Vatel (film)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Vatel |
| Original title | Vatel |
| Country of production | France , Great Britain , Belgium |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 2000 |
| length | 99 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Roland Joffé |
| script |
Jeanne Labrune , Tom Stoppard |
| production |
Alain Goldman Roland Joffé |
| music | Ennio Morricone |
| camera | Robert Fraisse |
| cut | Noëlle Boisson |
| occupation | |
| |
Vatel is a French - British - Belgian drama directed by Roland Joffé from 2000 .
action
The film is set in Chantilly Castle in 1671 , where François Vatel , the chef and maître de plaisir of the Prince de Condé , is commissioned to organize three-day festivities in honor of the arriving King Louis XIV . These are supposed to open Ludwig's treasury to the indebted Condé and bring him the honor of commanding the French troops in the looming Dutch War .
The monsieur , the king's brother, Philippe d'Orleans , who came with the court , desires one of Vatel's kitchen boys. However, Vatel protects the kitchen boy, which brings him the enmity of the monsieur. During the festivities, a strong affection develops between Anne de Montausier and Vatel, who also came with the court . However, Anne also rises in the king's favor and replaces one of his mistresses. On top of that, the Marquis de Lauzun , right hand of the king, desires them . However, she does not respond to his advances. Vatel also initially refuses to obey him. Although the festivities are very much in favor of the king and are admired by the entire court, the Condé is not satisfied with Father's insubordination and exhorts him to obey. The king's brother also shows his interest in Vatel and demands that he visit him in his apartment. However, Vatel certainly rejects this.
On the second day of the festivities, a stable master had a fatal accident while successfully attempting to save the performance for the big banquet. The court didn't notice anything. That evening, the king's brother approaches Vatel directly and expresses the appreciation he deserves through his persistence and the news of the previous evening. From now on he is a powerful ally of Vatel's against the Marquis. This proves useful as Vatel refuses an invitation from the king because of the misfortune. In a card game on the same evening, Condé places Vatel in his absence as a bet and loses it to the court in Versailles . Then the king receives ambassadors from Holland who explain that war will break out between Holland and France.
Late that night, Vatel is attacked and beaten by the Marquis' servants. However, men commissioned by the king's brother save him. When Vatel arrives intact in his apartments, Anne is waiting for him. She assures him that she got there unnoticed. They start a conversation about their existence as slaves of the court and end it with the fulfillment of their love. A few hours later, Anne's maid appears in Vatel's room and tells her that the king is expecting her. He was surprised not to find her in her rooms. Panicked, Anne ran back to her room, but not without telling Vatel about the bet his master, the Condé, made. In front of her room, however, she is only expected by the Marquis, who tells her that he knows where she comes from. With this knowledge, he blackmailed her to follow him to his bed.
The next morning Vatel learns that a delivery of fish, necessary for the last big banquet, will not reach the castle in sufficient quantities. He then prepares one of the few lobsters that have arrived and kills himself in his room with a sword. In a farewell letter to Anne, he explains that he has realized that he is not the master of these festivities, but their slave. This is the reason for his suicide. At court, however, the statement made the rounds that he had killed himself because of the lack of fish delivery. The fish arrives shortly after its death and the last feast can take place as planned. Anne leaves the farm on the same day.
Reviews
David Stratton wrote in Variety magazine that the film proves that money and technical skills cannot replace good script and creative direction.
Peter Travers wrote in Rolling Stone magazine on February 15, 2001 that the film " wasted " a lot of money on the reconstruction of the court of Louis XIV and then destroyed the effect with a " starved " script. The film marks a new low point in Roland Joffé's career.
The lexicon of international films wrote that the film was "a historical drama that was developed in opulent images and was excellently played ." He illuminates " beyond the sensitive love story, the explosive relationship between the aristocracy and the people ", but does not overload " the sensuous basic mood with socio-political discourses ".
Rotten Tomatoes said the film was based on a true story and praised its visual aspect.
Awards
The film was nominated for an Oscar in 2001 for Best Production Design .
Robert Fraisse won the Silver Frog of the Polish Camerimage Festival in 2000 . Jean Rabasse won the César in 2001 for production design , Yvonne Sassinot de Nesle was nominated for the César costumes.
The German Film and Media Assessment FBW in Wiesbaden awarded the film the rating “particularly valuable”.
background
The film had its world premiere on May 10, 2000 at the Cannes International Film Festival . Its production amounted to an estimated 36 million US dollars . The film was shown in select cinemas in the United States, grossing around $ 50,000. In France there were over 500,000 cinema viewers.
Individual evidence
- ↑ www.rottentomatoes.com, accessed July 28, 2007
- ^ Review by Peter Travers, accessed July 28, 2007
- ↑ Vatel in the Lexicon of International Films , accessed on July 28, 2007
- ↑ www.rottentomatoes.com, accessed July 28, 2007
- ↑ www.rottentomatoes.com, accessed July 28, 2007
- ^ Box office / business for Vatel, accessed July 28, 2007
Web links
- Vatel in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Vatel at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
- Vatel at Metacritic (English)