What is 'Jeanne du Barry'? Surprisingly, it is a simple, high-quality, beautiful period drama. Without frills or meta-commentary, without flirting with the viewer or deconstructing established templates.
Before us is the story of a commoner who, thanks to her beauty, wit, and capacity for love, managed to reach Versailles itself. And this simplicity in many ways prevents the film from shining.
Or, on the contrary, does it help it stand out?
Synopsis
The life of France's most sought-after courtesan, Jeanne Vaubernier (Maïwenn), was full of ups and downs. From the status of the rootless daughter of a seamstress and a monk and failed training to cohabitation with Count du Barry (Melvil Poupaud) – in everything, Jeanne tried to be natural and bold.
Everything changes for her in an instant when she gets a chance to be introduced to the King of France himself, Louis XV (Johnny Depp), who is captivated by her at first sight.
Jeanne will face trials at court, full of gossip and behind-the-scenes intrigue. There, among silent servants and picturesque characters, Jeanne Vaubernier must die and the legendary Countess du Barry must appear. The woman the king loved.
The Inimitable Jeanne du Barry at the French Court
Oh, you need an extraordinary amount of self-confidence to make a film with yourself in the role of such a beautiful woman that any man is ready to fall at her feet! And Maïwenn is not lacking in courage. One can only feel a bright envy for such an attitude to life.
And it is largely Maïwenn who makes 'Jeanne du Barry'. Firstly, she is a very interesting woman who looks magnificent in the setting of royal luxury. Secondly, she is simply very charming and natural in front of the camera.
In this, she is somewhat outshone by Johnny, who returned to cinema after a scandalous trial, often present on screen but playing so little. Most likely, his level of French prevented him from fully developing in a speaking role. French is still not Depp's native language, no matter how high his level may be.
The Treachery of Simplicity
The problem of underdeveloped characters, however, is not limited to Johnny's character. We spend a lot of time with Jeanne, but never get closer to unraveling the secret of her charm – after all, it couldn't have been just her beauty that kept her with Louis for so many years. Therefore, the relationship between du Barry and the king sometimes seems forced.
Apparently, Maïwenn really wanted to show a very simple story, as close to historical truth as possible. Therefore, she did not put her characters through the meat grinder of artistic reinterpretation to turn them into proper characters. Alas, they thereby greatly lose in their character arcs and even in the plausibility of their relationships.
Because of this deliberate simplicity and lack of distinctive features, many viewers may find 'Jeanne du Barry' simply boring. Especially if you are not a fan of period dramas in their purest form.
Still Beautiful
But 'Jeanne du Barry' has several huge pluses that help the film find its audience.
Firstly, the costumes and sets. They are very well thought out and luxurious – there are no garish colors, and anachronisms are beautifully handled (especially in du Barry's wardrobe).
Secondly, the supporting actors are simply wonderful. I especially want to single out , who played the king's confidant Laborde. Not only did the actor do an excellent job with the task at hand, but also his relationship with Jeanne is much more developed than the relationship between her and her lover. And yet his character was so easy to ruin – and it's so pleasant to see that they didn't.
Thirdly, the absence of vulgarity. It would seem, a film about a woman of the oldest profession, practically begging for a bunch of sex scenes and lewd hints. However, surprisingly, there are practically none – there are a couple of hints and a few scenes that show nothing. And that's it. In our era of universal pursuit of voyeurism!
Conclusion
'Jeanne du Barry' is so serious that at times it resembles dramatized excerpts from a documentary, where actors portray scenes from the biographies of historical figures. But is that so bad? Especially considering that Maïwenn knows how to work with actors, frames her shots well, and knows how to hold the viewer's gaze.
Therefore, those who are interested in the specified period of French history will definitely like it. And even those who simply love Sofia Coppola's film 'Marie Antoinette' will at least find it interesting to become acquainted with the same story told from a different angle.
But young people who have taken their companions on a movie date might find it a bit boring.
P.S. And also, there is Pierre Richard here! But there is so little of him that I even forgot about it...
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