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The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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The Princess Of Montpensier (Film)

by Kasey Simpson | May 16, 2011 13:13 | Edited May 16, 2011 13:14

While this veers into clichéd romance at times, prolific French director Bertrand Tavernier succeeds when exploring the film’s darker political themes.

The Princess Of Montpensier is the latest work from distinguished veteran French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier, who continues on with a career marked by a strong streak of thematic diversity. A fine purveyor of crime (Clean Slate), drama (It All Starts Today) and jazz (‘Round Midnight), Tavernier now returns to the period film, which he has previously navigated with dexterous skill. His latest takes on the subject of romantic love placed in opposition to the political, social and cultural status quo of 16th century France.

 

Inspired by La Princesse De Clèves, a short story written in the 17th century by the pioneering Marie-Madeleine Pioche De La Vergne (better known as Madame De La Fayette), The Princess Of Montpensier follows the love life of Princess Marie (Melanie Thierry), which plays out against the backdrop of a country torn by war between Catholics and Protestants. Marie is forced to marry Phillippe, The Prince Of Montpensier (Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet), even though her heart lies with Henri De Guise (Gaspard Ulliel), a childhood friend. As Phillippe is called to fight in the looming war, the love between Henri and Marie proves too strong for any political match, and the naïve heroine questions whether to yield to temptation at the price of her new marriage, the dignity of her husband, and the risk of losing it all.  

 

Despite the uniformly solid acting, the characters lack depth and effective development, and when combined with a predictable storyline, the film collapses into a traditional cliched romance. That said, Tavernier does succeed when dealing with the film's darker themes of forbidden love, politics and religion. Despite its flaws, The Princess Of Montpensier's slow start eventually escalates into a complex web of love and loss that will keep you entangled.