The French Revolution

1989 5h 35m FR

🙌

7.5

BANGER

⭐

7.6

IMDB

★7.5TMDB · 66★7.6IMDB · 1,970

DramaWarHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A history of the French Revolution beginning from the decision of the king to convene the Etats-Generaux in 1789 in order to deal with France's debt problem. Part one spans the event until August 10, 1792 (when the King Louis XVI lost all authority and was imprisoned). Part two carries the story through the end of the terror in 1794.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Klaus Maria Brandauer
Danton
François Cluzet
Camille Desmoulins
Marie Bunel
Lucile Desmoulins
Jane Seymour
Marie Antoinette
Jean-François Balmer
Louis XVI
Andrzej Seweryn
Robespierre
Vittorio Mezzogiorno
Marat
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu
Charlotte Corday

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard T. Heffron
Writers: Daniel Boulanger, Robert Enrico, David Ambrose
Languages: German, French, English
Countries: United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

At 335 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 10% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: German, French, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 5 countries: United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Richard T. Heffron, shot by François Catonné. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Georges Delerue. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard T. Heffron directs. François Catonné behind the camera. Georges Delerue scores. Patricia Nény cuts. A long sit — settle in. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada. Dialogue in German, French, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1At 335 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
2Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
3Earned back only 10% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
437 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
5Dialogue crosses 3 languages: German, French, English.
6International production across 5 countries: United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada.
7Directed by Richard T. Heffron, shot by François Catonné. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
8Original score by Georges Delerue. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
9Editor Patricia Nény shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
10Klaus Maria Brandauer and François Cluzet and Marie Bunel carry the top of the cast.
11IMDB entry: tt0098238 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Only 66 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
13Classified under 14 themes, including "france", "paris, france", "monarchy", "french revolution".
14Released under 28 different titles around the world.