La Reine Margot (1994 film)
La Reine Margot is a 1994 French period film directed by Patrice Chreau, based on the 1845 historical novel La Reine Margot by Alexandre Dumas. It stars Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, Virna Lisi and Vincent Prez. An abridged version of the film was released as Queen Margot in North America, and in the United Kingdom under its original French title.
During the late 16th century, Catholics and Protestant Huguenots are fighting over political control of France, which is ruled by the neurotic, hypochondriac King Charles IX JeanHugues Anglade, and his mother, Catherine de Medici Virna Lisi, a scheming power player. Catherine decides to make an overture of goodwill by offering up her daughter Margot Isabelle Adjani in marriage to Henri de Bourbon Daniel Auteuil, a prominent Huguenot and King of Navarre, although she also schemes to bring about the notorious St. Bartholomews Day Massacre of 1572, when thousands of Protestants are slaughtered. The marriage goes forward but Margot, who does not love Henri, begins a passionate affair with the soldier La Mle Vincent Prez, also a Protestant from a welltodo family. Murders by poisoning follow, as court intrigues multiply and Queen Catherines villainous plotting to place her son the Duke of Anjou Pascal Greggory on the throne threatens the lives of La Mle, Margot and Henri of Navarre. A book with pages painted with arsenic is intended for Henri but instead causes the slow, agonizing death of King Charles. Henri escapes to Navarre and sends La Mle to fetch Margot, but Guise apprehends him. La Mle is beheaded in the Bastille before Margot can save him, and King Charles finally dies. Margot escapes carrying La Mles embalmed head as Anjou is proclaimed King of France as Henry III.The film was an international coproduction made by several companies based in France, Germany, and Italy, with the additional participation of StudioCanal and the American company Miramax and the support of Eurimages. Among the locations were the Mafra Palace in Portugal, the SaintQuentin Basilica, SaintQuentin, Aisne, and the Chteau de Maulnes, CruzyleChtel in France. ........
Source: Wikipedia
