The French Revolution and its subsequent French Revolutionary Wars — a period so profoundly dramatic, chaotic, and drenched in blood, it’s hardly surprising that filmmakers and television producers have, with varying degrees of success and often questionable taste, attempted to capture its essence. What follows is a rather extensive, yet still regrettably incomplete, compilation of feature films, television films, and TV series that dared to delve into these tumultuous years. Note, this list pointedly excludes the more pedestrian realm of documentaries and fleeting short films; we're focusing on the grand, the sweeping, and the occasionally ludicrous cinematic narratives that prefer spectacle over strict historical lecture. You’ll find no earnest attempts at pure historical accuracy here, only the dramatic interpretations that have, for better or worse, etched this era into popular culture.
1910s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | United States | Robespierre | Herbert Brenon | A silent drama, likely an early cinematic exploration of the enigmatic and ruthless figure of Maximilien Robespierre, the architect of the Reign of Terror. One can only imagine the theatrical intensity required to convey his chilling rise and fall without the benefit of sound. | |
| 1914 | United States | Ireland a Nation | Walter MacNamara | A historical drama focusing on the Irish Rebellion of 1798, an event inextricably linked to the broader upheaval of the French Revolutionary Wars as the French sought to destabilize British rule. It’s a reminder that revolutionary fervor wasn't confined to the continent. | |
| 1914 | United States | Charlotte Corday | William F. Adler | A dramatic retelling centered on the infamous Charlotte Corday, a Girondin sympathizer who assassinated Jean-Paul Marat in his bath. A pivotal, if gruesome, moment often romanticized in its depiction of a woman driven to extreme measures by political conviction. | |
| 1914 | France | The Knight of Maison-Rouge | Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge | Albert Capellani | A French historical drama, almost certainly drawing from the popular novel by Alexandre Dumas. These narratives often focused on royalist heroes attempting to rescue Marie Antoinette or Louis XVII, playing on themes of loyalty and daring amidst revolutionary chaos. |
| 1915 | United States | The Two Orphans | Herbert Brenon | A drama, based on the enduringly popular 1874 French play The Two Orphans. This story, a staple of melodramatic theater, often uses the backdrop of the French Revolution to heighten the plight of its innocent protagonists, separating families and creating desperate circumstances. | |
| 1916 | Italy | Storming of the Bastille | La presa della Bastiglia | Eleuterio Rodolfi | A sweeping historical drama depicting the iconic Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. This event, a symbolic flashpoint, is a natural choice for early epic cinema, signifying the dramatic commencement of the revolution. |
| 1916 | Italy | Madame Guillotine | Madame Tallien | Enrico Guazzoni Mario Caserini |
A drama, drawing inspiration from the play "Madame Tallien." This often refers to Thérésa Tallien, a prominent figure of the Directory era, known for her beauty, influence, and her role in the downfall of Robespierre during the Thermidorian Reaction. |
| 1917 | United States | The Scarlet Pimpernel | Richard Stanton | An adventure film, adapted from the immensely popular novel The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. It introduced the enduring archetype of the dashing English nobleman secretly rescuing French aristocrats from the guillotine, a thrilling escapist fantasy set against the brutal reality of the Reign of Terror. | |
| 1917 | United States | Madame Du Barry | J. Gordon Edwards | A historical drama, based loosely on the novel "Memoirs d’un médecin" by Alexandre Dumas. This film would have focused on the life and eventual execution of Madame du Barry, the last Maîtresse-en-titre of Louis XV, whose opulent lifestyle became a symbol of the Ancien Régime excesses that fueled the revolution. | |
| 1917 | United States | A Tale of Two Cities | Frank Lloyd | A drama, history, romance, and war film, this is an early adaptation of Charles Dickens' monumental novel A Tale of Two Cities. It intricately weaves personal narratives of sacrifice and love into the grand tapestry of the revolution, contrasting the turmoil of Paris with the supposed tranquility of London. | |
| 1919 | Weimar Republic | Charlotte Corday | Frederic Zelnik | Another dramatic historical take on Charlotte Corday's fateful act. The German perspective here might offer a slightly different nuance to the portrayal of the revolutionary zealot and her victim, Marat. | |
| 1919 | Weimar Republic | Madame Dubarry | Ernst Lubitsch | A biography, drama, and romance, this Ernst Lubitsch film, starring Pola Negri, explored the life of Madame du Barry. Lubitsch's characteristic wit and flair for historical spectacle would have given this portrayal of the doomed royal favorite a unique, perhaps more biting, edge. | |
| 1919 | United Kingdom | The Elusive Pimpernel | Maurice Elvey | An adventure drama, based on the novel The Elusive Pimpernel, another installment in Baroness Orczy's popular series. These films capitalized on the public's fascination with secret identities and daring rescues, offering a romanticized view of heroism during a brutal historical period. |
1920s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | France | Ninety-three | Quatre-vingt-treize | André Antoine Albert Capellani Léonard Antoine |
A drama and historical adaptation of Victor Hugo's epic novel Ninety-Three. The story vividly portrays the brutal conflict between revolutionaries and royalist rebels during the War in the Vendée in the titular year 1793, exploring the moral ambiguities and human cost of ideological warfare. |
| 1920 | Denmark | Leaves from Satan's Book | Blade af Satans bog | Carl Theodor Dreyer | A drama from the renowned Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer. This film, structured as four historical episodes depicting Satan tempting humanity, includes a segment set during the French Revolution, showcasing the era's cruelty as a manifestation of evil. |
| 1921 | United States | Orphans of the Storm | D. W. Griffith | A grand drama, history, and romance, D. W. Griffith's epic silent film is based on the play The Two Orphans. It uses the tumultuous backdrop of the revolution, particularly the Reign of Terror, to highlight the plight of two sisters separated and caught in the maelstrom of societal collapse and political extremism. | |
| 1921 | Weimar Republic | Danton | Dimitri Buchowetzki | A drama, inspired by Georg Büchner's play Danton's Death. This film would have focused on the charismatic revolutionary Georges Danton, his struggle against Robespierre, and his eventual tragic demise during the height of the Reign of Terror. | |
| 1922 | France | Jocelyn | Léon Poirier | A drama and romance, adapted from the epic poem "Jocelyn" by Alphonse de Lamartine. The story typically follows a priest's forbidden love during the revolutionary period, often depicting the persecution of the clergy under the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. | |
| 1922 | Weimar Republic | Marie Antoinette, the Love of a King | Marie Antoinette – Das Leben einer Königin | Rudolf Meinert | A historical drama chronicling the life of Marie Antoinette. German productions of this era often portrayed the queen with a degree of tragic sympathy, focusing on her personal struggles rather than solely her political failings. |
| 1923 | United Kingdom United States |
I Will Repay | Henry Kolker | An adventure, drama, and history film, based on the novel I Will Repay by Baroness Orczy. This continues the popular "Scarlet Pimpernel" saga, featuring thrilling escapes and a focus on the loyalists attempting to reverse the revolutionary tide. | |
| 1923 | France | The Child King | L'Enfant-roi | Jean Kemm | A film centered on the tragic figure of Louis XVII, the young son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who effectively became king after his father's execution but died in imprisonment. These stories often evoke pathos and highlight the brutal treatment of the royal family. |
| 1923 | United States | Scaramouche | Rex Ingram | A drama and romance, adapted from Rafael Sabatini's swashbuckling novel Scaramouche. The narrative follows a young lawyer who becomes a masked avenger during the revolution, blending historical events with thrilling adventure and romantic intrigue. | |
| 1923 | France | The Lyon Courier Affair | L'Affaire du courrier de Lyon | Léon Poirier | A historical drama, recounting the infamous Courrier de Lyon case. This real-life miscarriage of justice during the revolutionary period, involving mistaken identity and political machinations, provides fertile ground for a suspenseful and morally complex narrative. |
| 1925 | United Kingdom | The Only Way | Herbert Wilcox | An adventure drama, another adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. The enduring appeal of Dickens' narrative ensured multiple cinematic interpretations, each aiming to capture the novel's blend of social commentary, romance, and historical sweep. | |
| 1926 | United Kingdom | The Only Way | Herbert Wilcox | Another adventure drama from Herbert Wilcox, this is likely a re-release or a very similar production to the 1925 film, demonstrating the sustained popularity of A Tale of Two Cities in the silent era, particularly in the UK. | |
| 1927 | France | Napoleon | Napoléon | Abel Gance | A monumental biography, drama, history, and war film by Abel Gance. This epic silent masterpiece covers Napoleon's early life and military campaigns, culminating in his invasion of Italy. It is celebrated for its innovative cinematic techniques, including polyvision, and its ambitious scope in portraying the man who would ultimately rise from the revolution's ashes. |
