Farewell My Queen

Benoit Jacquot’s Farewell My Queen (France, 2012) ***

The panic that engulfed Versailles in the early days of the French Revolution is captured from a murky side angle in "Farewell, My Queen," a well-observed but emotionally muted costume drama that might well have been titled "My Week With Marie Antoinette." Pivoting on the queen's relationship with one of her most devoted courtiers, Benoit Jacquot's venom-tipped account of palatial intrigue and royal oblivion scrupulously maintains a servant's-eye view but winds up holding the viewer at an unrewarding distance. Cast names should lend the picture some Euro arthouse traction, though Stateside biz won't far exceed that of Jacquot's recent work. 2012BERic, 2012MALic, 2012SANF.