Smile! I will speak from the point of view of the person who is in the subject.
I have read a lot about the Fronde, including the memoirs of the main characters (by the way, the memoirs of the coadjutor / Cardinal Retz are simply magnificent, I recommend it to everyone!), so I can say that the film was shot, albeit not exactly based on historical events, but as much as possible in the spirit of the era. Yes, chronology is broken in some places, but this is a deliberate artistic technique. And the most important feature is called in the film by Prince Conde: “Everything happens too quickly!” The events are extremely concentrated in time and space, which creates the effect of special cynicism of the characters and some absurdity of what is happening. A child king never grows up over the years. Changes in sexual partners and sides in the civil war can hardly be followed. Phrases from the letters of historical figures migrate into conversations, and in a more crude and frank form. But, in fact, what does it change?! Depravity remains depravity, betrayal is betrayal, cynicism is cynicism. Let Mazarin (who in the film “Queen and Cardinal” is represented almost perfect lover) actually in the letter advised his dear Queen not to resist to... e-who, and was not at the same time in two steps, and was expressed not so directly ... but the meaning is conveyed correctly! There is no love, no friendship, no positive characters. For young Louis XIV, this is still a tragedy. But soon he will learn to smile, no matter what happens - this is the main essence of the then etiquette, which, as you can see, was far from strict.
We'll smile too. In principle, the film is perceived as funny, although funny, by and large, there is little. But the real biographies of many of the characters shown are really solid anecdotes (except for the main essence of their activities). The boys wanted to be treated with humor! Just look at the same Gaston or Retz – clowns... but terrible people, in fact.
(Is it possible to be surprised by this in our days?) . . )
For disturbing tragicomism and faithfully transmitted spirit (outside?) of time
9 out of 10
Original