MADAME DU BARRY

US, 1934, 79 minutes, Black and white.
Dolores del Rio, Reginald Owen, Victor Jory, Osgood Perkins, Anita Louise, Henry O’ Neill.
Directed by William Dieterle.

Madame du Barry is a rather frivolous treatment of the frivolous behaviour of Louis XV. It opens with a record of the kings of France and the inheritance of Louis XV. Louis VI reigned for many decades, a court full of pomp and splendour, with a disregard for the ordinary people – which led to the French Revolution and the execution of his grandson, Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette.

Reginald Owen is Louis XV, a self-preoccupied monarch, used to luxury, having had a relationship with Madame du Pompadour, discovering Madame du Barry and installing her as his mistress, to the disapproval of his family and the court. He neglected many of his duties for her. He also spent so much of the public money on her whims.

Dolores del Rio is Madame du Barry, enjoying performing the rather self-centred, frivolous and ambitious woman from the seedier side of French society. She is given many scenes where she gives her comeuppance to the court. In the supporting cast are Victor Jory as the prime minister, Osgood Perkins (father of Anthony Perkins) as the Duke of Richelieu, Henry O’ Neill as the Duke of Choiseul, bested by Madame du Barry. Anita Louise has a stronger role as Marie Antoinette.

The film will add little to audience knowledge of the histories, but rather give a lavish portrait of life at the court of Louis XV.

The film was directed by William Dieterle, a refugee in the United States from Germany, who was to go on to direct many of the significant biographical films at Warner Bros in the 1930s. His list includes White Angel (Florence Nightingale), Emile Zola, Louis Pasteur, Dispatch from Reuter’s, Doctor Erlich’s Magic Bullet, Juarez.

1. An interesting biopic? Entertaining? Of a lavish but frivolous era? Of frivolous personalities?

2. The production values, the court of Louis XV, the costumes and décor – elaborate? The musical score?

3. Audience knowledge of Louis XV? The French tradition of the monarchy? The wealth and power of Louis XIV? The inheritance of Louis XV? His governing, his officials, his cabinet? Relationships with Spain and England, diplomacy, possibilities of war? His being advised of the unrest of the people? His lifestyle leading to the French Revolution? His memory of his wife? Madame du Pompadour? His whims, cooking omelettes, the sleigh ride in the sugar? His interactions with his nobility? His concern about the dauphin, his interest in fixing things, his lack of knowledge about marriage? Trying to get the marriage with Marie Antoinette consummated? His life, his achievement? His saying he left life after enjoying it?

4. Madame du Barry, her origins, her being brought before the court, the attraction of the king? Her personality, whims? Her ambitions, wanting to be presented at court? Her despising of the king’s daughters? Of the other women at the court? Her relationship with the king, his doting on her? Her whims, the sleigh ride? Her interactions with the prime minister, his knowing her past? The various intrigues, politics, the Spaniards? The hostility of the Duke of Choiseul? Her inviting him to her room, the king coming, her revenge on him? The death of the king, her presence? Her being presented in court, wearing her nightdress – the reaction of the court, the king? The decision of the dauphin to exile her? Her coming to the court, flagrant, her poking her tongue out, going off into exile?

5. The prime minister, his concern about the people, the intrigues, the international politics, his knowing Madame du Barry? The other nobility, their deals, planning and plotting?

6. Marie Antoinette, her pride, coming from Austria, her disappointment with the dauphin, the marriage, her trying to consummate it, the dauphin’s lack of interest, machines? Scientific explanations? Her taking a stand – and the onlooker saying that she was the last queen of France?

7. The daughters, their place in court, plotting?

8. The style of films in the 1930s? A glimpse at the French court?