| 1928 | Weimar Republic | The Last Night | Revolutionshochzeit | A.W. Sandberg | A drama, likely exploring personal stories set against the backdrop of revolutionary turmoil, perhaps focusing on a wedding or a final gathering before the dawn of a new, uncertain era. The title suggests a focus on the human element amidst societal collapse. |
| 1928 | United Kingdom | The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel | T. Hayes Hunter | An adventure, drama, romance, and war film, based on the novel The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel. This further cemented the Pimpernel's status as a heroic figure, embodying a romanticized resistance to the excesses of the French Republic. |
1930s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | United States | Du Barry, Woman of Passion | Sam Taylor | A romance and drama, based on the play "Du Barry." This early sound film allowed for a more nuanced portrayal of Madame du Barry's life and her entanglement with the royal court, highlighting the passions and political intrigues that defined her existence before the revolution consumed her. | |
| 1930 | United States | Captain of the Guard | John S. Robertson Pál Fejös |
A drama, musical, romance, and war film. The presence of "musical" suggests a blend of historical spectacle with popular entertainment, perhaps featuring songs that reflect the revolutionary spirit or the romantic dilemmas of the period. | |
| 1931 | United Kingdom | Madame Guillotine | Reginald Fogwell | A history and romance film. The ominous title, of course, refers to the infamous instrument of execution during the Reign of Terror, suggesting a narrative filled with political intrigue, betrayal, and the ever-present threat of the scaffold. | |
| 1931 | Weimar Republic | Danton | Hans Behrendt | A drama focusing on Georges Danton. German cinema continued its fascination with this complex revolutionary figure, whose revolutionary fervor eventually turned on him, highlighting the cyclical nature of power during the revolution. | |
| 1932 | France | Danton | André Roubaud | A historical film, based on the play The Danton Case. French cinema naturally offered its own interpretations of Georges Danton, often delving deeper into the political philosophy and personal struggles of this key figure, whose calls for moderation ultimately led to his execution. | |
| 1933 | France | The Two Orphans | Les deux orphelines | Maurice Tourneur | A drama, another French adaptation of the popular play The Two Orphans. The story's timeless appeal, depicting innocence lost and found amidst societal chaos, resonated particularly strongly in France, the setting of the original drama. |
| 1934 | United Kingdom | The Scarlet Pimpernel | Harold Young | An adventure drama, the definitive early sound adaptation of Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel, starring Leslie Howard. This version cemented the Pimpernel's image as the quintessential heroic rescuer, effortlessly outwitting the revolutionary guards with wit and daring. | |
| 1935 | United States | A Tale of Two Cities | Jack Conway | A drama, history, and romance, this is arguably the most famous Hollywood adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, starring Ronald Colman. Its grand production values and powerful performances captured the epic scope and tragic romance of the novel. | |
| 1936 | United Kingdom | The Prisoner of Corbal | Karl Grune | A drama, history, and romance, based on the novel The Nuptials of Corbal by Baroness Orczy. This further extended the cinematic universe of revolutionary France as depicted by Orczy, focusing on themes of imprisonment, escape, and love under duress. | |
| 1937 | France | The Courier of Lyon | L'affaire du courrier de Lyon | Claude Autant-Lara Maurice Lehmann |
A drama and history film, revisiting the infamous Courrier de Lyon case. This French production likely delved into the intricacies of the legal and political machinations that surrounded this celebrated case of mistaken identity and judicial error during the revolution. |
| 1937 | United Kingdom | The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel | Hanns Schwarz | A drama, history, and romance, continuing the adventures of the elusive hero, based on the novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. The character's popularity ensured a steady stream of sequels, each offering more thrilling rescues from the looming shadow of the guillotine. | |
| 1938 | France | Let's go up the Champs-Élysées | Remontons les Champs-Élysées | Sacha Guitry Robert Bibal |
A comedy and drama, likely a more lighthearted or satirical look at French history, perhaps using the Champs-Élysées as a focal point to traverse different eras, including the revolutionary period, with Sacha Guitry's characteristic charm and wit. |
| 1938 | Italy | The Count of Brechard | Il conte di Brechard | Mario Bonnard | A drama and history film. Italian cinema also engaged with the revolutionary period, often focusing on figures of nobility caught in the crossfire, highlighting themes of honor, loyalty, and survival in a world turned upside down. |
| 1938 | France | La Marseillaise | Jean Renoir | A drama, history, music, and war film by the acclaimed Jean Renoir. This film offers a republican perspective on the revolution, focusing on the ordinary citizens and volunteers from Marseille who marched to Paris singing the iconic anthem, providing a more grounded and less aristocratic view of the historical events. | |
| 1938 | United States | Marie Antoinette | W. S. Van Dyke | A lavish biography, drama, history, and romance, based on Stefan Zweig's biography Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman. Starring Norma Shearer, this opulent Hollywood production presented a sympathetic, if somewhat tragic, portrayal of Marie Antoinette's life, emphasizing her personal story against the backdrop of an unraveling monarchy. | |
| 1939 | France | The Three Drums | Les Trois Tambours | Maurice de Canonge | A drama, history, and war film, based on an unspecified novel. The title evokes military imagery, suggesting a focus on the campaigns or the drumbeats of revolution that signaled both triumph and terror across France. |
1940s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | United States | New Moon | Robert Z. Leonard W. S. Van Dyke |
An adventure, music, musical, and romance film, adapted from the popular operetta The New Moon. This musical often features a French aristocrat fleeing the revolution and finding love and adventure in the New World, blending historical context with classic Hollywood escapism and song. | |
| 1941 | France | Madame Sans-Gêne | Madame Sans-Gêne | Roger Richebé | A comedy, drama, and history film, centering on Catherine Hübscher, the "Madame Sans-Gêne" (Madame Carefree). This historical figure, a laundress who rose through the ranks to become the Duchess of Danzig through her husband, Marshal Lefebvre, offered a charming, often humorous, perspective on social mobility during the revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. |
| 1942 | Italy | Luisa Sanfelice | Leo Menardi | A drama, based on the novel La Sanfelice by Alexandre Dumas. This story focuses on Luisa Sanfelice, an aristocratic woman caught in the political turmoil of the Parthenopean Republic in Naples, an event directly influenced by the French Revolutionary Wars and French occupation of Italy. | |
| 1942 | United Kingdom | The Young Mr. Pitt | Carol Reed | A biography, drama, romance, and war film, chronicling the life of William Pitt the Younger. As Prime Minister of Great Britain during the French Revolutionary Wars, Pitt was a central figure in the opposition to revolutionary France, and the film would have explored the political and military challenges he faced. | |
| 1942 | France | Mlle. Desiree | Le Destin fabuleux de Désirée Clary | Sacha Guitry René Le Hénaff |
A comedy, drama, and history film, depicting the fabulous destiny of Désirée Clary. She was a former fiancée of Napoleon who eventually became Queen of Sweden and Norway, providing a unique, often romanticized, look at the personal lives intertwined with the grand sweep of history. |
| 1942 | Italy | The Two Orphans | Le due orfanelle | Carmine Gallone | A drama, another Italian adaptation of the timeless play The Two Orphans. The narrative continued to find resonance, particularly during periods of conflict, as the themes of resilience and the search for family offered comfort amidst turbulent times. |
| 1944 | Mexico | The Two Orphans | Las dos huérfanas | José Benavides hijo | A drama and family film, demonstrating the global reach of the play The Two Orphans. Even in Mexico, the story of innocent individuals navigating the chaos of the French Revolution proved compelling, transcending cultural boundaries. |
| 1945 | France | Pamela | Paméla | Pierre de Hérain | A drama, based on the play "Pamela." This likely refers to a story set during the revolutionary period, perhaps focusing on a woman named Pamela and her personal struggles or romantic entanglements amidst the political upheaval. |
| 1945 | Italy | The blacksmith of the convent | Il fabbro del convento | Max Calandri | An adventure film, based on the novel "Le Forgeron de la Cour-Dieu." This suggests a story of courage and intrigue, perhaps involving a humble artisan whose life is dramatically altered by the revolutionary events, possibly even engaging in acts of resistance or heroism. |
