There is no change. She is later arrested as the poisoner as her son is released, but ridiculed from court. Hi Jules, I must thank you for your detailed writeup of all ten episodes of Versailles. Point 5: Ah, Henriettes remark about Philippes glorious death in battle. Back to Henriette, who is now laid out on a bed, hair done, powdered and dressed in her finest gown. I came across your reviews and I read each one after viewing an episode. Also thanks for your detailed and in depth reviews. Next morning and Louis opens the shutters on a sleeping Montespan (aside here: Louis has a habit of walking in on people sleeping or in a state of undress. Required fields are marked *. did the male medicin drink the vial of poison accidentally or on purpose? You admit her situation is unfair and certainly, she is powerless where her husband (and Louis) are concerned and yet, simply because of the screwed up thinking of the day, the thinking that removed a womans personhood and reduced her to mere property, she is the villain for not being able to love a man who ignores her and rapes her? Our dear Henriette. Dieu. Then the camera pans to the door and Philippe enters, says to him quietly, were leaving. A European history-geek friend told me about this show yesterday, so I binge watched the entire series. Henriette is just one more thing Louis takes from Philippe. No, of course she doesnt. You couldnt guarantee any would survive. It was so good. In between re-watching S1, of course. Do you see them now? It is fascinating to compare Philippes two moments of deep anguish side by side: when the Chevalier was arrested, we saw his total and complete breakdown, the slow crumple of his expression from shock, to horror, to abject grief, then as he collapsed to his knees and rocked while he wept. How do we find the poisoner? We see his offer to help refused time and time again. But unlike Philippe, Henriette never snogged her lover obnoxiously right there in the same room with him. Did not see this one coming! To affect the hearts and minds of people. We are shown much more of Philippes inner mind and his relationship to Louis than anyone else. Maybe that is where she got the poison she used on Fabien? There are only two men in this court who move freely between the outside world and the Kings inner circle, but only one who has never raised a single voice against him. Bontemps is surprised: the Kings brother? NO, BONTEMPS. I think he also wants reassurance that Louis cares for him as much as he cares for Louis. THIS. My apartment has no pisspot and I do hate to urinate in the stairwells. The Chevalier: Never stopped you before. (teeheehee) They are interrupted by the Duc de Cassel (who is looking even rougher and more filthy than usual. Hmm. This is who they truly are in this one moment of grief. Admittedly, its in the middle of a shag, when she is distracted, but still. The fact that she could feel anything at all for him (beyond disgust) by the end surprises me. He sent poison to Paris, where it passed through several hands before ending up in the jug containing the chicory water. I knew hed say that line! Exactly. Montcourts eyes drop to Louis hand and suddenly he pulls a knife. And for those who love her. Philippe replies ominously: we are all of us in sickness here. Versailles (TV Series 2015-2018) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. So Louis settles into sleep. At the time of his birth, his parents had been married for 23 years. You mentioned the Charles Beaubrun painting of Louis & Philippewell I was noticing how this stunning piece travels around the palace in season one. Point 9: And again, who can blame her. She is a woman, she is his subject. Im actually in the States where episode seven will be airing tomorrow night, but I read ahead because I know history so nothing coming was really a spoiler (just a condensed timeline). These reactions perfectly suit and says a lot to their characters, plus George Blagden and Alex Vlahos as hugely talented actors. throughout the show, we see Louis attempts to belittle and emasculate Philippe. Then Philippe walks out, still dressed in his nightshirt and robe, barefoot. Pale and in obvious distress, she was put to bed, but her pains were so severe that she believed she must have been poisoned and asked for an antidote. Obviously he loves Chevalier. Even Louis at this stage is getting sick of it and announces he is going to war. Colbert looks a bit stunned. She coudnt have said no if shed wanted to. Thank you so much for your in depth response to my question. He was named Louis Dieudonn (Louis the God-given) and bore the traditional title of French heirs apparent: Dauphin . It was Season 1. See above comments about Henriettes powerlessness as a woman. Charming. Her mother (a french princess) is dead, and shes alone, probably the only English in the palace. Henriettes physicians diagnosed colic and assured her that she