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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Madame Du Barry remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old-school Hollywood sets and actresses who know how to command a room, sure, give it a watch. If you need historical accuracy, stay far away. This isn't a textbook; it’s a performance.
Dolores Del Río is the whole show here. She plays Jeanne with this refreshing, devil-may-care attitude that feels completely out of place among the powdered wigs. It’s actually pretty funny watching her treat the King of France like just another guy at a bar.
The pacing is a bit all over the place. Sometimes it feels like we’re just watching people walk through hallways for minutes on end. Then suddenly, something actually happens. It’s not smooth, but it’s never boring enough to make you turn it off.
The scenes at court have this weird, stuffy energy, like the actors were told to act like they were trapped in a museum. Then Del Río walks in, and the whole screen just wakes up. It’s like she’s in a different movie than everyone else.
There is this one moment where she just laughs in the middle of a serious conversation. It felt so real, almost like she forgot she was being filmed. I caught myself smiling because, honestly, who wouldn't want to laugh at these people?
I couldn't help but compare the vibe here to something like The Virgin Queen, though this one feels way less heavy. It’s not trying to win an Oscar; it just wants to show you a good time in 18th-century France.
It’s not perfect. It’s not even trying to be. Sometimes it feels like a stage play that got lost on the way to the theater. But there’s a spark in the middle of it that makes it worth checking out on a rainy afternoon. Just don't expect a history lesson.