A triumph of sensuous, intelligent historical drama from those Danes! Growing out of the strengths of their television drama, this foray into feature film has all the same elements of success and was a favourite at preview with all the Lexi staff. When the young English bride is wed to the mad Danish king, Christian, she finds love with the Enlightened German doctor appointed to treat him. With excellent performances and lavish production values, this won 2 Silver Bears at Berlin and is one of our favourites.
Phillip French, The Observer, says: ”[Director] Arcel’s first-rate Danish costume drama (co-produced by Lars von Trier) will introduce most moviegoers (including me) to the fascinating tragedy of the love affair in the 1770s between England’s Caroline, wife of the problematic Danish King Christian, and the king’s German physician, Johann Struensee, both dedicated social progressives. This struggle between a conservative, repressive regime and representatives of the Enlightenment preceded the French Revolution and is crucially related to the issues of their day and to the present. It’s as interesting a portrait of late 18th-century life as Amadeus or The Madness of King George.”
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