With the guillotine edge we are introduced to the Marquis de Sade in the asylum of Charenton where he's been incarcerated for crimes not specified in this film. His writings are smuggled out of the asylum by Madeleine, (Kate Winslet) a servant who finds multiple uses for her laundry basket. She's addicted to the writings of the Marquis. Napoleon, on the other hand, is most perturbed by the writings of this "madman" and the scientist Dr Royer-Collard (Michael Caine) is sent by order of Napoleon to Charenton to establish order and on the way picks up his child bride from the convent. Madeleine and the Marquis find ever inventive ways of getting his word out. The person in the middle is the Abbe Coulmier (Joachim Phoenix), who's idea of running the asylum is one of, what would be considered to be fairly modern ideas of rehabilitation ("See, isn't it better to paint fires than light them?") clash harshly with those of Royer-Collard.
I must admit that I know very little about the Marquis de Sade apart from the fact that he was a prolific writer, lived in the late 1700's (during Nepolean's era), was incarcerated in mental institutions/jails for most of his life and that most of his writings were destroyed without trace. I was not expecting to garner a great deal of information about de Sade from this film and it was just as well because I'm lead to believe from a very learned friend of mine that there was great poetic licence taken in "tarting" up the facts.
The excellent casting in this film more than makes up for dead spots in it (of which there are few). Geoffrey Rush shines (sorry, couldn't resist it!) wonderfully as the Marquis more than managing to carry off the role with divine duplicity. One wonders at times, who is the more sadistic character, the Marquis who dreams of cruelty or Royer-Collard who carries it out. It's a film that will take you out of your comfort zone, and bring you back, then take you out again. What a wild ride!
I must admit that I know very little about the Marquis de Sade apart from the fact that he was a prolific writer, lived in the late 1700's (during Nepolean's era), was incarcerated in mental institutions/jails for most of his life and that most of his writings were destroyed without trace. I was not expecting to garner a great deal of information about de Sade from this film and it was just as well because I'm lead to believe from a very learned friend of mine that there was great poetic licence taken in "tarting" up the facts.
The excellent casting in this film more than makes up for dead spots in it (of which there are few). Geoffrey Rush shines (sorry, couldn't resist it!) wonderfully as the Marquis more than managing to carry off the role with divine duplicity. One wonders at times, who is the more sadistic character, the Marquis who dreams of cruelty or Royer-Collard who carries it out. It's a film that will take you out of your comfort zone, and bring you back, then take you out again. What a wild ride!