The grandeur of louis xiv on film fiction and film for scholars of. Only the latter, the rise of louis xiv 1966, has received its due acclaim, chiefly because it is one of the few to have been screened theatrically. Most of these movies are set during the 17th and 18th centuries when the palace served as the principal residence of the french kings from louis xiv to louis xvi. Welcome to versailles, the bbcs steamy new period drama set. The taking of power by louis xiv, also called the rise of louis xiv, is a 1966 french television film by italian film director roberto rossellini. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the longest recorded of any monarch of a sovereign country in european history. A series of exquisitely composed images, each one lit like an old master painting with the soft glow of candlelight, present us the last days in the life of one of the most powerful monarchs in modern history, louis xiv, the man who.
Absolutism is a system in which a ruler holds total power. Bill beik emory university emeritus for many years the rise of louis xiv by roberto rossellini 1966 has been a staple for use in courses covering seventeenthcentury france. To achieve this political autonomy, louis deals with his mother and the court nobles, all of whom makes the assumption that mazarins death will give them more power. Criterion presents roberto rossellinis historical film the taking of power by louis xiv a. France under louis xiv the reign of louis xiv has been regarded as the best example of the practice of absolutism in the seventeenth century. He talked with such eloquence and passion about film that you could. A series of exquisitely composed images, each one lit like an old master painting with the soft glow of candlelight, present us the last days in the life of one of the most powerful monarchs in modern history, louis xiv, the man who was known as the sun king. In 1667, 28yearold allpowerful king of france, louis xiv, decides to build the greatest palace in the world versailles. Docudrama about the life of louis xiv nicknamed the sun king, the king of france who ran a glamorous court, expanded the borders of france, loved women and parties and built an incredible palace for himself the versailles. One of seven children, he was the second surviving son of louis, the dauphin of france, and the grandson of louis xv of france and of his consort, maria leszczynska.
Case in point, several months ago i saw another of rossellinis biopics from the same period, socrates 1970, and, as i am a classics scholar, i liked. Mazarins fiscal advisor, colbert, warns against fouquet, the. In 1962, roberto rossellini called a press conference in a bookshop in rome and announced that the cinema was dead. The death of louis xiv 2016 letterboxd social film. Nevertheless, while favorable to france, the peace terms were significantly worse than those that had been available in july 1672. It shows in great detail, with particular emphasis on clothes and court rituals, how louis the sun king, following his assumption of power on the death of frances chief. Yet rossellini, armed with a zoomlens and unpretentious nonactors, slowly casts the sun kings devious use of fashion and favors to centralize power as the equal of the. The rise of louis xiv 1966 this docudrama by roberto rossellini focuses on french king louis xiv jeanmarie patte. Lethargic minimalist film about louis xivs rise to power in the mid 17th century. Watch the front row the taking of power by louis xiv the. A possible substitute is the newer film, vatel, directed by roland joffe 2000. Here we take a look at five of the best from the past three decades. Serras depiction of the monarchs final days shows a. In 1765, upon the death of his father, louis, dauphin of france, he became the new dauphin.
Early reign after his fathers death his mother, anne of austria, was regent for louis, but the real power was wielded by annes adviser, cardinal mazarin. Theres a crisis not just in film but culture as a whole, he explained. In regal cinematic terms this is more of a companion piece to roberto rossellinis the rise of louis xiv 1966 than a crowdpleaser like the alan bennettscripted the madness of king george. The image has not been pictureboxed, though has slim black bars on the left and right.
Documentary documentary films that contain only documentary information historical films which tried to recreate the century of louis xiv exactly as it was. France had the support of england and sweden, while the dutch were supported by spain, the holy roman empire and denmark. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Louis xiv, 16381715, king of france 16431715, son and successor of king louis xiii.
