PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER

Ma's View:

We were very excited to be going to see a French period drama since we love such things in English so we were a not a little disappointed by this overly long and not very interesting love story set in 1562 during the wars of religion between Catholics and Protestants.  Directed by Bertrand Tavernier and based on a novella (i.e. short novel!) by Madame de Lafayette, the movie tells the story of a young noblewoman, forced to marry the Prince of her father's choice and abandon the young man she loves passionately.  She is torn between duty and desire but gives in quite easily in the end, influenced it seems by the romantic poetry she has been studying with her tutor (who is also in love with her).

The costumes are magnificent, the French scenery also and the historical background well-handled but none of these were enough to sustain interest during the 139 minutes of this movie which started at 8.45pm!  Not sure if historical dramas are a French forté!

My score:  6/10

Pepe's View:

Why is it that directors and screenplay writers have come to the conclusion that more is better?  This movie was at least an hour too long.  Coming as it does from a short novella, I think I could have read the whole novel in its original form in the same time it took to watch this incredibly boring movie.

A period drama set in France at the time of the Protestant wars did not even have the advantage of being factual.  It is simply a story set in an historical perspective.  The costumes and setting are magnificent but the story is a 15th century soapie.  I did not care at all about the characters who fought, contrived, argued and plotted to win the hand of the Princess.  The princess, played by Melanie Thierry, was cast I began to think simply because of her amazingly blue eyes (probably coloured contacts anyway) as her ability to successfully portray the princess was negligible. 

This was a singularly disappointing movie - so much so we chose not to see the other late night period offering at the festival - Nannerl, Mozart's Sister - as I don't think that period drama is the forte of french cinema.

My Score:  5/10