Antionette. Although I loved the costumes, the authenticity of the location, and so forth the movie was boring after twenty minutes.

But after the first hour, Sofia fills the picture with shots of pretty clothes and people partying, which after a while gets boring. Unfortunately you do not get a real sense of what Marie's life was like; also of the events leading up to the revolution. Another thing is that this film takes place over a 20 year period. Yet apart from portraits changing on the walls, you get no sense of time moving on.

I completely agree.

The problem with this version was due to the lack of dialogue. More than half of the film was quiet chit-chat between several people, that I had no idea what was going on. Case and point: Marie's birthday party scene and her first sit down dinner with her new family. After a while I was wondering when this film was going to end because it seemed to go on forever.

[Suonymona]

Visually stunning but intellectually boring.

M"H"O, of course.

[Royal Fan]

Visually Perfect but the Rock/Pop Music lol come on! and they didnt even show the Execution. I Will give a 6 out of 10

[Callaghan]

I think THIS review says it all.

[puppigurl2005]

after watching the movie (i confess, I have it on DVD), i decided to look for another take on Marie Antoinette. Found it on Prject Gutenberg
MARIE ANTOINETTE, By Campan

its the memoirs of Madam Campan, the official reader to Marie Antoinette. It is quite insightful...hopefully no one has posted it already.

[carlota]

i truly enjoyed sofia coppola's film on marie antoinette. i watched it twice already, and don't seem to get enough. costumes and make up are superb. i heard so many different opinions about it! perhaps you need to enjoy royalty to like it?

i found it delightful. extremely beautiful (no wonder, when it was filmed in versailles and with that budget!) and quite a sensory treat. some performances are great as well, imo. quite sad it finishes just after they leave versailles, i would have loved to see a bit more, perhaps she could have continued with her imprisonment at la conciergerie? (although i understand maybe this would detract from the splendid and lavish kind of film she wanted to do, but would maybe add some more essence)

[TheTruth]

I've watched it this morning and I sooo love it ! The music, the dresses are fa-bu-lous ! I could see it over and over again without getting bored. Sofia Coppola is a great director. I had really enjoyed Lost in Translation with Bill Murray and MA is another masterpiece.

[sirhon11234]

I have the DVD and I also love it, Versailles and its gardens are beautiful when I went there I was just in awe of the place.
Kirsten Dunst played Marie perfectly.