Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Search cinema listings

Browse cinemas A-Z

Search 20,000 reviews

 

Le Destin Fabuleux de Désirée Clary (1942)

Director: Sacha Guitry

Average user rating
No reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Désirée Clary met Napoleon when he was an obscure general. There was evidently a romance but, in the outcome, Désirée's sister married Napoleon's brother, while she went on to marry the prickly General Bernadotte, ending up years later as Queen of Sweden. The Hollywood melodrama Désirée, directed by Henry Koster in 1954 with Brando and Jean Simmons, makes an amusing comparison with this characteristically clever, ironic account. Guitry's prosaic camerawork contrasts with his audacious approach to storytelling: the movie's credits, 50 minutes in, are especially cheeky. Barrault, as the young Napoleon, looks so much like Kenneth Williams, you half expect to spot Sid James slouching around the Tuileries.

Author: BBa

Time Out Film Guide


  • Print this page
  • Send to a friend

What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields







Top Stories

Peter Morgan on 'Frost/Nixon'

Peter Morgan on 'Frost/Nixon'

Peter Morgan, whose writing credits include 'The Queen' and 'The Last King of Scotland', talks to Dave Calhoun about his latest script, 'Frost/Nixon'

Jason Statham on ‘Transporter 3’

Jason Statham on ‘Transporter 3’

Yes, fans of the budget action movie, strap yourself in and hold on tight because Jason Statham is back in the car-crashing, roundhouse-kicking, bracelet-exploding ‘Transporter 3’

Classic Film Club: 'The Man With The Golden Arm'

Classic Film Club: 'The Man With The Golden Arm'

Each week Tom Huddleston watches a classic film he's never seen before. This week: Otto Preminger's 'The Man With the Golden Arm' (1955)

Spring film preview 2009

Spring film preview 2009

Take a peek at what the Time Out Film team are looking forward to in the new year with our spring film preview

'Terminator Salvation': preview

'Terminator Salvation': preview

Tom Huddleston caught a sneak preview of footage from the forthcoming 'Terminator Salvation' movie