Angelique Vol. 1
(Angélique, Marquise des Anges, 1964) Angélique Vol. 2 : The Road to Versailles (Merveilleuse Angélique, 1965)

Angélique Vol. 3: Angelique and the King (Angélique et le Roy, 1966)

Nordic Universal - Studio Canal DVD editions



OK, i haven't heard about these films but obviously they were extremely popular all over Europe in the 1960's and made the gorgeous red-headed
actress Michéle Mercier a Huge star. They are based on a series of novels (of probably not to high literary standing ?) by Anne Golon and
5 or 6 films were made (i think?) and with a re-make in 2013, but it's the 2 first films in the series that today are considered to be some sort of slightly
trashy but beloved classics. Garishly produced big budgeted adventure films with action, drama and romance about the happenings surrounding
the young noble woman Angélique in the 17th century France.
These 2 films were surprisingly entertaining to watch, really Luscious and Slick looking and with some fine actors and the gorgeous Michéle Mercier

Angelique Vol. 1 - Angelique, Marquise des Anges:

BEWARE: SPOILERS BELOW - SPOILERS BELOW

Angelique's father may be a Baron, but she's a naive country girl and with the farmer boy Nicholas (Giuliano Gemma) as a friend and/or boyfriend.
The year is 165 ... and there's armed rebellion against Cardinal Mazarin. At the castle of her amoral cousin Philippe de Plessis - Bellieres (Claude
Giroud) she overhears a plot to assassinate the King, the still young Louis XIV.
She escapes an arranged marriage and considered troublesome, she's put in a nunnery. Then she's married to the count Jeoffrey de Peyrac (great film
director and actor Robert Hossein in a fine performance), but he annoys the king due to his riches and is condemned to death accused of witchcraft.
She's raped and hunted by Bad guys from the King's entourage and she takes refuge among the beggers and bandits of Paris, a gang led by no one
else than Nicolas Calembredaine (Gemma) and now she's the Countess of Angels. Will she get her revenge in Vol. 2 ?

Angelique Vol. 2 - Merveilleuse Angélique/The Fantastic Angélique

BEWARE: SPOILERS BELOW - SPOILERS BELOW

The film starts with the evil inquisition monk (Charles Regnier) who led the trial against her husband getting killed by the gang led by Nicholas.
She lives with him and his gang, including Nicholas jealous ex-girlfriend Polak (Rosalba Neri) in the poor district of Paris - La Cour des Miracles
and she wants revenge against all that harassed her and made her beloved husband die at the stake.
There's a gangster war, she meets a gutter poet (Jean-Luis Trintignant) and she get's rich as a chocolate establishment proprietess, and soon the
Road to Versailles is open to her. Will she get her revenge? I have no idea, but i hope so. Jean Rochefort is memorable as the police chief Degrez

Angelique Vol. 3- Angélique et le Roy/Angélique and the King

BEWARE: SPOILERS BELOW - SPOILERS BELOW

Angelique has married with her cousin Philip Plessis-Belliére to regain her presence at the Royal court. Philippe dies in the Flandern war and the King,
Louis XIV set his eyes on the beautiful Angelique and wants her to act in a diplomatic mission to make an alliance with the Turks and the Persian
Empire. The Persian envoy Mr. Bey however is a sadist, murderer and a rapist and he wants Angelique in his Harem.
Then King Louis XIV wants her as one of his concubines too, but she wants to be a free woman and he gets furious. However, his official concubine
no.1 gets furious too with Angelique and Chief of Police Degrez warns her that her life is in danger and Angelique flees Paris and the Royal Court.

The films are presented in anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 with french audio mono and swedish subtitles

Extras in Vol. 1: La Fronde - the historical background to the rebellion against Cardinal Mazarin, - Nicolas Foquet: the minister of finance to Louis
XIV and the background to the King visiting Jeoffrey scene in the film, who treated the King with a too Grand reception and was jailed, - stills

Extras in Vol. 2: About the infamous poor district of Paris - La Cour des Miracles, - about the Chocolat Salon, - stills gallery

Extras in Vol. 3: Two short featurettes - Versailles and it's Court and Black Magic, picture gallery

 

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