Vatel (2000)

Director:

Roland Joffé

Writers:

Jeanne Labrune (writer)
Tom Stoppard (English adaptation)

Release Date:

10 May 2000 (Belgium)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Some men are too noble to live among aristocracy.

Plot:

In 1671, with war brewing with Holland, a penniless prince invites Louis XIV to three days of festivities at a chateau in Chantilly...

Plot Keywords:

Vatel | Prince | King | Steward | Chateau

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Gérard Depardieu	...	François Vatel
Uma Thurman	...	Anne de Montausier
Tim Roth	...	Marquis de Lauzun
Timothy Spall	...	Gourville
Julian Glover	...	Prince de Condé
Julian Sands	...	Louis XIV
Murray Lachlan Young	...	Philippe d'Orleans, 'Monsieur'
Hywel Bennett	...	Colbert
Richard Griffiths	...	Dr. Bourdelot
Arielle Dombasle	...	Princess de Condé
Marine Delterme	...	Athenaïs de Montespan
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu	...	Duchesse de Longueville
Jérôme Pradon	...	Marquis d'Effiat
Féodor Atkine	...	Alcalet
Nathalie Cerda	...	The Queen Marie-Thérèse

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

103 min | Argentina:125 min

Country:

France | UK | Belgium

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13

Company:

Légende Entreprises

Trivia:

The film opened the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the evening banquet on the second day, there are fireworks. The music played and sung (heard) is 'Music for the Royal Fireworks'. G. F. Handel composed this piece in 1749. The movie is set in 1671. It had not been composed by that time.

Quotes:

Louis XIV: Peace with the Dutch is good for nothing, except tulips.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Le cinéma passe à table (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Contredanse

a true "living movie"

One of the best film I've ever seen. The story of Francoise Vatel, the Condé's Master of Cerimonies, and the King's three days visit at Condé's Castle. This is truly a living movie, because of the soul that R. Joffé was able to put inside it. An amazing G. Depardieu, together with the whole excellent cast and the wonderful sets and costumes, gives us the taste of Vatel's life. His thoughts, his hearth and his death appears to us in all their poetry. The screenplay by T.Stoppard and J.Labrune is touching, the dialogues are perfect, the actors are amusing, the music by E. Morricone is quite good. All mixed by the directing of Joffé. A strange masterpiece.