At the death of Cardinal Mazarin in 1661, Louis XIV, seconded by Colbert, imposes to France his concept of absolute monarchy. It is as if a documentary cameraman had been let loose in the royal court of the 17th century Sun King. The use of unfamiliar actors in the major roles adds to the film’s realism. Though shown to be the product of a decadent lifestyle, Louis is depicted as being trapped by his royalty, forced in spite of himself to be a raconteur and trendsetter. ‘The Rise of Louis XIV’ was one of several innovative films directed for French television by Roberto Rossellini.
Credits: Director, Roberto Rossellini ; writers, Philippe Erlanger, Jean Gruault ; photography, Georges Leclerc.
Cast: Jean-Marie Patte, Raymond Jourdan, Silvagni, Katharina Renn.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
X000542
Languages
English
French
Subject category
Foreign language films
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
16mm film; Limited Access Print (Section 2)