Angélique, marquise des anges
1964 History / Adventure / Romance
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Credits
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Summary
When her father is ruined, Angélique de Sancé is forced into marrying the
nobleman Joffrey de Peyrac, whom she despises because of his reputed ugliness and dabbling
with sorcery. However, she begins to love him and the two enjoy a blissfully happy
marriage. Then King Louis XIV meets Angélique and is determined to make her
his mistress...
Review
This is the first, and notably the best, in a series of five films chronicling the adventures
of a beautiful 17th century marquise, Angélique, played magnificently by Michèle
Mercier. Although rarely seen outside of continental Europe, these films were very
successful in France in the 1960s and display that country’s unique flair for historical
costume dramas. The films were based on a series of historical novels by Anne et
Serge Golon, very popular in France in the 1960s.
For Mercier, the role of Angélique was both a blessing and a curse. It catapulted her to almost instant stardom, rivalling Brigitte Bardot in her celebrity and popularity, but it ruined her acting career. By the end of the 1960s, the names Angélique and Michèle Mercier were synonymous, and to escape type-casting, Mercier was compelled to leave France and try to re-start her career in America, without great success. A similar fate befell Robert Hossein, who played Angélique’s husband, Joffrey de Peyrac, in four of the five films. © James Travers 2001 Write a review for this film... |
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