Page 98 - All About History - Issue 56-17

HISTORY HOLLYWOOD

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Fact versus iction on the silver screen

THE DEATH OF LOUIS XIV

Director: Albert Serra Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Patrick d’Assumçao, Marc Susini,
Bernard Belin, Irène Silvagni, Vicenç Altaió Country: France/Spain/Portugal Year: 2016
In the claustrophobic splendour of Versailles, the Sun King wastes

away — but is The Death Of Louis XIV style over substance? VERDICT Meticulous, atmospheric and haunting.
You can almost smell the gangrene!

The 76-year-old King Louis Just as the film depicts, One of the film’s more On the brink of death, Fagon and the king were
01 XIV did experience the 02 Louis’ trusted doctor 03 eccentric characters is Le 04 Louis asks his doctors to 05 almost exactly the same
first symptoms of gangrene while refused to entertain a diagnosis of Brun, a quack who brings the king ensure that his heart is removed age. In fact, Fagon was a few months
hunting and, as the film suggests, gangrene, even though the king an elixir made from bull’s semen and preserved. This rather Gothic older than Louis. In a rare departure
languished for over a month in showed all the symptoms. Even and frog fat. Although this might touch is true, and the king’s heart from accuracy, the film shows Fagon
agony as his condition worsened. when the king’s left leg turned black seem too grotesque and outlandish was mummified and kept at L’Église as being the younger of the two,
Meanwhile, around his deathbed, and the air grew thick with the to be true, Le Brun and his potion Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis until the with Léaud (Louis) 19 years older
court life went on. stench, the doctor stuck to his guns. were quite real! French Revolution. than d’Assumçao (Fagon).

© Alamy

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