Indomptable Angélique (1967)
Directed by Bernard Borderie

Film Review

This, the fourth installement in the five-part series of films based on the Angélique stories of Anne et Serge Golon very nearly never came about.  Frightened of being typecast in the role of the Marquise des Anges, Michèle Mercier announced, once filming had been completed on the preceding film, Angélique et le roy, that she had no intention of reprising the role.   She later changed her mind and fans of the popular Angélique series were rewarded with another two instalments.  (As it turned out, Mercier's fears were confirmed, and for the rest of her career she would be identified with the character of Angélique.)

Indomptable Angélique sees the unfortunate Angélique thrown into some of her most harrowing situations.  To its credit, the film does not allow its sentimentality (of which there is plenty) to diminish the realism which is portrayed, in the best tradition of French historicals, with shocking vividness.  The most disturbing scene is where Angélique is nearly raped by a pack of sex-starved galley slaves in the water-logged  bowels of a galley ship.  This and other similar scenes leave a lasting impression, not least because of Mercier's own creditable performance.

Although it occupies an unfortunate placing as the penultimate instalment in the cycle, this is a strong entry in the Angélique series.  The action scenes are noteworthy, and the galley ships are fine reconstructions.  Also, far removed from the confines of the court of Versailles, the film benefits from some sumptuous photography which makes full use of the Mediterranean location filming.  The film ends with an impressive, moving cliffhanger which leads directly onto the next film in the series, Angélique et le sultan.

Film Synopsis

Angélique's determined search for her husband Joffrey de Peyrac takes her towards the south of France, where she hopes to find him on the Island of Langoustiers.  On the way, she runs into the Duke de Vivonne, a nobleman who has been sent by King Louis XIV to find her and return her to the royal court at Versailles.  By threatening to reveal to the King that Vivonne's sister, the Marquise de Montespan, is a poisoner who takes part in black masses, Angélique forces the Duke to take her on to Marseille.  En route, the ship is wrecked by a fierce band of pirates led by the infamous Rescator.

The latter turns out to be none other than Angélique's husband Joffrey, who, consumed with bitterness, now intends going to war against the King for his decision to condemn him to death for sorcery.  Before he dies from his injuries, one of the few survivors of the shipwreck reveals to Joffrey that his wife was on board the ship before it went down and is frantically looking for him.  Encouraged by this news, Joffrey puts aside his personal vendetta for the time being and sets about trying to find his beloved Angélique.

The woman in question is saved from drowning by Escrainville, another nobleman turned pirate after being disgraced.  Since his wife was the cause of his downfall, Escrainville has come to loath all women, so he revels in the cruelties he now intends to inflict on Angélique.  Coriano, Escrainville's second in command, comes to the woman's rescue, convincing his master that the beautiful marquise is a valuable commodity, one that will fetch a handsome price at the market.  Auctioned off to the highest bidder, Angélique is surprised when she learns the identity of the man who has bought her for 200,000 sequins...