would soon recover, but it was clear that she was dying. Nup. Philippe is the complete dysfunctional mess he is thanks to Louis (and their mother) and he would have my complete sympathy, were it not for his raping his wife in a fit of anger and jealousy. Much kudos to Nomie Schmidt for a brilliantly sad scene, aided by the backing music and the strength and emotion of George Blagden and Alex Vlahos. She is gravely ill. Montespan pauses for a second, then declares she must go to her (because you know, Montespan is supposed to be one of her ladies-in-waiting). Im no Henriette fan, but Im so sorry, no, Philippe did not win the victim sweepstakes in that marriage. Much later, the courtier Saint-Simon offered his own thoughts. We see Henriette asleep in the bed. They walk into a salon, where Montcourt is playing cards, and everyone suddenly stops talking when Marchal meets the mans eye. And the only reason she is such a powerful weapon against Philippe is because Philippe views her as nothing more than his property to do with as he wishes. They had children. I wonder what theyve got in store for us. He feels betrayed. Learn how your comment data is processed. Jacques 10 episodes, 2015 . Im going to be stalking these recaps in the arduous wait for season two. A subtle yet interesting choice made by production to change the portraits in Henriettes chambers. The Kings son. I really like him as a character, even though he tortures people. This moment echoes the first from the opening scene in Episode One, where the traitors rush in on the pretext of getting Louis safely away. Its stoic. Montcourt looks nervous, says he doesnt know what he means. Bontemps moves her along. Philippe was there in the woods and saved Louis from the wolves, but at the end of season one hes left Versailles. Its just that his anger and upset (and yes, jealousy I think) affects him so much, because its just another way for his brother to control and belittle him, make him less. Louis: you are grieving. Philippe shakes his head: I grieve alone. Louis swallows then says: You will marry again. Philippe interjects: I simply want to live. Louis: It is your duty. Philippe hisses: I have had my fill of duty. So anyways, off we go. Louis is a shit to Philippe. Louis is greeted by Bontemps in his chambers, who enquires about Henriettes health. He weeps for the loss and I am sure he also weeps for the helplessness he must now feel, a man so powerful and commanding, who rules a country and its people a true King and yet, still unable to save her. Louis walks in and replies: because I ask him to do so. Ahhhhh-HA! Finally, a scene with the Chevalier!!! I very much enjoyed reading them and especially liked your additional facts about the historical events and figures. Point 4: This point actually supports my own. Is Philippe a victim? When we are far away, we must make him believe we are near. Season Two Mike and the last of Rohans men are massacred in a last stand by the musketeers, led by Fabien Marchal. We see a quick shot of Montcourts body being dumped from a cart into the muddy swampiness, to join other rotting, decaying bodies. Colbert and Louvois look considerably worried. You sound worse than Montespan and de Clermont sparring over the card-tables! Louis asks Henriette to spy on her husband and she does not refuse. How can you be scared? (sweet Philippe!) Is it fair? There is your music.. But Montespan kind of brushes it off with, Yes, I would do the same. She is hurt, nonetheless. And even if not, we see what Philippe is capable of when hes in a jealous snit. Let me know when the doctor arrives, Louis says, and leaves. We see Louis expression crumple, and he blinks, almost disbelievingly, and then Philippe is out the door. Point 6: Not her greatest moment, no. We see this SO MANY TIMES it becomes frustrating and sad. Ive said this before in comments. Is he justified in knocking her across the room? Back outside, to a view of Versailles under construction (I love these pre-glory shots!) Like only a brother can. Philippelooks into the fire, whispers, I was so proud of you. However, the court (and her brother, Charles II) was told she died of natural causes so he could hardly behead anyone for murder after that. A letter from the King of Sweden has arrived, telling Louis he has agreed to break his alliance with the Dutch and support the French. Philippes distress is written all over his face, while Louis just looks angry, eyes flinty, mouth flat, jaw clenched. As to fiction I found the ones I did read ended up thrown against the wall. It unfortunately follows that her absence would weaken you. Montcourt tried to tell me the same. Says you made me marry him. I just discovered Versailles this week and watched it in quick succession!!! And Louis is left in the salon, framed by the door, the guards, and looking incredibly vulnerable and alone. Ive found some interesting, unedited sources about him