Napoleon wrote that the flames of the French Revolution were fanned by three factors: the defeat at Rossbach during The Seven Years War; the lack of intervention in the Dutch Netherlands; and "L'Affair du Collier," also known as "The Affair of the Necklace," one of the great scandals of European history.
France, 1767. A young girl watches in horror as soldiers of the reigning King Louis XV brutally seize her noble family's chateau. Orphaned and stripped of her royal heritage, young Jeanne Valois survives on her wits and her wiles, vowing to one day reclaim her birthright.
Years later, still deeply committed to her quest, Jeanne (HILARY SWANK) insinuates herself into the most illustrious court in all of Europe — Versailles. It is against this swirling, glamorous backdrop presided over by King Louis XVI and his extravagant and controversial wife, Marie Antoinette, that Jeanne risks her life to orchestrate an elaborate scheme of intrigue, romance and scandal revolving around the Queen and the world's most spectacular diamond necklace.
Sometimes revenge is costly. Hers was priceless.
(19 votes)
2.
For all its earnest intrigue, historically accurate references, and elaborate set design, The Affair of the Necklace is best enjoyed as a comedy of Hollywood errors. The court of late-18th-century France is ruled by Marie Antoinette (Joely Richardson), whose confidence and favor is yearned for by Jeanne de la Motte-Valois (Hilary Swank), a young woman stripped of her title and orphaned at a young age. As flashbacks repeatedly remind the audience, Jeanne is essentially pure at heart even as she takes up with a court gigolo (Simon Baker) and enacts the intricate scheme from which the title is drawn. Soon embroiled in Jeanne's plan to win back her rightful place in the world are her avaricious husband of convenience, Nicolas (Adrien Brody); the soon-to-be-disposed-of Marie Antoinette; the salacious Cardinal Rohan (Jonathan Pryce); a necklace of questionable taste; and a host of other players. All the makings for a hilarious romp (à la Ridicule) are in place, but director Charles Shyer, with his lavish budget in tow, wants the film to be taken seriously. Only Christopher Walken, in a hilarious turn as the fraudulent soothsayer Count Cagliostro, sees through the facile script and relishes his part in what will no doubt prove a colossal flop. --Fionn Meade
(18 votes)
3.
Her birthright was stolen. Her dignity taken. Her rights denied. Deception was the only option.
Wealth and desire. Politics and corruption. Celebrity and sexuality. And 18th-century Frenchwoman combines them all in a treacherous scheme to acquire the 2800-carat diamond necklace that will enable her to buy back the royal status taken from her. Boys Don't Cry Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank shines like a gem in this lavish 2001 Oscar® nominee for Best Costume Design.
(17 votes)
4.
This tale of intrigue and corruption is based on a true account of 18th Century French noblewoman Jeanne de la Motte-Valois (played by Oscar-winner Hilary Swank), whose family has been dispossessed of status and title by the king. To restore honor to her name, not to mention reclaim her family estate, Jeanne must have her lineage officially authenticated at the court of Versailles. After several unsuccessful attempts to obtain an audience with Marie Antoinette (Joely Richardson), Jeanne finds an ally in male courtesan Rétaux de la Villette (Simon Baker), who advises her to try and gain influence at court by attracting a wealthy sponsor: Cardinal Rohan (Jonathan Pryce), a ruthless man whose appetite for women is only exceeded by his appetite for power. Aided by Villette, her estranged husband Nicolas (Adrien Brody), and an enigmatic foreign mystic, Count Cagliostro (Christopher Walken), Jeanne becomes embroiled in an elaborate scheme involving the cardinal, the queen, and the theft of a priceless diamond necklace. Director Charles Shyer's opulent costume drama, set against a backdrop of increasing civil unrest in pre-revolutionary France, was filmed in Prague and on location at Versailles.
(17 votes)
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