It’s hard to pan a film with such lavish wardrobe in a Versailles setting. I have been to Versailles twice and it is certainly indicative of grandeur and wealth but with “Jeanne du Barry” populate it with rich period costumes of the era of Louis XV it is worth the price of admission to see the film. Unfortunately the film largely fails to excite with plot and acting. Poor Johnny Depp’s French coupled with his minimalist role turns the poor man into Yawny Depp. Marie Antoinette is beautifully but briefly portrayed by Pauline Pollmann. Benjamin Lavernhe as La Borde is rock solid.
Jeanne Vaubernier, played rather well by one of those self-important actors with a single name we all must absolutely recognize namely Maïwenn, is the prodigy of a monk and a cook and as the narrator says, coming from nothing one is ready for everything. Her choice in life is to be a cook or a harlot and she chooses a harlot pimped about by Comte du Barry with her biggest John being Louis XV (Johnny Depp). The King is so taken by her he asks her to stay on in Versailles and they carry on their dalliance in open view. To be recognized by the Court she marries her pimp Comte du Barry and becomes Comtesse du Barry and is admitted to the French Court with great fanfare and disdain making enemies of the King’s daughters and even Marie Antoinette newly arriving for a marriage with the Dauphin later to become Louis XVI.
Louis XV carries on dalliances but Comtesse du Barry remains his favourite and she is adept at surviving intrigue and animosity until such time as Louis XV is felled by smallpox. Perhaps more interesting than the sleepy plot are the rules of the French Royal Court. The indisputable star though is the lavish costuming and Versailles. There is great potential for nastiness and malicious plotting but it is treated so lightly it is almost soap operaish.
Directed and co-written by the singularly named Maïwenn.
You can watch a clip here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag21v_UtUfI
Now playing in Canadian theatres.
RKS 2024 Film Rating 69/100.
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