| 1946 | United States | The Fighting Guardsman | Henry Levin | An action, adventure, drama, and romance film, based on the novel "The Companions of Jehu" by Alexandre Dumas. This story typically involves royalist counter-revolutionary efforts, often featuring masked heroes and daring escapades during the Directory period following the Reign of Terror. | |
| 1946 | United Kingdom | The Laughing Lady | Paul L. Stein | A drama and musical, based on an unspecified play. The musical element would have provided a lighter, more entertaining approach to the historical setting, perhaps using song and dance to convey the mood or to comment on the social changes of the era. | |
| 1947 | United Kingdom | Escape Dangerous | Digby Smith | A film whose title alone suggests a thrilling narrative of flight and evasion, almost certainly set against the perilous backdrop of revolutionary France, where political allegiances could mean the difference between freedom and the guillotine. | |
| 1947 | France | The Royalists | Les Chouans | Henri Calef | An adventure and history film, based on Honoré de Balzac's novel Les Chouans. This film delves into the brutal Chouannerie, the royalist uprising in western France, offering a raw portrayal of the civil war that raged concurrently with the larger revolution. |
| 1948 | France | The Lame Devil | Le Diable boiteux | Sacha Guitry | A biography, drama, and history film by Sacha Guitry, focusing on the extraordinary life of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord. Talleyrand, a notoriously adaptable diplomat, navigated the entire revolutionary period and beyond, making his story a fascinating chronicle of survival and political maneuvering. |
| 1949 | United States | The Fighting O'Flynn | Arthur Pierson | An action, adventure, romance, thriller, and war film, based on the play "The Fighting O'Flynn." This likely incorporates elements of the French expedition to Ireland (1796), showcasing the international reach of the revolutionary conflicts and the intertwining of Irish and French destinies. | |
| 1949 | United States | Reign of Terror | Anthony Mann | A history, romance, thriller, and war film by Anthony Mann. This noir-tinged thriller is set during the climax of the Reign of Terror, with Maximilien Robespierre as a central, menacing figure. It captures the paranoia and danger of the period, as characters navigate political purges and seek to uncover conspiracies. |
1950s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | United Kingdom | The Elusive Pimpernel | Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger |
An adventure, drama, and romance, based on Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. Directed by the acclaimed Powell and Pressburger, this adaptation brought their distinctive visual style and dramatic flair to the classic tale of aristocratic rescue missions during the Reign of Terror. | |
| 1951 | France | Darling Caroline | Caroline Chérie | Richard Pottier | A comedy, based on the novel "The loves of Caroline Cherie: A novel." This lighthearted historical romp follows the adventures and romantic entanglements of a young noblewoman trying to survive the revolutionary era, often with a mischievous spirit and a knack for navigating perilous situations. |
| 1952 | United States | Scaramouche | George Sidney | An action, adventure, comedy, drama, and romance, this vibrant Technicolor adaptation of Rafael Sabatini's novel Scaramouche is renowned for its spectacular fencing sequences and dashing performances. It blends the historical backdrop of the French Revolution with classic Hollywood swashbuckling entertainment. | |
| 1953 | Soviet Union | Attack from the Sea | Корабли штурмуют бастионы | Mikhail Romm | A biography, drama, and war film, focusing on the Russian naval commander Fyodor Ushakov and his actions during the Siege of Corfu (1798–1799). This period was a direct consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars, as various European powers contended for control in the Mediterranean. |
| 1953 | France | A Caprice of Darling Caroline | Un caprice de Caroline chérie | Jean Devaivre | A romance and war film, based on the novel "Un caprice de Caroline chérie." This sequel continued the adventures of the spirited Caroline, intertwining her romantic escapades with the ongoing conflicts and political shifts of the revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. |
| 1953 | United Kingdom United States |
Sea Devils | Raoul Walsh | An action, adventure, drama, and history film, based on Victor Hugo's novel Toilers of the Sea. While Hugo's novel is primarily set post-Revolution, films taking inspiration from it might incorporate elements of the naval conflicts or the lingering effects of the revolutionary era on coastal communities. | |
| 1953 | Italy | The Knight of Maison Rouge | Il cavaliere di Maison Rouge | Vittorio Cottafavi | An adventure and history film, another adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge. Italian filmmakers often brought a distinct flair to these historical romances, emphasizing heroic deeds and dramatic sacrifices in the struggle against revolutionary forces. |
| 1954 | United States | Désirée | Henry Koster | A biography, drama, history, and romance, based on Annemarie Selinko's novel "Désirée." Starring Jean Simmons and Marlon Brando, this film tells the story of Désirée Clary, a silk merchant's daughter who became Napoleon's first love and later Queen of Sweden, offering a personal perspective on the era's grand figures. | |
| 1954 | France Italy |
Royal Affairs in Versailles | Si Versailles m'était conté | Sacha Guitry | A comedy, drama, and history film by Sacha Guitry, presenting a sprawling historical tableau of the Palace of Versailles from its construction to the eve of the revolution. It offers glimpses into the lives of the various monarchs and courtiers, subtly building up to the inevitable collapse of the Ancien Régime. |
| 1954 | France | Cadet Rousselle | André Hunebelle | An adventure and comedy film. "Cadet Rousselle" is a famous French folk song, and films based on such cultural touchstones often present a more whimsical or satirical take on historical events, possibly featuring a mischievous character navigating the revolutionary landscape. | |
| 1954 | France Italy |
The rebels of Lomanach | Les Révoltés de Lomanach | Richard Pottier | An adventure film, likely set during the War in the Vendée. These regional uprisings provided ample material for stories of local heroism, resistance, and the brutal cost of internal conflict within revolutionary France. |
| 1954 | Italy France |
The Two Orphans | Le due orfanelle | Giacomo Gentilomo | An adventure and drama, yet another adaptation of the enduring play The Two Orphans. The story's ability to transcend national cinema and continue to be remade speaks to its powerful, universal themes of hardship and perseverance during a time of immense social upheaval. |
| 1955 | France Italy |
Napoléon | Sacha Guitry | A biography, drama, and war film by Sacha Guitry. This film provided a detailed, if idiosyncratic, portrayal of Napoleon's life, from his revolutionary origins through his rise to emperor, offering a French perspective on one of history's most transformative figures. | |
| 1955 | France Spain |
Cavalrymen | Les Hussards | Alex Joffé | A comedy, based on the play "Les Hussards." This film likely uses the military context of the French Revolutionary Wars as a backdrop for humorous situations, perhaps involving soldiers caught in amusing predicaments or satirizing military life during the period. |
| 1955 | France Italy |
Andrea Chénier | Clemente Fracassi | A drama, based on Umberto Giordano's opera Andrea Chénier. The opera, and thus the film, tells the tragic story of the real-life poet André Chénier, who was guillotined during the Reign of Terror, highlighting the fate of intellectuals caught in the revolution's purges. | |
| 1956 | France | If Paris Were Told to Us | Si Paris nous était conté | Sacha Guitry | A comedy, drama, and history film by Sacha Guitry. Similar to his "Royal Affairs in Versailles," this film offers a panoramic history of Paris, undoubtedly including the pivotal moments of the French Revolution and the profound changes it wrought upon the city and its inhabitants. |
| 1956 | France Italy |
Marie Antoinette Queen of France | Marie-Antoinette reine de France | Jean Delannoy | A drama and history film, providing another French cinematic interpretation of the life and tragic end of Marie Antoinette. These films often sought to re-evaluate her role, sometimes presenting her as a victim of circumstance rather than a symbol of aristocratic excess. |
| 1957 | United Kingdom | Dangerous Exile | Brian Desmond Hurst | An adventure, drama, and romance, focusing on the attempts to rescue Louis XVII, the young Dauphin, from his revolutionary captors. These narratives were popular, playing on the pathos of the "lost king" and the daring of those who remained loyal to the Bourbon monarchy. | |
| 1958 | United Kingdom | A Tale of Two Cities | Ralph Thomas | A drama, history, romance, and war film, another British adaptation of Charles Dickens' enduring novel A Tale of Two Cities. The consistency of these adaptations across decades speaks to the novel's powerful narrative and its ability to continually captivate audiences with its themes of sacrifice and redemption. |
1960s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Spain Italy France |
Madame | Madame Sans-Gêne | Christian-Jaque | A comedy, drama, romance, and war film, yet another adaptation centered on Catherine Hübscher, the "Madame Sans-Gêne." This international co-production likely brought a broader, perhaps more glamorous, comedic interpretation to her rags-to-riches story set against the backdrop of the revolution and the Napoleonic era. |
| 1961 | France Italy |
Dialogue of the Carmelites | Le dialogue des Carmélites I dialoghi delle Carmelitane |
Raymond Léopold Bruckberger Philippe Agostini |
