| Description |
5 videodisc (DVD)s (ca. 95 min. ea.) : sd., col. ; 4 3/4 in |
| Contents |
Pt.1. Iron king -- Pt.2. Strangled queen -- Pt.3. The Poisoned crown -- Pt.4. The She-Wolf Of France -- Pt.5. The Lily And The Lion |
| Summary |
This five-part mini-series set in France in 1307 stars the Depardieu clan (Guillaume Depardieu, Julie Depardieu and Gérard Depardieu), Jeanne Moreau and is directed by Josee Dayan (Les Miserables; Dangerous Liaisons; The Count of Monte Christo). With the royal coffers empty, and no formalised system of taxation, the king, Philippe IV, asks the Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Templar (Gérard Depardieu) for a loan. When he refuses, the king has every member of the order arrested on the same night and seizes the gold anyway. Under torture, the Grand Master confesses to spitting on the cross and is declared a heretic. The king promptly has him burnt at the stake. As he burns, he issues a curse upon the King and Pope Clement, and all of their descendants for 13 generations. When the Pope dies shortly afterwards, it seems as though the curse is at work. Meanwhile, Robert of Artois, a French nobleman, feels that he has been cheated out of his inheritance by his Aunt Mahaut. (Jeanne Moreau). Her daughters are married to the king's sons, and when Robert learns of their infidelity, he enlists the help of the king's daughter, Isabelle, Queen of England, to bring them down. His actions set in motion a series of events that are to have wide-ranging consequences for both France and England. King Philippe is deeply affected by the deaths of the Pope and one of his most trusted advisors and blames their deaths on the Grand Master's curse. Obsessed with the curse, Philippe starts wasting away and dies shortly afterwards. With Philippe's eldest son, Louis X, on the throne, Robert d'Artois (Philippe Toretton) intensifies his scheming to reclaim the county of Artois from his Aunt Mahaut (Jeanne Moreau). To gain the support and trust of the new king, he allies himself with the king's uncle, Charles de Valois (Jacques Spiesser) and plots to undermine the once influential chamberlain, Enguerrand de Marigny. Meanwhile, King Louis seeks a new wife to provide him with an heir, but is hindered by the fact he is still married to Marguerite of Burgundy. Louis sends Robert d'Artois to Marguerite in an attempt to coerce her into writing a letter stating that their marriage was never consummated and that her daughter is illegitimate. She writes the letter, but the king does not receive it and another solution must be found. Now a widower, King Louis Le Hutin is free to marry Clémence de Bourgogne. With the county of Artois under threat, Mahaut d'Artois (Jeanne Moreau) is eager for her son-in-law Philippe to be king. The mayhem in Artois means that no financial proceeds reached the treasury of the kingdom. Prompted by Robert d'Artois (Philippe Toretton), King Louis decides to dispossess Mahaut and take control of Artois himself. The death of King Louis X Le Hutin intensifies rivalries, with different factions fighting over the regency. Mahaut (Jeanne Moreau) sides with Philippe the Tall, but his absence from Paris leaves a clear way for Charles de Valois (Jacques Spiesser), supported by Robert d'Artois (Philippe Toretton), to claim the regency. However, after some underhanded scheming, Philippe manages to beat everyone to it and becomes regent. Rumours about Mahaut's murderous schemes begin to surface and, much to her concern, he decides to distance himself form her. Mahaut's wild scheming goes into overdrive. Warned by Robert d'Artois (Philippe Toretton) of their imminent deportation to England, Queen Isabelle and her lover Mortimer escape. With the assistance of their many allies both in France and England, they manage to build up an army and eventually march to London. King Edward II flees with his lover Lord Despenser, but the pair are soon caught and arrested. Back in France, the curse of the Templars strikes again and it appears that Robert d'Artois's rise to power now seems unstoppable. Also stars Philippe Toretton, Jérome Anger, Jacques Spiesser and Jean-Claude Brialy, Jeanne Moreau, and Jean-Claude Brialy.(From France, in French, English subtitles) (2005) M (S,V) WS |
| Notes |
Off-air recording of SBS-TV broadcast July 30, August 6, 13, 27, September 3, 2006. Copied under Part VA of the Copyright Act |
| Credits |
Director: Josee Dayan |
| Notes |
Rated: M; MA15+ Sex scenes, some violence, adult themes |
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DVD |
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Available for Deakin University staff and students only |
| Subject |
France -- History -- Medieval period, 987-1515
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| Author |
Dayan, Josée
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SBS-TV
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