The film revolves around the french king louis xivs rise to power after the death of his powerful advisor, cardinal mazarin. Jan 1, 1669, louis expand the palace of versailles. I suppose if i had a greater interest in the time period or historical characters, i wouldnt have been bored. After the death of cardinal mazarin, young king louis xiv decides to assert his power to control the aristocracy. The next days, the king keeps fulfilling his duties and obligations, but his sleep is troubled and he has a serious fever. Symbol of frances glory, versailles is probably the most splendid royal palace in europe and is seen as one of the wonders of the world. Louis xiv and his major events timeline timetoast timelines. This is a 5 slide presentation that details the rise of absolute monarchies in 17th century europe. The film had its world premiere at the 2016 cannes film festival on 19 may 2016. The francodutch war, often just the dutch war french. Increasingly, rossellini had understood the great task of film as education, but he had been unable to find anyone in the cinema to share his passion.
At first the images are full of chaos and disorder, people running around. This is the start of the slow agony of the greatest king of france, surrounded by his relatives and doctors. The taking of power by louis xiv letterboxd social film. Start studying rise of absolute monarchy in france. After going for a walk, louis xiv feels a pain in his leg. Set in 1715, it depicts the final days of louis xiv of france. The grandeur of louis xiv on film fiction and film for. Rossellini, in obedience to the rules of italian realism, looked for someone who looked like louis xiv as he conceived him to be. The old king, weakened by illness, but still suspicious and ruthless, learns that a plot is being hatched. List of books and articles about louis xiv online research. Hollandse oorlog, was a conflict that lasted from 1672 to 1678 between the dutch republic and france, each supported by allies.
From 1643 to 1792 it was the stage on which the most glorious period of the french monarchy played out, until the darkest days, at the fall of the bourbon dynasty. Here you can see the list of films divided into several categories. The presentation includes the rise of louis xiv in france, the rise of peter the great in russia and his program of westernization. Dec 21, 2008 in 1962, roberto rossellini called a press conference in a bookshop in rome and announced that the cinema was dead. Chief minister of france 16421661 louis xiv becomes king at young age, with mother as regent cardinal mazarin, chief minister after richelieu, provided advice louis raised to be king, taught skills needed from childhood rise of the sun king. The taking of power by louis xiv dares to place a largerthanlife figure at the. In the power vacuum, the young louis asserts his intention to govern as well as rule. Louis xiv is a great king and that must be seen in his every move, in his every sentence.
He was referred to as citizen louis capet during the four months just before he was guillotined. But drained budget, affairs and political intrigues complicate things. The background for this chapter of louis xiv ascension from the babying shadows of his advisers and regents was a series of civil wars brought on by a chafing aristocracy. Lionel trilling called him a highly politicised intellectual, but he was also a philosopher of cinema, and certainly his series of didactic reconstructions of history, of which 1966s the rise to. Its important to notice how instructional the film s exposition is to understand the essence of monarchic principles, while at the same time finding an opportunity to improve the madefortv standards to exquisite, then unseen levels of narrative and formal. Among other things, it answers the question of what is. The taking of power by louis xiv also called the rise of louis xiv, is a 1966 french television film by italian film director roberto rossellini. Louis xiv came to the throne in 1643 at the age of four. A full biography of the most renowned and opulent king of france, louis xiv. It is based on the 1997 novel the moon and the sun by vonda n. Versailles helped louis xiv reinforce his absolute power over france and maintain his divine rule. Nov 29, 2009 versailles helped louis xiv reinforce his absolute power over france and maintain his divine rule. A symbol of frances glory, versailles is probably the most splendid royal palace in europe and is seen as one of the wonders of the world. For many years the rise of louis xiv by roberto rossellini 1966 has been a staple for use in courses covering seventeenthcentury france.
Given the opportunity to turn out a sacha guitrystyle spectacle, director roberto rossellini charts his own neorealist course for the rise of louis xiv. The rise of louis xiv is a film directed by roberto rossellini with jeanmarie patte, raymond jourdan, jean baptiste colbert, silvagni, year. In seventeenthcentury europe, absolutism was tied to the idea of the divine right of kings. I first caught this film at moma in new york sometime in the 1980s under the title the rise of louis xiv and again at a packed revival house seven or eight years later. Joelle laugeois and jeanmarie patte in the taking of power by louis xiv jeanmarie patte and cesar. Due to the kings young age, cardinal mazarin, the chief minister, took control of the government. A mysterious messenger arrives at king louis xis castle in touraine. The taking of power by louis xiv 1966 the criterion. The rise of louis xiv was one of several innovative films made for french television by the italian. The taking of power by louis xiv 1966 the criterion collection. The rise of louis xiv in its original aspect ratio of about 1. A royal hunt, complete with dogs and deer is striking.