A powerful drama and history film, based on the play "Dialogue des Carmélites." It tells the harrowing true story of the Martyrs of Compiègne, a group of Carmelite nuns who were guillotined during the Reign of Terror for refusing to renounce their vows, highlighting the intense anti-clericalism of the period. |
| 1962 | United Kingdom | Billy Budd | Peter Ustinov | An adventure, drama, and war film, based on the play Billy Budd by Herman Melville. While primarily set on a British warship, the story often touches upon themes of naval discipline and mutiny during the era of the French Revolutionary Wars, reflecting the volatile political climate that extended to the high seas. | |
| 1962 | United Kingdom | H.M.S. Defiant | Lewis Gilbert | An action, drama, history, and war film, based on the novel "Mutiny." This film typically depicts a mutiny on a British warship during the French Revolutionary Wars, exploring the harsh conditions and class tensions that could ignite rebellion even within the disciplined ranks of the Royal Navy. | |
| 1962 | Italy France |
Women of Devil's Island | Le prigioniere dell'isola del diavolo L'île aux filles perdues |
Domenico Paolella | An action, adventure, and drama film. This genre often leveraged the dramatic potential of the French penal colonies or remote islands, suggesting a story of female prisoners, perhaps political dissidents or victims of revolutionary justice, enduring harsh conditions and seeking escape. |
| 1963 | France Italy Spain |
The Adventures of Scaramouche | Scaramouche | Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi | An adventure film, continuing the swashbuckling exploits of Scaramouche. The character's enduring appeal allowed for numerous adaptations, each placing him in thrilling scenarios against the backdrop of the French Revolution, often with a lighter, more action-oriented focus than earlier dramas. |
| 1964 | France Italy Spain |
The Black Tulip | La Tulipe noire | Christian-Jaque | An action, adventure, and comedy, loosely based on Alexandre Dumas' novel The Black Tulip. While the novel is set in 17th-century Holland, this adaptation, starring Alain Delon, reimagined the story during the French Revolution as a swashbuckling tale of a masked hero. |
| 1965 | France Italy |
The Two Orphans | Les Deux orphelines | Riccardo Freda | A drama, another French-Italian co-production of the classic play The Two Orphans. The story's perennial popularity in European cinema highlights its universal themes of familial separation and resilience in the face of historical catastrophe. |
| 1966 | Italy | The two sans-culottes | I due sanculotti | Giorgio Simonelli | A comedy. The term "sans-culottes" referred to the radical working-class partisans of the revolution, and a comedy featuring them would likely offer a satirical, perhaps irreverent, look at the revolutionary period from the perspective of the common people. |
| 1966 | Italy France Spain |
Red roses for Angelica | Rose rosse per Angelica | Steno | An adventure film, based on Alexandre Dumas' novel Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge. This European co-production likely infused the dramatic royalist rescue narrative with a vibrant, perhaps more action-packed, flair characteristic of mid-20th century adventure films. |
| 1967 | France Italy Romania |
Seven Guys and one slut | Sept hommes et une garce | Bernard Borderie | An adventure film. The provocative title suggests a story of daring and perhaps questionable morality, likely involving a group of individuals navigating the dangerous and morally ambiguous landscape of revolutionary France. |
| 1967 | Italy | The Rover | L'avventuriero | Terence Young | An adventure, drama, history, and war film, based on Joseph Conrad's novel The Rover. While Conrad's novel is set after the French Revolution, its themes of piracy, espionage, and the lingering scars of the Napoleonic era firmly place it within the broader historical context of the post-revolutionary world. |
| 1967 | United Kingdom | Don't Lose Your Head | Gerald Thomas | An action, adventure, and comedy, loosely based on Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. This is a "Carry On" film, known for its irreverent, slapstick humor, offering a distinctly British comedic take on the heroic escapades of the Pimpernel during the Reign of Terror. | |
| 1967 | United Kingdom | Marat/Sade | Peter Brook | A drama, history, and music film, based on Peter Weiss's play Marat/Sade. This highly theatrical and disturbing film explores the radical ideas of Marquis de Sade and Jean-Paul Marat, as performed by the inmates of a mental asylum. It's a psychological and philosophical examination of the revolution's violence and its underlying ideologies, with Charlotte Corday also a key figure. | |
| 1968 | Italy West Germany France United States |
Emma Hamilton | Le calde notti di Lady Hamilton | Christian-Jaque | A drama, history, and romance, based on Alexandre Dumas' novel La Sanfelice. This international co-production tells the story of Luisa Sanfelice and often intertwines with the life of Emma Hamilton, the mistress of Lord Nelson, highlighting the broader European entanglements during the French Revolutionary Wars. |
| 1968 | France Italy West Germany |
Darling Caroline | Caroline chérie | Denys de La Patellière | A drama and history film, based on the novel Darling Caroline. This remake continued the adventures of the resilient Caroline, adapting her story for a new generation, likely with a more contemporary cinematic style and a focus on her romantic and survivalist instincts amidst the revolution. |
| 1969 | East Germany | Maid, I like you | Jungfer, Sie gefällt mir | Günter Reisch | A comedy, based on Heinrich von Kleist's play The Broken Jug. While the play is set in a Dutch village, adaptations might place it within a revolutionary context, using the upheaval to satirize justice, authority, and human folly, a common theme in East German cinema of the era. |
1970s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | United States | Start the Revolution Without Me | Bud Yorkin | A comedy and history film, loosely based on elements from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, Alexandre Dumas' The Corsican Brothers, and The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later. This film is a farcical parody, starring Gene Wilder, playing on mistaken identities and comedic chaos set during the French Revolution. | |
| 1971 | France | Bonaparte and the revolution | Bonaparte et la révolution | Abel Gance | A drama and history film, this was Abel Gance's second attempt to create a comprehensive work on Napoleon, combining footage from his 1927 silent epic with new sound sequences. It aimed to provide an even more expansive and definitive cinematic biography of the emperor, beginning with his revolutionary origins. |
| 1971 | France Italy Romania |
The Married Couple of the Year Two | Les Mariés de l'an Deux | Jean-Paul Rappeneau | An action, adventure, comedy, and romance. Set in the "Year Two" of the French Republican calendar, this film follows a couple separated by the revolution, blending historical events with a spirited, comedic quest for reunion and survival amidst the chaos. |
| 1974 | Italy | Allonsanfàn | Paolo and Vittorio Taviani | A drama and history film by the Taviani brothers. This allegorical film explores the disillusionment of an aging Italian aristocrat who once participated in the revolutionary movements influenced by France, reflecting on the ideals and failures of revolution. | |
| 1976 | Italy Spain |
The Two Orphans | Le due orfanelle Las dos huerfanitas |
Leopoldo Savona | A drama, another Italian-Spanish co-production of the enduring play The Two Orphans. The continued remakes attest to the story's powerful emotional core, which resonated across cultures with its portrayal of human suffering and resilience during the French Revolution. |
| 1979 | Japan France |
Lady Oscar | ベルサイユのばら | Jacques Demy | A drama, history, and romance film, based on the iconic Japanese manga The Rose of Versailles by Riyoko Ikeda. This unique cross-cultural adaptation tells the story of Lady Oscar, a woman raised as a man, serving as Marie Antoinette's guard, offering a highly romanticized and dramatic perspective on the final years of the Ancien Régime and the dawn of the revolution. |
1980s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | United States | History of the World, Part I | Mel Brooks | A comedy, history, and musical. Mel Brooks's irreverent sketch comedy film includes a lengthy segment set during the French Revolution, featuring Brooks himself as King Louis XVI. It's a gloriously anachronistic and utterly hilarious take on the period, complete with musical numbers and slapstick humor, entirely unconcerned with historical accuracy. | |
| 1982 | France Italy |
That Night in Varennes | Il mondo nuovo La Nuit de Varennes |
Ettore Scola | A drama and history film, based on an unspecified novel. This film portrays the ill-fated Flight to Varennes by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, seen through the eyes of various historical and fictional characters traveling in other coaches, offering a multifaceted and philosophical perspective on a pivotal moment of the revolution. |
| 1983 | France Poland West Germany |
Danton | Andrzej Wajda | A biography, drama, and history film by Andrzej Wajda, based on Stanisława Przybyszewska's play The Danton Case. This powerful and unflinching film focuses on the clash between Georges Danton and Maximilien Robespierre during the Reign of Terror, exploring the corruption of revolutionary ideals and the descent into tyranny. | |
