Marie Antoinette - A Movie Review

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It's 1770 and 14-year-old Maria Antonia Josepha Joanna known as Antoine (Kirsten Dunst) is a beautiful but naive youngest daughter of Austria's Empress Maria Theresa. She is chosen by her mother to marry her second cousin, the Dauphin of France, Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman). This will create an alliance between France and Austria which are rival countries. She is sent in a carriage on a long journey to a small island in the middle of the Rhine River, a symbolic transition area. The mistress of the household of Versailles explains that she must give up everything Austrian, which includes her clothes and her beloved pug, Mops. She is dressed in elaborate French clothing and emerges as the Dauphine of France. Her name translated into French is Marie Antoinette. Her grandfather, King Louis XV (Rip Torn) arrives, as does shy and awkward Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette is brought to Versailles, her new home. She is wed in an elaborate ceremony and the King wishes them many healthy children. The Dauphin and Dauphine's main job is to produce an heir; but they do not consummate their marriage and will not for a long, long time. I love this movie. When I saw the trailers; and heard the modern music that was played as a backdrop, I didn't think that I would like it...but I was wrong. It is worth watching this movie just to see the decadence and beauty of Versailles. The story of Marie Antoinette and her husband, the Dauphin, is extremely interesting and set against a background of sheer splendor. Reviews were mixed for this movie; but the film did win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, and rightly so. This movie was released in 2006 and is rated PG-13. Photo Credit: Pixabay (photo is of a room in Versailles)