‘Jeanne du Barry‘, the film that opened this year’s 2023 Cannes Festival (without being in competition) is at the same time an author’s film and a historical blockbuster. Maïwenn – once a child actor, then, at 16, the wife of Luc Besson and the mother of his child – is now, at 47, an accomplished and confident actress and filmmaker. In ‘Jeanne du Barry‘ she is the film director, co-writer and lead actress. This was one of the most expensive (internationally financed) French films of recent years. The generous budget made it possible to make a historical film with fabulous costumes and numerous extras, filmed in part at Versailles where most of the story takes place, but also the hiring of Johnny Depp as lead actor. The outcome? Not quite up to the ambitions.
Jeanne du Barry was a real historical figure from the 18th century. A woman of modest origins, she had the chance to receive some education financed by the nobleman who employed her mother. When her youth and beauty became threatening in the eyes of the mistress of the house, mother and young daughter were thrown on the streets and ended up in Paris. The young woman chooses, according to her words in the film, between a life of poverty and a life of vice the second alternative and becomes a courtesan and the mistress of a noble with access to the court of King Louis XV. According to the custom of the time, she is introduced to the court, and again according to the custom of the time, she attracts the attention of the king and becomes his mistress. Temperament and boldness, among other qualities, made Jeanne more than a mistress, a favorite (maîtresse-en-titre) of the king, which was a higher rank, almost an official position in the complicated and corrupt hierarchy of the French royal court. The nobility and the king’s family (especially his daughters) do not take kindly to this ascension, but for a time at least, the bond between the two overcomes the hostilities of those around them.
The relationship between the king and Jeanne begins as an assumption of a feudal right that meets feminine ambition and the desire for ascent and social recognition, to transform over time into something else. Was it a true love story? Screenwriter, director and actress Maïwenn does everything to convince us that it is. And yet something doesn’t work on screen, despite all the excellent acting performances of the two protagonists. Perhaps because Maïwenn, despite her intense performance, fails to convince that she is worthy of a king? Audacity is not enough and how much can a king be amused by his mistress’s little antics at first, and how much can he tolerate hysterical deviations from court protocol later? In addition, at 47 she plays the role of a woman between 25 and 30 years old. Johnny Depp seems to be the one who is forced to wear the corset of his role, but he is saved by his own magnetism and the way he manages to express his feelings with a glance or a movement of his lips. Two more interpretations seemed special to me. Benjamin Lavernhe plays La Borde, the king’s faithful valet, a key character in the story. I had not seen Pierre Richard for a long time and it was a joy to see him again in the role of the Duc de Richelieu. The cinematography is lavish, providing some memorable filming angles. The court of Louis XV is reconstructed in detail, but it seems as isolated as a baroque opera stage from the world outside, where we know that the revolt of the masses was brewing. The revolution in culture and ideas that was happening at the same time is only suggested by some deviations from protocol or changes in court fashion. When towards the end the love story between the king and Jeanne slips into melodrama, it does not squeezes many tears, which is proof that it wasn’t very convincing.