Page 98 - All About History - Issue 27-15

HISTORY HOLLYWOOD

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Fact versus fi ction on the silver screen

MARIE ANTOINETTE

Director: Sofia Coppola Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Rip Torn Country: USA Released: 2006
ICT A mostly accurate account of
Is this film a revolutionary new look at the life of the French queen? French court life, artistic license aside.
WHATTHEYGOTWRONG… WHATTHEYGOTRIGHT…

In the movie, Marie and Treating Marie and We can only assume The depiction of the The scene where Marie is ‘delivered’ to the
01Louis are depicted as 02Fersen’s affair as fact in 03that Louis and Marie’s 04queen in general is a French on the border and stripped of every
having three children, as seen the film is not necessarily a sin, bedroom rendezvous were as little off the mark. Yes, she was piece of clothing then redressed in the French
in the painting. Their youngest as historians argue about this. awkward as the movie depicts, a foreign princess thrust into style is surprisingly accurate. This was common
daughter did die as insinuated However, Fersen remained a very the evidence being the lack of French court life, but she was a practice for any noble that wished to ingratiate
by the changing picture. But key part of the queen’s life. In the an heir for seven years. But they quick learner and a determined themselves into French life, and almost certainly
they actually had four children, movie he disappears after going almost certainly did not share woman. The film’s depiction of a expected of a dauphine of France.
and in the original painting to war and is only glimpsed in a bedchamber, as is witnessed naïve girl is more inspired by the
Louis-Charles was on Marie’s lap. the queen’s daydreams. frequently in the film. stories in the libelles than fact.

©Alamy

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