Farewell My Queen

Baroque Version of Downfall
Farewell My Queen takes place during the last days of the french monarchy while the French Revolution knocks on the gates of the Palace of Versailles. It shows the tense atmosphere among the ruling french monarchs as the revolutionary mob approaches them.

The lesbian affair between the Queen of France and the Duchess of Polignac is not the central point of the movie, but it turns out to be an emotional escape from the surrounding stress involving the characters. In this sense the movie poster can be certainly misleading for those hoping to watch a hot lesbian affair.

The actors are fantastic. Diane Kruger does a great job as the queen of France. Lea Seydoux absolutely steals the movie as incredibly talented and gorgeous.

The movie constantly reminded me of Downfall, the German movie that portraits the last days of the Third Reich as the Red Army approaches Hitler's bunker.Both movies portrait the reaction of leaders of doomed regimes as they get close...

NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT..... But worthy
Much was made in the media of a relationship between Marie Antoinette and La duchesse Gabrielle de Polignac which suggests a same gender attraction as an element of this film. Further, the Queen's reader (described as a lady in waiting in some reviews, but little more than a higher class servant) has an equal infatuation or attraction for Marie Antoinette as the Queen does for the Duchesse. This is really not the point of the movie, though the triangle is used as a device to get to one of the important centers of what I believe the author is trying to convey. Devotion and betrayal, true sacrifice and perhaps a type of love in spite of betrayal. Aside from this, the movie takes some time to develop its themes and has a few shades of "upstairs downstairs" (mostly downstairs) view of life at the palace.

The beautiful palace and the magnificent dress are in almost every shot. The cinematography is magnificent. However, they are juxtaposed with the mundane conversations of both...

An excellent treatise!
This story, told from the perspective of a female servant privy to the whims of a very childish Queen, was fascinating. No spoilers here, but the performance by Lea Seydoux was brilliant. It's a must-see.

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