To get royal backing on a needed drainage project, a poor French lord must learn to play the delicate games of wit at court at Versailles.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 20 wins & 16 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Charles Berling | ... |
Ponceludon
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| Jean Rochefort | ... |
Bellegarde
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| Fanny Ardant | ... |
Mme de Blayac
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| Judith Godrèche | ... |
Mathilde
(as Judith Godreche)
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| Bernard Giraudeau | ... |
Vilecourt
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Bernard Dhéran | ... |
Montalieri
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| Carlo Brandt | ... |
Milletail
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| Jacques Mathou | ... |
Abbé de l'Epée
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| Urbain Cancelier | ... |
Louis XVI
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| Albert Delpy | ... |
Baron de Guéret
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Bruno Zanardi | ... |
Paul
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| Marie Pillet | ... |
Charlotte
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Jacques Roman | ... |
Chevernoy
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| Philippe Magnan | ... |
Baron de Malenval
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| Maurice Chevit | ... |
le Notaire
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Jacques-François Zeller | ... |
Maurepas
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Gérard Hardy | ... |
Victor
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Marc Berman | ... |
Duc de Guines
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| Philippe du Janerand | ... |
le Généalogiste
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Claude Dereppe | ... |
Mgr d'Artimont
(as Claude Derepp)
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Isabelle Spade | ... |
Baronne de Boisjoli
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| Isabelle Petit-Jacques | ... |
Baronne d'Oberkirchner
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Nathalie Mann | ... |
Comtesse de Blancfagot
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| Etienne Draber | ... |
Vicomte du Closlabbe
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Fabrice Eberhard | ... |
Chevalier de St Tronchain
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Stephane Fourmond | ... |
Marquis de Carmes
(as Stéphane Fourmond)
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Jean-Jacques Le Vessier | ... |
Vicomte de Sabran
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Lucien Pascal | ... |
Monsieur de Blayac
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Nicolas Chagrin | ... |
Lord Bolingbroke
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| Fabien Béhar | ... |
Secrétaire du roi
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Mirabelle Kirkland | ... |
Marie-Antoinette
(as Mirabèle Kirkland)
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Marie Llano | ... |
Mère de Léonard
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Antonin Lebas-Joly | ... |
Léonard
(as Antonin Lebas Joly)
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Didier Abot | ... |
le Curé
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Julien Bukowski | ... |
Gentilhomme
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José Fumanal | ... |
l'Officier duel
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| Sylvie Herbert | ... |
Mère du Ponceludon
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Alain Hocine | ... |
le Joueur
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Clementine Buxtorf | ... |
la Soeur
(as Clémentine Buxfort)
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Boris Napes | ... |
le Peintre
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Gérard Sergue | ... |
le Voleur
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Laurent Valo | ... |
Simon
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Claire Garguier | ... |
Thérèse
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Marine Guez | ... |
la Cantatrice
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Directed by
| Patrice Leconte | ||
Written by
