The Lady and the Duke
The Lady and the Duke ★★½ L'Anglaise et le Duc 2001 (PG-13)
Based on the memoirs of Englishwoman Grace Elliott (Russell), who lived in Paris during the French Revolution and remained a loyal supporter of King Louis XVI. The Duke in question is her former lover, Philippe, Duc d'Orleans (Dreyfus), with whom Grace has remained friends. A cousin to the King, Philippe himself is a moderate revolutionary and encourages Grace to return to England for her own safety, which she refuses to do. 81-year-old Rohmer commissioned a series of painted backdrops depicting 18th-century France rather than build sets and then superimposed his actors upon the backdrops, offering remarkably effective visuals. French with subtitles. 129m/C VHS, DVD . FR Lucy Russell, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Francois Marthouret, Leonard Cobiant, Caroline Morin, Alain Libolt, Marie Riviere, Helena Dubeil; D: Eric Rohmer; W: Eric Rohmer; C: Diane Baratier.