Louis did not take over the government until mazarins death 1661. Filmmaking legend roberto rossellini brings his passion for realism and unerring eye for the everyday to this portrait of the early years of the reign of frances sun king, and in the process reinvents the costume drama. During the time of mazarin, there was a revolt led by nobles who were unhappy with the growing power of the monarchy, but the revolt was crushed. With vinciane millereau, samuel theis, jerome pouly, antoine coesens. With scenes of sex, murder and conspiracy within the opening minutes of episode one, versailles, a new 10part television series that delves into the private lives of. To achieve this political autonomy, louis deals with his mother and the court nobles, all of whom assumed that mazarins death would give them all. Get 50% off hundreds of family movies when you preorder on fandangonow. No director i ever met impressed me more than roberto rossellini. And we can add to that list more than 170 motion pictures that have been shot on location here. This film was made for french television in the 1960s and was to be accompanied by pierre gouberts louis xiv and twenty million frenchmen, a book that is still available.
Something i noticed heavily in this film is the constant creaking of the. The taking of power by louis xiv 1966 directed by roberto. Back from hunting, louis xivmagisterially interpreted by new wave icon and honorary palme dor recipient jeanpierre leaudfeels pain in his leg. If you are reading this you know that rossellini was one of the genuine grand masters of cinema. He inherited the throne of france at the early age of five from his estranged parents louis xiii and anne of austria. The film, the taking of power by louis xiv 1966, directed by roberto rossellini, shows louiss rise to power after the death of cardinal mazarin. The taking of power by louis xiv tv movie 1966 imdb. The taking of power by louis xiv dares to place a largerthanlife figure at the level of mere mortal. The film man in the iron mask 1998, directed by randall wallace, focused on the identity of an anonymous masked prisoner who spent decades in the bastille and other french prisons, and his true.
Costumes, persons, storyline, places, decorations everything is real and there is no fiction at all. In the age of absolutism in europe, louis xivs france. The rise of louis xiv 1966 movie moviefone this docudrama by roberto rossellini focuses on french king louis xiv jeanmarie patte. Louis xiv, having successfully fought a powerful coalition, came to be known as the sun king in the years that followed this war. The taking of power by louis xiv is easily the bestknown of the long series of educational films which dominated the latter part of rossellinis career. It always struck me as a rather tedious effort to capture the style of the sun kings regime at versailles, and the film or vhs copy was very poor quality. The birth of louis xiv in 1638 was regarded as a divine miracle, because it came at a much needed and desperate time in france. The kings daughter previously titled the moon and the sun is an upcoming american actionadventure fantasy film directed by sean mcnamara from a screenplay by barry berman and james schamus. Louis xiv reigned for 72 years, until his death in 1715. In the death of louis xiv, writerdirector albert serra shows us that monumental events can be conveyed through the smallest of details. Jun 01, 2016 with scenes of sex, murder and conspiracy within the opening minutes of episode one, versailles, a new 10part television series that delves into the private lives of louis xiv and his court. With jeanmarie patte, raymond jourdan, cesar silvagni, katharina renn. Louis xiv, byname louis the great, louis the grand monarch, or the sun king, french louis le grand, louis le grand monarque, or le roi soleil, born september 5, 1638, saintgermainenlaye, francedied september 1, 1715, versailles, france, king of france 16431715 who ruled his country, principally from his great palace at versailles, during one of its most brilliant periods and who.
143 902 308 182 142 917 9 1170 566 1007 516 489 1392 865 843 1162 393 995 1410 1478 765 1109 183 515 331 899 1507 979 1429 603 60 1084 1080 121 970 1523 809 1392 1489 489 997 364 1486 471 1001 611 157 304 1084 585