God but not great

French film with english subitles about Paris in 1527.

My history isn't good so maybe that was the reason I had to go back to the initial subtitles to try and get my bearings at the start of the film.

Basically it is about the effect an incestuous Catholic French Royal Family has on themselves and their subjects.

Margot(Adjani), the sister of the King is married (against her will)to her protestant cousin, to try and alleviate the Catholic's concerns, that the King is being influenced more by his Protestant mentor, than his wicked mother. Not a great idea, but it's actually part of a master plan, to start a cull of the Protestants. This has the desired effect, as a result of tension induced at the wedding.

The Catholic faith obviously had different values in those days because murder, incest, and generally sleeping around with everyone but your spouse, seems to be the order of the day.

In amongst all this murder and mayhem Margot's attitude to life changes, after she meets her soul(sex)mate (not hubbie) and rather than sleeping with all and sundry, she tries to change, and act like the potential queen that she is.

The film is then about the trials and tribulations of love and survival in an atmosphere of violence and distrust.

Oh and in the true tradition of French films there's quite a bit of naked flesh