and I hope to write very soon a book to make some justice to this very, very mistreated character. Louis turns in slow-mo, the expression on his face revealing nothing. ), I think your recaps are wonderful and I enjoy reading them every bit as much as I do watching the programme! As for Philippe, I cant make out what he is. NOOOOOOO. Another suggestion is that she had porphyria, although she displayed none of its symptoms. She brought honour on herself and glory to our court. Henriette portrayed by Pierre Mignard, 17th century, Henriette, Duchesse d'Orlans, the sister-in-law of Louis XIV, took a drink of her usual chicory water and immediately clutched her side, crying out in pain. Thank you, Amy! He says quietly: She knew what she had to do. And suddenly Marchal has his ah-HA moment. For her lot to improve, she could only hope for things to happen. I do understand you are a fan of Philippe, but I dont understand why that nessitates that Henriette be viewed as the villian. Of course, nothing happened and the doctors said colic but nine hours later, she was dead. Louis staggers to his feet, Montcourt bleeding out on the floor, and he goes to Marchal, who has collapsed near the fireplace. Is she a villain for this because of the thinking of the day? Point 10: The abnoxious snog in front of Henriette. And if you reread my words very carefully, you might realise that I never once touched on the legality of it. OMG he hits Marchal across the face with the candlestick, Louis lunges, Montcourt throws him off and the King smacks his head on a table. Or because she cant look him in the eye and admit it? We must get the king and the queen and yourself to safety at once. And the penny drops for Bontemps, his look of dismay so clear. Hi Laura! As Mme de Svign wrote: She was taken ill and died within eight hours, and we have lost with her all the joy, all the charm and all the pleasures of the Court. Totally inappropriate time to mention it. I think we see fairly good evidence in episode 7 that not only does Philippe support his brother, but that he is honestly frightened of the idea of running the country and has no desire to take his brothers place (his anger at being overlooked for the regency is more due to his hurt that no one supports him or takes him seriouslyhis experience all his life). Nor can I hold her responsible for the fact that Louis uses her as a weapon against his brother. And here is where Im a bit uncertain, but didnt she make that remark after Philippe raped her? The camera then cuts to Rohan, drinking and brooding in his room, absently stabbing the table with a knife as he glares at a portrait of Louis-as-a-boy (which is a gorgeous portrait and includes Philippe, apparently in a private collection and attributed to artist Charles Beaubrun. He is always the king, while Philippe gives his emotions (somewhat) free rein. They could be far away from the victim at the time of death, so it would be difficult to definitively pin on anyone. I guess in summary, I saw more nuance and non-verbal cues with Philippe that made him a more sympathetic character. Henriette mentions the issues she has with the Chevalier. I think he has done his younger brother irreperable harm and, at times, I wonder if he wouldnt throw Philippe to the wolves if it suited him or France. And poor Philippe, who is distraught about his wife, its just another snub for him, isnt it? She stays. Philippe: And so do I.. No. Another possibility is that Henriette suffered from anorexia nervosa, which is often characterised by increasing frailty and hyperactivity; the summer of 1670 had been particularly hot and Henriette would swim in the river; unable to sleep, she walked in the gardens at night. He was distraught when she died, and was fully intent on punishing those responsible (as poison was indeed thought to have killed her). While your character and scene analyses tend to differ quite a bit from my own (perhaps because of that?? A hundred years ago. Still with the playing of games, the half-truth words. Louis and Bontemps share a look between them a kind of wtf do we do now? Hi, You died of a cold, or a simple infection or someone sneezing on you. I think I enjoyed your reviews as much as the show itself. She later dies in her bed. Louis paranoia about his little brother is completely unfounded. Horrible man. Even if I ignore the historical figures behind the show and what I know of their real lives, I cant ignore the historical setting or the social arena in which the show is played. Then, as they both walk through the salon (Vaux de Vicomte again) and to the doors, the guards bar their way and Louis enters. Then he looks to Rohans hand tapping on the stone, decorated with a ring and the penny drops. (Historical note: this happened and wasnt at all odd) The door suddenly opens, the Queenis standing there. This is who they truly are in this one moment of grief. Nice one, Montcourt. Hes just having some fun. And suddenly Philippe is the calm one, says gently, brother and the look on his face, as the tears trickle gently down his cheeks the quiet sadness as Louis stares at him, then his realisation that this is it. The advice you took came from only one source. the door opens, and Montespan enters. Just another way Louis is emasculating him, making him a laughing stock in French society. After Philippe shoots a couple rounds into the air he tells Louie, Brother we must go, the wolves will come back and there will be more. Did you have the same thought as I; that while in the moment the characters are talking about the actual wolves, the underlying message is about Louis and the traitors in his midst, starting with Moncourt. Are you suggesting that she would have the power to deny the king even if she wanted to? Both felt neglected by the other. Thanks for your great reviews! He did it with Prince Annaba, with Philippe and the Chevalier, with Philippe in the bath whether its just him thinking hey, Im the King, I can do whatever TF I want or some other deep need to catch people unawares, I do not know). we then learn Henriette is Philippes wife. Excellent. Louvois has been a kind of double agent all along, directed by Louis himself to assume the role of critic and conspirator. The Dauphin. At least thats always been his excuse. (aaaand check out the looks on Louis and Bontemps faces as I randomly paused right here. He tucks Louis in then gets into his small cot (that looks like a camping bed), fully clothed. In Paris, says Colbert. I find it interesting that Louis feels the need to add: she came to find me, to put the doubt on Montespans face to rest. They are singing. Minor detail maybe, but not sure if that doesnt change the meaning of the next bit somewhat? Versailles - Stagione 3 Episodio 10. Back with the sick princess and Claudine is fiddling with potions while Henriette writhes and vomits blood. We will never know if Louis and Henriette ever did consummate their attraction, but the gossip of the time most definitely swayed in that direction. While making this video i was inspired by the scene when Henriette talks about her first mask ball. Such emotion. To my observation, we do not know who messed with the bottles I was assuming it was Mike or Rohan, because the hand is gloved and we do not see the face. What about the angels? he asks, after Montcourt nervously says hes been praying for Henriette. Therefore, my thoughts are strictly about the characters. My sources tell me that sadly, we will have to wait until March 2017 (Yes, NEXT YEAR!!!) I just wanna smash his smug ferret face. Seems likely in the show (historically, this is not so the case at all). Beating your wife was also quite legal, acceptable and, indeed, expected. But of course, she wants to know what happened to her mother in exchange for that information. Whew! The first time we see Philippe is with his lover. Henriette is Philippes wife, his property, his to do with as he wishes. Colbert tries to push his point when Louis enters. Im thinking no. Romantic wouldnt work, but she could become a protge of his. Gladly. Louis is disbelieving: And sacrifice your future to see me suffer? Philippe glances around the salon then says: What does a King know of sacrifice?, Louis cant believe it. The flowers theyre singing. and she is gone. First off let me say that I absolutely love your reviews of Versailles, Ms. Jules. I could see the Chevalier if not Philippe taking on Sophie as a sort of pet, his project, I imagine the Chevalier would have adored trying to corrupt a sweet young thing like Sophie. You clever, clever bastard. Maybe that is where she got the poison she used on Fabien?, de Clermont went to a brothel to obtain poison and the love potion Lauren (Marchals henchwoman) tells him thats what she observed. Sorry to jar you There are just some things I couldnt overlook, and I admit I was looking at Henriettes character so closely, to see if the screenwriters would sweeten her up from her historical figure. Youre brought up, its your duty. Director Daniel Roby Writers Simon Mirren David Wolstencroft Stars George Blagden Alexander Vlahos Tygh Runyan See production, box office & company info And Bontemps replies: we are all proud of her, Sire. Louis: And now someone is trying to destroy me, by destroying her. Rohan appears: And they will not succeed I came as soon as I could I wish to offer myself to you as your subject and as your friend. UGGGGGH. They fear she might have been poisoned, so King Louis XIV shuts all access To Versailles. I blame it all on Louis! Oh, Lord receive me she softly says, opens her eyes can you hear that? The state is a person. He certainly is darker, more angry and violent than he was in real life. *Another side-note: When the Chavelier mentions that Louis does not look for beauty so much as character, umwas he talking about Henriette? But to his