| 1984 | Hungary | The Annunciation | Angyali üdvözlet | András Jeles | A drama, based on Imre Madách's play The Tragedy of Man. This philosophical drama, often featuring children in adult roles, includes a segment set during the French Revolution, with Georges Danton appearing as a character, using the historical period to explore broader questions about human nature and destiny. |
| 1985 | East Germany | The Geese of Buetzow | Die Gänse von Bützow | Frank Vogel | A comedy, based on a novel "Die Gänse von Bützow." East German cinema sometimes used historical settings, including periods of revolutionary upheaval, to create allegories or satires, often with a focus on class struggle or social change. |
| 1985 | Egypt France |
Bonaparte in Egypt | وداعا بونابرت Adieu Bonaparte |
Youssef Chahine | A drama, history, and war film by Youssef Chahine. This unique film explores Napoleon's French campaign in Egypt and Syria from an Egyptian perspective, examining the cultural clash and the complex legacy of French colonialism initiated during the revolutionary era. |
| 1985 | France Italy West Germany |
Freedom, Equality, Sauerkraut | Liberté, Égalité, Choucroute | Jean Yanne | A comedy. The title is a humorous twist on the revolutionary motto "Liberté, égalité, fraternité," suggesting a satirical or absurd take on the French Revolution, perhaps with a focus on the clash of cultures or ideologies. |
| 1986 | Italy | Super ghosts | Superfantozzi | Neri Parenti | A comedy. This Italian comedy, part of the Fantozzi series, often involves its hapless protagonist stumbling through various historical periods, including the French Revolution, for comedic effect, completely disregarding historical accuracy for the sake of gags. |
| 1988 | East Germany | Treffen in Travers | Michael Gwisdek | A drama and history film. Set in the late 18th century, this film likely explores the impact of the French Revolution on neighboring regions or individuals, perhaps focusing on German intellectuals or émigrés caught between loyalty and revolutionary ideals. | |
| 1988 | French | Chouans! | Philippe de Broca | An adventure, history, and war film by Philippe de Broca, based on Honoré de Balzac's novel Les Chouans. This film offers a dramatic portrayal of the Chouannerie, the royalist uprising in western France, emphasizing the ferocity of the civil conflict and the personal tragedies it entailed. | |
| 1989 | French Italy West Germany Canada United Kingdom |
The French Revolution | La Révolution française | Robert Enrico Richard T. Heffron |
A monumental drama, history, thriller, and war film, produced for the bicentennial of the French Revolution. This ambitious two-part epic aimed for comprehensive coverage, depicting key events and figures from the Storming of the Bastille to Napoleon's rise, with an international cast and considerable historical detail. |
| 1989 | France | The Austrian | L'Autrichienne | Pierre Granier-Deferre | A biography, drama, and history film, focusing on the trial and final days of Marie Antoinette. The title "The Austrian" reflects the derogatory term used by revolutionaries, highlighting her foreign origins and the animosity directed towards her as a symbol of the Ancien Régime. |
| 1989 | France Canada |
Wait those lunatics | Vent de galerne | Bernard Favre | A drama, history, and war film, likely set during the War in the Vendée. The title, referring to a cold north-westerly wind, could metaphorically describe the chilling, relentless nature of the civil war and its devastating impact on the rural population. |
| 1989 | Belgium France |
Marquis | Henri Xhonneux | A surreal comedy, featuring puppets and grotesque imagery, centered on the controversial figure of Marquis de Sade during his imprisonment in the Bastille and later Charenton Asylum. It's a bizarre, darkly humorous exploration of freedom, repression, and revolutionary ideals. | |
| 1989 | France | Tolérance | Pierre-Henri Salfati | A drama, likely exploring themes of religious or political tolerance, or the lack thereof, during the French Revolution. The period was marked by intense ideological clashes and widespread persecution, making the concept of tolerance a particularly poignant subject. |
1990s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Italy France |
The Amusements of Private Life | I divertimenti della vita privata Les amusements de la vie privée |
Cristina Comencini | A comedy. This film, an Italian-French co-production, might offer a more intimate, perhaps satirical, look at the private lives of individuals attempting to maintain some semblance of normalcy or pleasure amidst the public upheaval of the revolutionary era. |
| 1995 | France United States |
Jefferson in Paris | James Ivory | A biography, drama, history, and romance film by James Ivory. It depicts Thomas Jefferson's time as the American ambassador to France on the eve of the revolution, exploring his personal relationships and his observations of the escalating social and political tensions that would soon erupt. | |
| 1996 | France | Ridicule | Patrice Leconte | A biting comedy, drama, history, and romance film by Patrice Leconte. Set in the court of Louis XVI just before the revolution, it brilliantly satirizes the aristocratic world of wit, intrigue, and superficiality, showing how the obsession with verbal dueling blinded the elite to the impending societal collapse. | |
| 1997 | United States | Passion in the Desert | Lavinia Currier | An adventure and drama, based on Honoré de Balzac's short story Une passion dans le désert. This film is set during Napoleon's French campaign in Egypt and Syria, focusing on a French officer lost in the desert and his extraordinary encounter with a leopard, blending historical setting with a tale of survival and connection. | |
| 1999 | Switzerland France Belgium |
War in the Highlands | La Guerre dans le Haut Pays | Francis Reusser | A drama, romance, and war film, based on the novel "La Guerre dans le Haut-Pays." This film explores the impact of the revolutionary conflicts on remote, mountainous regions, likely depicting the struggles of local populations caught between warring factions and the personal toll of such prolonged violence. |
2000s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | United Kingdom | Pandaemonium | Julien Temple | A biography and drama, focusing on the turbulent lives and friendship of Romantic poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. While not directly about the revolution, it explores the intellectual and emotional ferment of the late 18th century, a period profoundly shaped by the ideals and disillusionments emanating from revolutionary France. | |
| 2000 | France | Sade | Benoît Jacquot | A biography, crime, drama, and history film, based on the novel "La terreur dans le boudoir." This film provides a detailed, unflinching look at the life of Marquis de Sade during the Reign of Terror, exploring his philosophical and sexual provocations against the backdrop of societal collapse and extreme violence. | |
| 2001 | France Germany |
The Lady and the Duke | L'Anglaise et le Duc | Éric Rohmer | A drama, history, romance, and war film, based on the memoirs "Ma vie sous la révolution" by Grace Elliott. This film offers a unique perspective on the French Revolution from the viewpoint of a Scottish noblewoman living in Paris, recounting her experiences and her complex relationship with the Duke of Orléans, a royal cousin who embraced the revolution. |
| 2006 | United States United Kingdom |
Amazing Grace | Michael Apted | A biography, drama, and history film, focusing on William Wilberforce's campaign to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire. While not directly about the French Revolution, the film's setting in the late 18th and early 19th centuries means the ongoing French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic conflicts form a significant backdrop to his political struggles. | |
| 2006 | France United States Japan |
Marie Antoinette | Sofia Coppola | A visually stunning biography, drama, history, and romance film by Sofia Coppola. Starring Kirsten Dunst, this film offers a highly stylized, anachronistic, and sympathetic portrayal of Marie Antoinette's life at Versailles, emphasizing her isolation and youth, and the eventual, inevitable descent into revolutionary chaos. | |
| 2006 | United States Spain |
Goya's Ghosts | Miloš Forman | A biography, drama, and history film by Miloš Forman. Set during the Spanish Inquisition and the subsequent French invasion of Spain (part of the Napoleonic Wars, which grew out of the French Revolutionary Wars), it explores the impact of these tumultuous times on the artist Francisco Goya and his muses. |
2010s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | France Spain |
Farewell, My Queen | Les Adieux à la reine | Benoît Jacquot | A drama, history, and romance film. This film offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the first chaotic days of the French Revolution from the perspective of a young reader to Marie Antoinette at Versailles, focusing on the fear, rumors, and panic that gripped the court. |
| 2015 | France Georgia |
Winter song | Chant d'hiver | Otar Iosseliani | A comedy and drama. While primarily a contemporary film, Otar Iosseliani's works often weave together different historical periods and societal critiques, so it's possible the French Revolution appears as a historical counterpoint or a thematic echo within the narrative. |
| 2018 | Portugal France |
The Black Book | O caderno negro | Valeria Sarmiento | A drama, history, and romance. This film, set in the late 18th century, likely uses the backdrop of the French Revolutionary Wars and their aftermath to tell a story of intrigue, secrets, and romantic entanglements across Europe. |
| 2018 | France Belgium |
One Nation, One King | Un peuple et son roi | Pierre Schoeller | A drama and history film. This film attempts to portray the French Revolution from the perspective of the common people, focusing on the early years from the Storming of the Bastille to the execution of Louis XVI, highlighting the collective experience and evolving political consciousness. |
