Vatel
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61% Critic Match

Vatel

Some men are too noble to live among aristocracy.

6.1 / 10 2000 2h 5mNR English
HistoryDramaRomance

Storyline

In 1671, with war brewing with Holland, a penniless prince invites Louis XIV to three days of festivities at a chateau in Chantilly. The prince wants a commission as a general, so the extravagances are to impress the king. In charge of all is the steward, Vatel, a man of honor, talent, and low birth. The prince is craven in his longing for stature: no task is too menial or dishonorable for him to give Vatel. While Vatel tries to sustain dignity, he finds himself attracted to Anne de Montausier, the king's newest mistress. In Vatel, she finds someone who's authentic, living out his principles within the casual cruelties of court politics. Can the two of them escape unscathed?

Cast & Crew

Gérard Depardieu

Gérard Depardieu

Francois Vatel

Lead
Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman

Anne de Montausier

Tim Roth

Tim Roth

Marquis de Lauzun

Timothy Spall

Timothy Spall

Gourville

Julian Glover

Julian Glover

Prince de Conde

Julian Sands

Julian Sands

Louis XIV

Murray Lachlan Young

Murray Lachlan Young

Philippe d`Orleans

Hywel Bennett

Hywel Bennett

Colbert

What People Are Saying

3.0
A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Roland Joffé's vision lands with breathtaking precision.
Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
3.0
Every frame feels alive. Vatel is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker