La Nuit de Varennes aka That Night in Varennes

La Nuit de Varennes aka That Night in Varennes

A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:

-              https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E  and   http://realini.blogspot.ro/

This film is on the New York Times list of Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made.

And surely on other compilations.

It has a phenomenal cast:

-          Marcello Mastroianni and Harvey Keitel lead an impressive list.

-          Jean Louis Trintignant is in a role that looked like a cameo.

And I was surprised, because he is one of my favorite actors.

I have noted recently on Amour, winner of the Academy Award, the Golden Globe and the even more important Palme d'Or.

The latter is actually the most important prize in cinema, in my view.

Passages on a coach experience different events.

The surprise is that one of them is Giacomo Cassanova.

Marcello Mastroianni is in this interesting role.

The famous, or is it infamous? Lover is sixty six now.

The women are still intrigued and attracted by his reputation.

They talk about his stories.

One dares him to make love there on the coach...

-          How would you do that? Is the question

-          And the answer is that Cassanova has had many other "achievements" that had been so much more difficult to accomplish.

Nevertheless, he is tired now.

And although two of the attractive women on the coach are trying to allure him, he is not responding.

Not anymore.

He talks about the old days.

There is a story that I have read before.

Casanova claimed that he helped Mozart.

Wolfgang Amadeus has asked the opinion of the " serial lover".

Or so the latter claims.

He even sings one passage from a Mozart play.

When the discussion turns to the royal family and the revolution, Casanova decries the rudeness and degrading of moral standards.

One young man has a rude remark.

And so he confirms the Italian's criticism.

The king, his queen and an entourage have tried to escape.

They had planned to reach the border and join the monarchists.

One lady in the group on the couch has the special costume that his majesty is supposed to wear when addressing the troupes.

Alas, they are caught.

Their fate is well known.

And tragically cruel.

I respect the monarchy even in this day and age.

In my country, the kings have done a lot of good for the people.

Except perhaps in one case.