| 2018 | France | A strong desire for happiness | Un violent désir de bonheur | Clément Schneider | A drama, whose title suggests a profound exploration of human desires and aspirations, possibly set against the tumultuous backdrop of the French Revolution, where the pursuit of liberty and happiness often clashed with brutal realities. |
2020s
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | United States | Chevalier | Stephen Williams | A biography, drama, history, and music film. This film tells the remarkable true story of Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a Black French violinist, composer, and fencer, whose life intersected with the French aristocracy and the early stirrings of the French Revolution, offering a unique perspective on race, class, and genius in 18th-century France. | |
| 2023 | France | Win or die | Vaincre ou mourir | Paul Mignot Vincent Mottez |
An action, history, and war film. This film is a dramatic portrayal of the War in the Vendée, focusing on the royalist general François de Charette. It offers a French perspective on the brutal civil war, emphasizing the courage and sacrifices of those who fought against the republican forces. |
| 2023 | United States United Kingdom |
Napoleon | Ridley Scott | An action, biography, drama, history, and war film by Ridley Scott. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, this epic covers Napoleon's meteoric rise from a revolutionary officer to Emperor, intricately weaving his military conquests with his complex personal life, particularly his relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais, all against the backdrop of the French Revolutionary Wars and beyond. | |
| 2024 | Italy France |
The Flood | Le Déluge | Gianluca Jodice | A drama and history film, focusing on the final days of the royal family. It dramatically portrays Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and their children, Louis XVII and Marie-Thérèse, as they face imprisonment and the imminent threat of the guillotine, capturing the tragic end of the monarchy amidst the revolutionary torrent. |
| 2025 | Japan | The Rose of Versailles | ベルサイユのばら | Ai Yoshimura | An animation, drama, history, and romance film, based on the highly influential manga The Rose of Versailles. This animated feature promises to bring the beloved story of Lady Oscar, Marie Antoinette, and the tumultuous pre-revolutionary era to a new generation with its unique blend of historical drama and shōjo romance. |
Upcoming films
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Napoleon | A history and war film. Given the enduring fascination with Napoleon and the recent Ridley Scott film, it's not surprising that other projects are in development, likely offering different interpretations or focusing on specific aspects of his revolutionary and imperial career. | |||
| United States | Napoleon: The Age of Revolution | A drama and history film. This title suggests a focus specifically on Napoleon's rise during the revolutionary period, exploring how the chaos and opportunities of the revolution shaped his early military and political career, setting the stage for his imperial ambitions. | |||
| United States | Joze: A Revolutionary | Marilee Crockett | A biography, drama, history, romance, and thriller. This film is poised to tell the story of Joséphine de Beauharnais, charting her remarkable journey from a Creole widow to the Empress of France, highlighting her survival during the Reign of Terror and her pivotal relationship with Napoleon. | ||
| The 30 Immortals of Geneva | A drama, history, and romance film, based on an event known as "The 30 Immortals of Geneva." This likely refers to a specific, perhaps lesser-known, historical incident or legend from the revolutionary period, possibly involving heroism or resistance in the context of Swiss neutrality or involvement in the wider conflicts. | ||||
| The Color of Flesh | Virgil Widrich | A film based on the play "Marie Antoinette: The Color of Flesh." This implies a dramatic and potentially provocative exploration of Marie Antoinette's life, perhaps delving into themes of identity, perception, and the visceral realities of her existence and eventual downfall during the revolution. |
Science fiction, fantasy and horror
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | France Italy |
Beauties of the Night | Les Belles de nuit | René Clair | A comedy, fantasy, music, and romance film. Directed by René Clair, this whimsical fantasy features a young man who dreams himself into various historical periods, including the French Revolution, allowing for a lighthearted and imaginative, if not entirely accurate, exploration of the past. |
| 1957 | United States | The Story of Mankind | Irwin Allen | A drama, fantasy, and sci-fi film, based on Hendrik Willem van Loon's book The Story of Mankind. This sprawling, often mocked, film features a celestial trial where humanity's fate is decided by reviewing historical figures. It includes segments on Marie Antoinette and Napoleon, presenting a highly condensed and often bizarre take on their roles in history. | |
| 1994 | United Kingdom Canada France |
Highlander III: The Sorcerer | Andy Morahan | An action, fantasy, romance, and sci-fi film. This installment in the "Highlander" franchise features an immortal, Connor MacLeod, whose long life allows him to witness and participate in various historical events, including the French Revolution, providing an immortal's perspective on the fleeting nature of human conflict. | |
| 2001 | France Belgium Venezuela |
Brotherhood of the Wolf | Le Pacte des loups | Christophe Gans | An action, adventure, drama, horror, and thriller film. Set in 18th-century France, just before the French Revolution, this stylized horror-action film investigates the mysterious Beast of Gévaudan. While not directly about the revolution, it captures the social unrest, superstition, and political intrigue bubbling beneath the surface of the Ancien Régime. |
| 2016 | France Belgium Czech Republic |
The Visitors: Bastille Day | Les Visiteurs: La Révolution | Jean-Marie Poiré | An adventure, comedy, and fantasy film. This installment of the popular French comedy series sees two medieval characters time-traveling to the height of the French Revolution, leading to chaotic and anachronistic humor as they navigate the guillotine and the radical political climate. |
| 2023 | Chile | The Count | El Conde | Pablo Larraín | A black comedy, fantasy, history, and horror film. This audacious film reimagines Augusto Pinochet as a 250-year-old vampire, and includes flashbacks to his origins as a French royalist fighting against the French Revolution. It's a surreal and biting satire that connects historical figures across centuries through supernatural means. |
Television films
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | France | Wolves | Les Loups | Marcel Bluwal | A television film based on the play "Les Loups." This likely explores a military or political drama set during the French Revolutionary Wars, possibly referencing events like the Siege of Mainz (1793), where loyalties were tested and survival often depended on shifting alliances. |
| 1959 | Yugoslavia | A man of destiny | Човек судбине Čovek sudbine |
Mirjana Samardžić | A drama, based on George Bernard Shaw's play The Man of Destiny. This play features a young Napoleon in Italy, shortly after the revolutionary period, showcasing his early strategic brilliance and charm, hinting at the future emperor. |
| 1961 | France | The Two Orphans | Les deux orphelines | Jean-Marie Coldefy | A television film based on the classic play The Two Orphans. This French TV adaptation brought the melodramatic tale of sisters separated during the French Revolution directly into homes, ensuring its continued cultural relevance. |
| 1963 | West Germany | The Wolves | Die Wölfe | Falk Harnack | A television film based on the play "Les Loups." This German adaptation would have provided a different interpretation of the military and political tensions during the French Revolutionary Wars, possibly with a focus on the German perspective of the conflicts, such as the Siege of Mainz (1793). |
| 1963 | West Germany | Danton's death | Dantons Tod | Fritz Umgelter | A drama, based on Georg Büchner's seminal play Danton's Death. This television film would have meticulously recreated the intense political debates and personal agonies leading to Georges Danton's execution during the Reign of Terror, a powerful exploration of revolutionary idealism turning on itself. |
| 1967 | Finland | Jean-Paul Marat persecuted and murdered as represented by the patients of the Charenton Hospital under the direction of M. de Sade | Jean-Paul Marat förföljd och mördad så som det framställs av patienterna på hospitalet Charenton under ledning av herr de Sade | Tom Segerberg | A drama, based on Peter Weiss's play Marat/Sade. This Finnish television adaptation would have presented the same unsettling theatrical experience as the film version, exploring the revolutionary figures of Marquis de Sade and Jean-Paul Marat, and the act of Charlotte Corday, through the lens of a mental asylum. |
| 1967 | France | Valmy | Jean Chérasse Abel Gance |
A television film focusing on the Battle of Valmy. This pivotal victory in 1792, where the French revolutionary army halted the Prussian advance, was a crucial morale booster and a symbolic moment for the young republic, making it a fitting subject for a French historical drama. | |