| Rémi Waterhouse | ... | (written by) |
| Michel Fessler | ... | (collaborating writer) & |
| Eric Vicaut | ... | (collaborating writer) |
| Rémi Waterhouse | ... | (dialogue) |
Produced by
| Frédéric Brillion | ... | producer |
| Philippe Carcassonne | ... | producer |
| Gilles Legrand | ... | producer |
Music by
| Antoine Duhamel | ||
Cinematography by
| Thierry Arbogast | ||
Editing by
| Joëlle Hache | ||
Editorial Department
| Fanchon Brulé | ... | assistant editor |
| Mathilde Butor | ... | assistant editor |
| Christian Dutac | ... | color timer |
| Stéphanie Gaurier | ... | assistant editor |
| Natacha Louis | ... | video mastering |
| Yvan Lucas | ... | color timer |
| Sylvie Van der Vorm | ... | assistant editor |
Production Design by
| Ivan Maussion | ||
Costume Design by
| Christian Gasc | ||
Makeup Department
| Ginette Arbogast | ... | makeup artist |
| Sophie Asse | ... | assistant hair stylist |
| Danièle Beugin | ... | hair stylist |
| Corinne Cobeaux | ... | hair stylist |
| Michèle Constantinides | ... | makeup artist (as Michelle Constantinides) |
| Judith Gayo | ... | makeup artist |
| Tourya Ibnou Ennadre | ... | hair stylist |
| Stéphanie Lemaire | ... | makeup artist |
| Mario Messere | ... | hair stylist |
| John Nollet | ... | hair stylist |
| Jean-Christophe Roger | ... | additional makeup artist |
| Cécilia Svahn | ... | hair stylist |
| Marc Villeneuve | ... | hair stylist |
| Marianne Collette | ... | makeup artist: crowd (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Didier Abot | ... | unit manager |
| Michèle Arnould | ... | production manager |
| Bruno Coulon | ... | unit manager |
| Anne Gilles | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Fabien Pondevaux | ... | assistant production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Grégoire Barachin | ... | assistant director |
| Mathieu Bernard | ... | assistant director |
| Michel Ganz | ... | assistant director |
| Myriam Segall | ... | assistant director |
| Karin Spreuzkouski | ... | assistant director |
| Jean-Marc Tostivint | ... | first assistant director (as Jean-Marc Tostivin) |
Art Department
| Paul Bastide | ... | assistant decorator |
| Marie Cheminal | ... | assistant decorator |
| Virginie Denis Roy | ... | assistant decorator |
| Jacques Kazandian | ... | assistant decorator (as Jacques Kazandjian) |
| Manuel Mougin | ... | property master |
| Michel Méry | ... | assistant decorator |
| Victor Piazza | ... | assistant decorator |
| Nicolas Raffy | ... | assistant decorator |
Sound Department
| Pascal Chauvin | ... | foley artist |
| Patrick Egreteau | ... | foley artist |
| Isabelle Filippi | ... | sound |
| Michel Filippi | ... | sound |
| Jean Goudier | ... | sound editor |
| Dominique Hennequin | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Paul Lainé | ... | sound mixer |
| Jean-Louis Lebras | ... | sound |
| Sylvie Liebeaux | ... | sound |
| Gilles Missir | ... | sound |
| Joël Rangon | ... | sound |
Special Effects by
| Yves Domenjoud | ... | special effects supervisor |
Stunts
| Rémi Canaple | ... | stunts |
| Fabrice Couture | ... | stunts |
| Bénédicte Follet | ... | stunts |
| Jérôme Henry | ... | stunts (as Jerome Henry) |
| Michel Lebranchu | ... | stunts |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Eric Aupetit | ... | grip |
| Florent Bazin | ... | first assistant camera |
| Tahar Boualam | ... | electrician |
| Catherine Cabrol | ... | still photographer |
| Claude Hirsch | ... | electrician |
| Loïc Jouan | ... | electrician |
| Raphael Jourdan | ... | grip |
| Patrice Leconte | ... | camera operator |
| Laurent Malek | ... | electrician |
| Pascal Morisset | ... | underwater cinematographer |
| Anne Nicolet | ... | first assistant camera |
| Frédéric North | ... | pilot: camera helicopter |
| Luis Peralta | ... | electrician |
| Jérôme Prébois | ... | still photographer |
| Michel Revest | ... | underwater cinematographer |
| Roland Savoye | ... | underwater cinematographer |
| Denis Scozzesi | ... | grip |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Claire Alix | ... | costumer |
| Mine Barral-Vergez | ... | costumer |
| Jacques Beaujoin | ... | costumer |
| Nathalie Causse | ... | costumer |
| Maxime Chriqui | ... | costumer |
| Liliane Delers | ... | costumer |
| Piercarlo Foddis | ... | costumer |
| Laurence Guindollet | ... | costumer |
| Lionel Hermouet | ... | costumer |
| Gaëtan Leudière | ... | costumer |
