The Lady And The Duke
Encyclopedia
The Lady and the Duke is a 2001
feature film by French
director Éric Rohmer
.
The film was inspired by Ma vie sous la révolution, the colourful memoirs of Grace Elliott
, an Edinburgh
-born royalist
caught up in the political intrigue following the French Revolution
. 'The customary verbal sparring and complex intellectual arguments are spiced by lavish sets, suspenseful plotting and the continuous threat of violence.'
remarked: "There does seem to be a great problem, not just in France, but every country has problems facing up to the nasty parts of its history. But there's a reason it was called The Terror
."
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
feature film by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
director Éric Rohmer
Éric Rohmer
Éric Rohmer was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter and teacher. A figure in the post-war New Wave cinema, he was a former editor of Cahiers du cinéma....
.
The film was inspired by Ma vie sous la révolution, the colourful memoirs of Grace Elliott
Grace Elliott
Grace Dalrymple Elliott was a Scottish socialite and courtesan who was resident in Paris at the time of the French Revolution and an eyewitness to events. She was once mistress of the Duke of Orléans, who was cousin to King Louis XVI....
, an Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
-born royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
caught up in the political intrigue following the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. 'The customary verbal sparring and complex intellectual arguments are spiced by lavish sets, suspenseful plotting and the continuous threat of violence.'
Response
It was criticised by many viewers in France because of its uncompromising presentation of revolutionary violence; some described it as reactionary or monarchist propaganda. Asked about this in an Observer interview Lucy RussellLucy Russell
Lucy Russell may refer to:*Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford*Lucy Russell...
remarked: "There does seem to be a great problem, not just in France, but every country has problems facing up to the nasty parts of its history. But there's a reason it was called The Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
."
Cast
- Jean-Claude DreyfusJean-Claude DreyfusJean-Claude Dreyfus is a French actor. He began his career in film acting in 1973 in the film Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard. Dreyfus is notable for his portrayal of a butcher in the black comedy Delicatessen by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet...
as Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe II, Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans commonly known as Philippe, was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe Égalité, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror... - Lucy RussellLucy Russell (actress)Lucy Russell is an English actress, possibly best known for starring as Grace Elliott in Éric Rohmer's L'Anglaise et le duc . Her first starring role was in Christopher Nolan's Following...
as Grace ElliottGrace ElliottGrace Dalrymple Elliott was a Scottish socialite and courtesan who was resident in Paris at the time of the French Revolution and an eyewitness to events. She was once mistress of the Duke of Orléans, who was cousin to King Louis XVI.... - Alain Libolt as Duke of BironArmand Louis de GontautArmand Louis de Gontaut, Duc de Lauzun, later duc de Biron, and usually referred to by historians of the French Revolution simply as Biron was a French soldier and politician, known for the part he played in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars.-Early titles:Born in...
- Charlotte Véry as Pulcherie the Cook
- RosetteRosette (actress)Rosette is a French actress and producer.-Roles :* Immoral Women * Pauline at the Beach * The Green Ray...
as Franchette - Léonard Cobiant as ChampcenetzMarquis de ChampcenetzLouis René Quentin de Richebourg, marquis de Champcenetz was governor of the Tuileries Palace at the time of the French Revolution. He was the father of his namesake, the journalist Louis René Quentin de Richebourg de Champcenetz. He was the personal enemy of Louis Philippe, who nevertheless...
- François Mathouret as DumouriezCharles François DumouriezCharles-François du Périer Dumouriez was a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars. He shared the victory at Valmy with General François Christophe Kellermann, but later deserted the Revolutionary Army and became a royalist intriguer during the reign of Napoleon.-Early life:Dumouriez...
- Caroline Morin as Nanon
- Héléna Dubiel as Madame Meyler
- François-Marie BanierFrançois-Marie BanierFrançois-Marie Banier is a French novelist, playwright, artist, actor and photographer. He is particularly known for his photographs of celebrities and other public figures and for his friendships with members of high society.-Life and career:...
as Robespierre