| 1970 | France | Danton's death | La mort de Danton | Claude Barma | A television film based on Georg Büchner's play Danton's Death. French television offered its own nuanced portrayal of Georges Danton's final confrontation with Robespierre, delving into the political rhetoric and personal betrayals that marked the radical phase of the revolution. |
| 1973 | United States | The Man of Destiny | Joseph Hardy | A comedy. This American television adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play "The Man of Destiny" would have presented a witty and intellectual portrayal of a young Napoleon in Italy, showcasing his sharp mind and early strategic prowess with Shaw's characteristic dialogue. | |
| 1975 | France | Saint-Just and the Force of Things | Saint-Just et la Force des choses | Pierre Cardinal | A biography, drama, and history film, based on a novel "Saint-Just et la Force des choses." This film would have focused on Louis Antoine de Saint-Just, often called "Robespierre's Angel of Death," exploring his fervent revolutionary zeal and his role in the Reign of Terror and the Committee of Public Safety. |
| 1978 | Hungary | The Danton Affair | A Danton-ügy | Gergely Horváth | A drama. Hungarian television also explored the tumultuous events of the French Revolution, with "The Danton Affair" likely offering a dramatic interpretation of the political struggles and tragic downfall of Georges Danton. |
| 1978 | France | When the bocage was blazing | Quand flambait le bocage | Claude-Jean Bonnardot | A television film based on an unspecified novel. The "bocage" refers to the landscape of the Vendée region, indicating this is a drama set during the War in the Vendée, depicting the brutal and often overlooked civil war that tore through rural France. |
| 1980 | United States | A Tale of Two Cities | Jim Goddard | A drama, history, romance, and war film. This American television film offered a condensed yet dramatic retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel A Tale of Two Cities, bringing the intricate plot of love, sacrifice, and revolution to a broad television audience. | |
| 1981 | United Kingdom | The Man of Destiny | Desmond Davis | A drama. Another British television adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play "The Man of Destiny," further illustrating the enduring appeal of Shaw's witty portrayal of a young Napoleon on the cusp of his legendary career. | |
| 1981 | West Germany | Danton's death | Dantons Tod | Rudolf Noelte | A drama. This West German television film provided another interpretation of Georg Büchner's Danton's Death, focusing on the psychological and political unraveling of the revolutionary leaders during the final, desperate days of the Reign of Terror. |
| 1981 | France | The Two Orphans | Les deux orphelines | Gérard Thomas | A drama, another French television film based on the perennial play The Two Orphans. The story's ability to be continuously re-adapted for new media formats speaks to its timeless appeal and its effective use of the revolutionary backdrop to amplify personal drama. |
| 1982 | United Kingdom | The Scarlet Pimpernel | Clive Donner | An action, drama, and romance film, based on Baroness Orczy's novels The Scarlet Pimpernel and Eldorado. Starring Anthony Andrews, this lavish British television film became a highly popular and definitive version of the dashing hero, bringing his daring rescues from the guillotine to a wider audience. | |
| 1989 | Belgium Canada France |
Manon Roland | Manon Roland | Édouard Molinaro | A biography and history film. This international co-production focused on the life of Madame Roland, a prominent and influential figure among the Girondins during the French Revolution, whose salon was a hub of political activity and whose memoirs provide invaluable insight into the period. |
| 1990 | Czechoslovakia | Vlci | Vlci | Pavel Háša | A drama, history, and war film, based on the play "Les Loups." This Czechoslovakian television film likely explored similar themes of military strategy, loyalty, and betrayal during the French Revolutionary Wars, possibly referencing the Siege of Mainz (1793) or other central European conflicts. |
| 2004 | Italy France |
Luisa Sanfelice | Paolo and Vittorio Taviani | A drama, history, and romance film by the Taviani brothers. This miniseries provided a more extensive adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel La Sanfelice, delving deeper into the tragic story of Luisa Sanfelice and the French-backed Parthenopean Republic in Naples during the French Revolutionary Wars. | |
| 2006 | Canada France |
Marie-Antoinette | Marie-Antoinette | Francis Leclerc Yves Simoneau |
A biography, drama, and history film. This Canadian-French co-production offered another detailed look at the life of Marie Antoinette, likely seeking to present a balanced, comprehensive portrait of the controversial queen, from her arrival in France to her execution. |
| 2008 | France | Charlotte Corday | Charlotte Corday | Henri Helman | A biography, crime, drama, history, and thriller film. This French television film provided a focused and intense portrayal of Charlotte Corday's actions, delving into her motivations and the immediate aftermath of her assassination of Jean-Paul Marat. |
| 2010 | France | Chateaubriand | Pierre Aknine | A biography. This television film focused on the life of François-René de Chateaubriand, a prominent writer and diplomat whose life spanned the French Revolution, the Napoleonic era, and the Restoration, offering a unique perspective on the profound changes in French society. | |
| 2011 | France | Louis XVI, the man who did not want to be king | Louis XVI, l'homme qui ne voulait pas être roi | Thierry Binisti | A history film. This French production explored the life of Louis XVI, specifically focusing on his character and his perceived reluctance to embrace the responsibilities of kingship, portraying him as a figure overwhelmed by the historical forces of the revolution. |
| 2014 | France | The King's General | Le Général du roi | Nina Companeez | A drama. This television film likely explored themes of loyalty and duty during the War in the Vendée, centering on a royalist general and the personal sacrifices demanded by the brutal civil conflict. |
TV Series
| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) | Original title (Original script) | Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | United States | A Tale of Two Cities | Dick Darley | A drama. This early American television series offered a serialized adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities, bringing the complex narrative of the French Revolution and its personal tolls to a weekly audience. | |
| 1955-56 | United Kingdom | The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel | David MacDonald Dennis Vance Michael McCarthy Wolf Rilla |
An adventure and family series, based on Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. This British series brought the dashing hero's escapades to television, making him a household name for a generation as he cunningly rescued aristocrats from revolutionary France. | |
| 1957 | United Kingdom | A Tale of Two Cities | A drama, history, romance, and war series. This British television series provided another comprehensive adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, allowing for a more detailed exploration of the novel's characters and historical backdrop over multiple episodes. | ||
| 1957-66 | France | The camera explores time | La caméra explore le temps | Stellio Lorenzi André Castelot Alain Decaux Michelle O'Glor |
A long-running French history series. This program meticulously recreated and analyzed various historical events, undoubtedly dedicating significant episodes to the French Revolution and its key figures, offering both dramatic reenactments and historical commentary. |
| 1957-61 | United States | DuPont Show of the Month | Sidney Lumet Ralph Nelson Alex Segal Robert Mulligan |
A comedy, drama, history, and romance anthology series. This prestigious American program occasionally featured adaptations or original stories set during the French Revolution, showcasing the era's dramatic potential with top-tier talent. | |
| 1962 | Italy | The Jacobins | I Giacobini | Edmo Fenoglio | A series based on the play "I Giacobini." This Italian production would have explored the rise and fall of the Jacobins, the most radical political club of the French Revolution, detailing their ideological struggles, their ascent to power, and their eventual self-destruction during the Reign of Terror. |
| 1963 | Italy | Luisa Sanfelice | Leonardo Cortese | A drama series. This Italian television series offered a serialized and in-depth portrayal of Luisa Sanfelice's tragic story, exploring her involvement in the Neapolitan revolutionary movement influenced by France and her ultimate fate. | |
| 1963 | France Italy |
The Knight of Maison Rouge | Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge | Claude Barma | A history and romance series, based on Alexandre Dumas' novel Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge. This French-Italian co-production brought the popular royalist adventure story to television, allowing for a more expansive narrative of daring rescues and political intrigue during the revolution. |
| 1964 | Italy | The great chameleons | I grandi camaleonti | Edmo Fenoglio | A drama series. This title suggests a focus on individuals who adapted or changed their allegiances to survive the tumultuous political climate of the French Revolution, exploring the moral compromises and shifting loyalties that characterized the era. |
| 1965 | United Kingdom | A Tale of Two Cities | Joan Craft | A drama series. This British television adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities provided a detailed, multi-episode narrative, allowing for a rich exploration of the novel's characters and the sweeping historical events. | |
