Lady J

2018 1h 50m FR

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 296

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When a romance between a widow and a notorious libertine takes an unexpected turn, Mademoiselle de Joncquières becomes instrumental to one lover’s plans for revenge.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

NetflixSubscription

Netflix Standard with AdsSubscription

Cast

Cécile de France
Madame de La Pommeraye
Édouard Baer
Marquis des Arcis
Laure Calamy
Lucienne, Madame's friend
Alice Isaaz
Mademoiselle de Joncquières
Natalia Dontcheva
Madame de Joncquières
Manon Kneusé
Courtesan
Arnaud Dupont
Henchman of the Marquise
Emilie Aubertot
Marquis's domestic

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Emmanuel Mouret
Writers: Emmanuel Mouret
Languages: French
Countries: France

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 / 5

ERA

Did you know

Released 8 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 5

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Emmanuel Mouret, shot by Laurent Desmet. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 5

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Martial Salomon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 5

CAST

Did you know

Cécile de France and Édouard Baer and Laure Calamy carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 5

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt7530986 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Emmanuel Mouret directs. Laurent Desmet behind the camera. Martial Salomon cuts. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 8 years ago.
2Directed by Emmanuel Mouret, shot by Laurent Desmet. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Editor Martial Salomon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
4Cécile de France and Édouard Baer and Laure Calamy carry the top of the cast.
5IMDB entry: tt7530986 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Laurent Desmet
Editing: Martial Salomon
Costume design: Pierre-Jean Larroque
Makeup / hair: Sarah Beaupoux
Runtime: 110 min · 1h 50m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $4,100,000
Original language: FR
Certification (US): 6
IMDB: Lady J (2018)

Awards

César Award for Best Costume Design

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Emmanuel Mouret

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-09-23
★ 6/10
"Mme. de la Pommeraye" (Cécile de France) is a wealthy widow enamoured of the supposedly rakish "Marquis des Arcis" (Édouard Baer). For a while they are close confidantes, friends, lovers even - but then she somewhat tortuously declares to him that the blushes of passion have faded and that she is no longer in love. Clang! Guess what? He is ever so grateful for her honesty because he feels exactly the same. Perhaps it is best that they just go back to being friends? Hmmm. Well that didn't exactly go to plan for the marquise, but luckily the instruments of her revenge might be at hand. Walking together in the King's Gardens, she encounters "Mme. Joncquières" (Natalia Dontcheva) who is sitting on a bench with her young daughter (Alice Isaaz). She is of noble birth - but sadly on the wrong side of the blanket, and when her faux-marriage to a rogue Duc left her bereft of status, funds and supporting her young daughter she took to the oldest profession to make ends meet. How about, thinks the marquise, she sets up her former beau with the young girl - only she will leave out some of the more salacious aspects of her provenence? The shame! What now ensues has shades of "Liaisons Dangereauses" to it, only in reverse as just about nobody is read into the cunning plan. The suitably loved-up man dutifully obliges offering the women an income, an home and even, eventually, marriage - but who is going to end up happy? Is anyone? Stylistically, this is a sumptuous drama that shows off the costumier's art to the full whilst taking us on a tour of some of Paris's grand architecture. My problem with the story was that I couldn't help but feel sorry for "des Acris", indeed for just about everyone except the marquise - and when there's a villain in the piece, I like to feel at least some affinity with them - even if I shouldn't. Here, though, there's all that stuff about a woman scorned, but the victims of that scorn would appear to be other innocent - women. He's fabulously wealthy and whatever happens can probably live down any embarrassment just by going to his country estate. There is really only one way it can end, which is fair but a little underwhelming and by that conclusion I felt this could have been a bit more nasty, scheming and cruel if only a little more time had been spent crafting some darker characterisations and perhaps not having so many butter-wouldn't-melt roles for us to find hard to dislike or mistrust. Sadly, it's more of a soap with wigs.

Production companies