brother? I was never a fan of the character of Henriette, I just cant see how she wronged Philippe more than he did her. FOCUS. But lets compare: Henriette is jealous. Absolutely enjoyed your recap of the finale. Ita all so quick, and beautifully choreographed. The Angelique series of movies from the 60s are highly camp, and put Philippe in a terrible light, but they are funny. the rest will do her good, Bontemps says. We defended our position from the Spanish all morning and in honour of your distinguished service. After doing an excellent job negotiating an alliance with England against the Dutch (which was then promptly overturned), Henriette returns to Versailles just in time to be poisoned and die in blood-soaked agony. Le Roi Danse, which is all about the rise and fall of Lully, Louis XIVs court composer (French, but hard to find with English subtitles). Merci! Hold onto this moment, I told you. Philippe is most definitely not the victim in his marriage. Yet you heard nothing. Louis is calm but angry: then you set yourself against me. Philippe pauses, looks incredibly sad for a moment, then briefly nods. But in context, with everything else going on in the show and with what Philippe deals with, I can understand why he did it. and to Marchal in his office, interrogating Montcourt. It is Louis, and not Henriette, whom I see as the one who does the greatest harm to Philippe. Marchal: The King once told me, he warned me quite clearly that his enemies would seek to destroy those closest to him. Either way, she's dead now. Bontemps suddenly appears; Henriette has been calling. I was highly frustrated with the artistic liberties the authors took, and some just pretty much made up shit, totally contrary to history . . Such a beautiful moment, with Philippe building on their complex relationship, reminding Louis of a more simplistic time. UGH, technology! Basically he can do what he wants, but she is not allowed to. We stake our claim or we are ploughed into the field. So, he loves Henrietta as a friend, or simply to rival his brother? She is a toy left to gather dust on the shelf and which Louis has taken from him just to prove that he can. The death of someone so young was often attributed to poison. King Louis XIV (George Blagden, left) and Henriette (Nomie Schmidt) arrive at "Versailles" in the Ovation series. Philippe and Louis have all the best monologues and the writing is brilliant, so in character. : . Montespan banters but Louis doesnt bite. But gossip is gossip and it was particularly rife and vicious in those days. Rohan. Bontemps is still confused: you told us Montcourt was to blame. How can he be so sure? I let a wolf back into my barn! Montcourts hand slides to his hip, Marchal sees this (good Chief of Police *pets his pretty head*) and Montcourt still denies, Louis accuses him of poisoning Henriette. Music. We were young. This scene is barely seconds long, but oh, so telling as to her character. Even the bouncing hair. I choose to believe it was a mistake on the writers part and will simply fast forward over it when I rewatch. Does Henriette mind being used by Louis? YAAAAAY! P.S. Henriette was more than happy to become second only to Marie-Therese. Pot, meet kettle. However, the bible does say something about a man being expected to marry his brothers widow. Montcourt to Marchal: You are a fool. Louis replies: And you are a MURDERER! Montcourt continues with the wrong man thing, but Louis will have none of it. You dont get to my age and experience with your naivete still intact. Now, if she had been his second cousin, and never saw each other until she married his brother, then I can maybe see them having an affair. His grip tightens on the poker, even as Montcourt looks actually shocked at that accusation. Yet another possibility is that she had a duodenal ulcer which burst, leading to peritonitis. Louis replies how else was I to keep you close. He was a noble, he knew the rules.) That Henriette was such an effective way of hurting Philippe is down to Philippes viewing her as his property, not because he felt any true affection for her (at least, not until closer towards the end, when I do believe he really does care). Louis, who never forgave a slight, always ensured that the guilty paid dearly. Louis strolls over to the fireplace and picks up a poker, calmly summarising whats happened on his roads, his people dying, attempts on his own life, and now his beloved Henriette. These scenes are odd for me to watch, but by now, I have totally put aside any frustration when the show deviates from what I know of the actual history. Charming. I thought so but no. The first one we ever played in, says Philippe. Hell, HIS WIFE is shagging his brother. The sad irony here is, I do think Louis cares very much for Philippe but he cannot let his armour of paranoia down enough to recognise Philippes loyalty and the fact that he can trust his brother. The Henriette