| Jocelyne Lucas | ... | costumer |
| Edwige Morel D'Arleux | ... | costumer |
| Bernadette Saccage | ... | costumer |
| Florence Sadaune | ... | assistant costume designer / costumer |
Location Management
| Emmanuel Legrand | ... | location manager |
Music Department
| Elizabeth Duhamel | ... | musician: Soliste clavecin |
| Igor Kirkwood | ... | recording engineer |
| Claudine Le Coz | ... | mezzo-soprano (as Claudine Lecoze) |
| Didier Lizé | ... | music mixer |
| Jean-Claude Malgoire | ... | musical director |
| Agnès Mellon | ... | soprano |
| Dominique Visse | ... | countertenor |
Script and Continuity Department
| Marie Leconte | ... | script supervisor |
| Maggie Perlado | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
| Ariel Askénazi | ... | production administrator |
| Delphine Berger | ... | production administrator |
| Jean-Christophe Boclé | ... | choreographer |
| André Couture | ... | equestrian advisor |
| Brigitte Faure | ... | production administrator |
| Guy Jouannet | ... | dancer |
| Pierre Medalin | ... | underwater |
| Cecilia Nyström | ... | production administrator |
| Dominique Ricou | ... | underwater |
| Stéphane Teillet | ... | production administrator |
| Roland Vallet | ... | production administrator |
Production Companies
- Epithète Films (co-production)
- Cinéa (co-production)
- France 3 Cinéma (co-production)
- Canal+ (participation)
- Sofica Investimage 4 (participation)
- PolyGram Audiovisuel (participation)
- Société des Producteurs de Cinéma et de Télévision (Procirep) (participation)
- Gras Savoye (participation)
- Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) (participation)
Distributors
- PolyGram Film Distribution (1996) (France) (theatrical)
- Universal Pictures Video (1997) (France) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures Video (2009) (France) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Alcine Terran (1996) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Cecchi Gori Distribuzione (1997) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Cineplex Odeon Films (1996) (Canada) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Lider Films (1998) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Miramax (1996) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Prooptiki (1996) (Greece) (theatrical)
- TiMe Filmverleih (1996) (Germany) (theatrical)
- Astro Distribution (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Audio Visual Enterprises (1997) (Greece) (VHS)
- Cineplex-Odeon Home Video (1997) (Canada) (video)
- Gativideo (1998) (Argentina) (VHS)
- Miramax (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Polyband (1997) (Germany) (VHS)
- Sogepaq Distribución (Spain)
- Top Tape (Brazil) (VHS)
- Universal Studios Home Video (1997) (Canada) (video)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Annamode 68 (costumes)
- GI.ELLE. (costumes)
- Gras Savoye (filmed at)
- L.C.P. di Pompei (costumes)
- La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy (orchestra)
- Le Château de Versailles (thanks)
- Les Traiteurs du Vern (catering)
- London Records (soundtrack)
- Madame Bijoux (costumes)
- Samalga (camera equipment provided by)
- Sapex Scripts (post-production script services)
- Théâtre de Poissy (music recorded at)
- Transpalux (lighting)
- Wig Creations of London (wigs)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In the periwigged and opulent France of Louis XVI, an unwitting nobleman soon discovers that survival at court demands both a razor wit and an acid tongue. Written by Dawn M. Barclift |
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| Taglines | Il n'epargne personne. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | FRF50,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | It is worth noting the presence of a real historical figure, father Charles Michel de l'Épée. The abbot de l'Épée was one of the first to take an interest in the issue of public education for the deaf, giving priority to sign language as a language of instruction. See more » |
| Goofs | Around 44 min, when Grégoire is talking with Madame de Blayac, her left hand is touching the table, but in the next shot it's just hanging on the chair's the armrest. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in 101 Dalmatians/Hype!/The Crucible/Palookaville/Ridicule (1996). See more » |
| Quotes |
Gregoire Ponceludon de Malavoy:
Peasants feed aristocrats as well as mosquitoes. See more » |