| 1968 | Norway | The red pimpernel | Den røde pimpernell | Rolf Clemens | An adventure and drama series, based on Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. This Norwegian adaptation demonstrates the widespread international appeal of the Pimpernel's heroic exploits, even decades after the original publication. |
| 1969 | United Kingdom | The Elusive Pimpernel | Gerald Blake | An adventure series, based on Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. This British television series continued the popular adventures of the masked hero, offering weekly doses of suspense and daring rescues from the clutches of revolutionary France. | |
| 1971 | France | The Traveler of the Ages | Le Voyageur des siècles | Jean Dréville | A mystery and sci-fi series. This French series likely involved time travel, with protagonists visiting different historical periods, including the French Revolution, offering a unique, anachronistic perspective on the events and their consequences. |
| 1975 | France | Maria Antonina | Marie-Antoinette | Guy Lefranc | A biography, drama, and history series. This French production offered a comprehensive television portrayal of Marie Antoinette's life, from her arrival in France as a young princess to her execution, providing a detailed historical narrative. |
| 1978 | France | Love under the Revolution | Les Amours sous la Révolution | Jean-Paul Carrère | A series exploring romance and relationships against the backdrop of the French Revolution. The upheaval of the era would have created both obstacles and opportunities for love, making for compelling personal stories intertwined with grand historical events. |
| 1978 | France | 1788 | 1788 | Maurice Failevic | A series specifically focusing on the year 1788, the immediate precursor to the French Revolution. This detailed historical drama would have explored the growing unrest, the financial crisis, and the political maneuvering that set the stage for the dramatic events of 1789. |
| 1979-80 | Japan | Lady Oscar: The Rose of Versailles | ベルサイユのばら | An animation, action, drama, history, and romance series. This iconic Japanese anime, based on the manga The Rose of Versailles, captivated audiences worldwide with its romanticized, yet often historically informed, portrayal of Marie Antoinette, Lady Oscar, and the tumultuous years leading up to and including the French Revolution. | |
| 1979-80 | France | Josephine or the comedy of ambitions | Joséphine ou la Comédie des ambitions | Robert Mazoyer | A biography, drama, and history series. This French production focused on the extraordinary life of Joséphine de Beauharnais, tracing her journey from a colonial upbringing to becoming the Empress of France, highlighting her resilience and ambition amidst the revolutionary and Napoleonic upheavals. |
| 1980 | United Kingdom | A Tale of Two Cities | Michael E. Briant | A drama series. This British television adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities offered a multi-episode format, allowing for a thorough and nuanced exploration of the novel's intricate plot and its powerful themes of love, sacrifice, and social justice during the revolution. | |
| 1981 | France West Germany |
White, blue, red | Blanc, bleu, rouge | Étienne Laroche | A drama and history series, based on a roman "Sophie." The colors "white, blue, red" instantly evoke the Flag of France and the revolutionary tricolor, indicating a series that delves into the ideological and political struggles of the era, perhaps through the lens of a personal story. |
| 1983 | France | Marianne | Marianne | Juliette Benzoni Marion Sarraut |
A drama and history series, based on Juliette Benzoni's popular roman "Marianne." This series would have followed the romantic and adventurous exploits of its heroine, Marianne, as she navigates the dangerous and shifting landscape of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, often encountering historical figures. |
| 1987 | United States | Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story | Richard T. Heffron | A history, romance, and war series. This American miniseries focused intently on the passionate and turbulent relationship between Napoleon and Joséphine de Beauharnais, portraying their personal lives against the epic backdrop of the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleon's ascent to power. | |
| 1989 | France | Children of Liberty | Les Enfants de la liberté | Patrick Schwerdtle | An animation, adventure, family, and history series. Produced for the bicentennial, this animated series aimed to introduce younger audiences to the events and ideals of the French Revolution through an accessible and engaging narrative, emphasizing themes of freedom and civic participation. |
| 1989 | France | My last dream will be for you | Mon dernier rêve sera pour vous | Robert Mazoyer | A biography and drama series. This French production focused on the life of François-René de Chateaubriand, a significant literary and political figure whose experiences as an émigré and his evolving views on the revolution shaped his profound romantic works. |
| 1989 | France | The Countess of Charny | La Comtesse de Charny | Marion Sarraut | A drama and history series, based on Alexandre Dumas' novels. This series would have adapted Dumas' intricate historical romances, likely focusing on the aristocratic characters caught in the web of loyalty, betrayal, and romance during the final years of the Ancien Régime and the early days of the revolution. |
| 1989 | France Italy West Germany |
The Grand Cabriole | La Grande Cabriole | Nina Companeez | A biography, drama, and history series. This international co-production likely offered a sweeping historical narrative, perhaps focusing on a particular aristocratic family or individual whose life performed a "grand cabriole" (a dramatic leap) through the revolutionary era, adapting to or resisting its changes. |
| 1989 | United Kingdom France |
A Tale of Two Cities | Philippe Monnier | A drama, history, romance, and war series. Another British-French co-production for the bicentennial, this television series provided a lavish and detailed adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, aiming for historical accuracy and dramatic impact. | |
| 1989 | France | The petticoats of the revolution | Les jupons de la révolution | Maroun Bagdadi Miguel Courtois Vincent De Brus Claude Faraldo Didier Grousset Caroline Huppert |
A history series. This series offered a unique perspective on the French Revolution by focusing on the influential women of the era—from queens and courtesans to revolutionaries and salon hostesses—exploring their roles and impact on the tumultuous political and social landscape. |
| 1995 | Czech Republic | Man in the background | Muž v pozadí | Pavel Háša | A drama series. This Czech production likely explored the life and influence of a less visible, yet powerful, figure during a period of historical upheaval, possibly focusing on someone like Joseph Fouché, the master of espionage and political maneuvering during and after the revolution. |
| 1998-2003 | United Kingdom | Hornblower | Andrew Grieve | An adventure, drama, and war series, based on C. S. Forester's novels. This popular British series followed the naval career of Horatio Hornblower during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars, providing a gripping look at naval warfare and life at sea during this turbulent period. | |
| 1999 | United Kingdom | Let Them Eat Cake | Peter Learmouth | A comedy and history series. Starring Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, this British sitcom is a satirical farce set in the court of Marie Antoinette just before the French Revolution, lampooning the decadence and obliviousness of the French aristocracy. | |
| 1999-2000 | United Kingdom | The Scarlet Pimpernel | Patrick Lau Simon Langton Edward Bennett Graham Theakston |
An adventure and drama series, based on Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. This British series provided a more extensive episodic treatment of the Pimpernel's daring rescues and his ongoing rivalry with Chauvelin, bringing the classic tale to a late-20th century audience. | |
| 2002 | France Germany Italy Canada United States United Kingdom Hungary Spain Czech Republic |
Napoléon | Yves Simoneau | An international co-production miniseries, covering the adventure, biography, drama, history, romance, and war of Napoleon's life. This ambitious four-part series aimed for a comprehensive portrayal of the emperor, from his origins in revolutionary France through his military campaigns and political reign, with a star-studded cast. | |
| 2012 | Egypt | Napoleon and the guarded | نابليون والمحروسة Napoléon wal Mahroussa |
Chawki Mejri | A history series. This Egyptian production offered a unique perspective on Napoleon's French campaign in Egypt and Syria, exploring the cultural impact of the French occupation on Egypt and the local resistance, providing a non-European viewpoint on this aspect of the French Revolutionary Wars. |
| 2013 | France | A Woman in the Revolution | Une femme dans la Révolution | Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe | A history series. This French production likely focused on the experiences and contributions of various women during the French Revolution, highlighting their diverse roles as activists, victims, and survivors, and the profound impact the events had on their lives. |
| 2023-2025 | United States | Castlevania: Nocturne | Sam Deats Adam Deats |
An animation, action, adventure, fantasy, horror, and thriller series. This animated series is explicitly set during the French Revolution, blending historical events with supernatural horror elements, as vampire hunters battle monstrous forces amidst the chaos and violence of the revolutionary period. |