thing is just one more on the heaping pile of shit. The Chevalier is still silent, still focused on Henriette. Louis XIV was born on 5 September 1638 in the Chteau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, to Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. Such was the hygiene of 17th century France. Not so much. Husbands have being raping their wives since time began from royalty down to peasants and it was classed as taking their marital rights . They fear she might have been poisoned, so King Louis XIV shuts all access To Versailles. I do think it is out-of-character for the Philippe we know and love on the show, not just historically inaccurate, to force himself on her. There was an attempt on her life before. You, me, Henriette. It is not clear in the show. needless to say, all my writing is copyright to me, so don't be a dick and steal it. A side-note: On Sophie. Keeps your brothers power in check and offers a direct connection to England. Why is his passion for the man he loves to be forgiven and Henriettes passion for the man she loves to be used against her? And she was having an affair with the Comte de Guiche. I also read your discussion between yourself and Teresa about episode 10. (Historical note: it was forbidden for the King to be in the presence of death. Panoramica: After crushing the Protestants and thwarted Leto, Louis feels invincible. Royal FamilyKing Louis XIV Arranged Marriage: To Marie-Thrse Boom, Headshot! I am tired of waiting for you to keep it, says the Queen casually as she gets into bed with Louis then settles down. Grrrr well Im not writing all that over again. Not Marchal! It is so reflective of the dilemma she has created for herself. I know this coming years later, but to Theresa THANK YOU SO MUCH. Aaaaaand now. On the other hand, Ive never doubted for a moment Philippes loyalty to his brother or his love for him. I have one comment / correction on what you wrote on Henriettes death scene. Philippe adds: .or two, perhaps. And he strides off. And we came here for a visit. Similarly, perforation of the gall bladder may have led to an excess of bile leaking into the peritoneum causing the corruption and gangrene reported by her doctors. And remember you can also start at the beginning and read my reviews of EpisodesOne, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six,Seven,Eight. We are back at the sickbed, where Henriette sleeps and Montespan silently weeps at the bed. Philippe loves and is loyal to his brother and only wants Louis to allow him to support him. IDK??? That she could feel no affection for the man she was forced to marry, a man who could never feel anything for her and who also raped her, is not at all surprising (even while considering that marital rape was acceptable at that time). apparently it is still not safe. Inside Versailles Henriette Sister of King Charles II of England, Henriette - known as Madame - is the wife of Philippe and the mistress of King Louis. Claudine Masson Fabien Marchal Henriette of England Henriette and Montespan Fabien and Sophie Isabella Braganza Claudine and Fabien Marie-Thrse and Montespan Versailles (series) Sophie de Clermont Philippe of France Henriette and Louis Philippe and Liselotte's Wedding Chevalier and Henriette Categories Perfectly written line is delivered perfectly by perfect actor. In reality it only took a very short time for the plan to take full effect. But she is human and she can feel jealousy and make inappropriate remarks at inappropriate moments. Dear Anne, Im guessing I know a fair bit more about rape, the history of rape, the history of rape within marriage and womens rights (and lack thereof) than you realise. but the show never uses his name, referring to him only as his title of Chevalier, probably to avoid confusion . I was more appalled at Louis seeming lack of concern for his brothers life. [4] At the time of her death, it was widely believed that Henrietta had been poisoned and the prime suspects were her husband, Philippe and/or his lover, the Chevalier de Lorraine. Why is this so? There could have been some anger involved without resorting to rape. Philippe of course blames Louis for Henriette's poisoning as he was the one who sent Henriette as an ambassador abroad even though everyone begged him not to. (yeah, I know I said I liked Marchal/Claudine, too! Points 1 and 2: We establish that both people are in love with someone else. The rape scene was repugnant and Phillipes actions were out of character with the Phillipe we saw in the rest of the season. The moment stretches and Claudine shakes her head: she will not survive the poison. We see a shot of Philippe and Louis: Philippe is stunned and mega sad. Louis wakes to the sight of Henriette, blood down her gown and from her mouth, saying help me please. Even gravely ill, she still choses Louis over her husband.

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