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The French Revolution

The French Revolution
★ 8.7/10•1989•Drama•War & Politics
Similars

French Revolution

A history of the French Revolution from the decision of the king to convene the Etats-Generaux in 1789 in order to deal with France's debt problem. The first part of the movie tells the story from 1789 until August 10, 1792 (when the King Louis XVI lost all his authority and was put in prison). The second part carries the story through the end of the terror in 1794, including the deaths by guillotine of Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Danton, and Desmoulins.

StatusEnded
LanguageFR
First Air DateOct 25, 1989

Episodes

Episode 1 - The Years of LightE1166m

The Years of Light

This first part retraces the rise of the French Revolution, from the convocation of the Estates‑General in 1789 to the fall of the monarchy in August 1792. It follows the creation of the National Assembly, the Tennis Court Oath, the storming of the Bastille, and the abolition of privileges that shattered the old order. The film also depicts the October Days, the Flight to Varennes, the growing distrust toward Louis XVI, and the increasing radicalization of the revolutionary movement. The episode concludes with the assault on the Tuileries on August 10, 1792, which marks the end of royal power and opens the way to the Revolution’s darkest years.

Oct 25, 1989

Episode 2 - The Years of TerrorE2154m

The Years of Terror

This second part covers the darkest years of the French Revolution, from the imprisonment of the royal family to the end of the Reign of Terror. It depicts the trial and execution of Louis XVI, the rise of Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety, and the internal conflicts tearing the revolutionary factions apart. The film follows the fall of Danton and Desmoulins, the escalation of political violence, and the machinery of Terror that ultimately turns against its own leaders. The episode concludes with the downfall and execution of Robespierre, Saint‑Just, and Couthon in July 1794, marking the end of the Revolution’s most tragic and tumultuous period.

Nov 1, 1989

Actors

Jean-François Balmer

Jean-François Balmer

Louis XVI

Klaus Maria Brandauer

Klaus Maria Brandauer

Georges-Jacques Danton

François Cluzet

François Cluzet

Camille Desmoulins

Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour

Marie Antoinette

Andrzej Seweryn

Andrzej Seweryn

Maximilien-Marie-Isidore de Robespierre

Peter Ustinov

Peter Ustinov

André-Boniface-Louis Riquetti, vicomte de Mirabeau (« Les Années Lumière »)

Marianne Basler

Marianne Basler

Gabrielle Danton

Claudia Cardinale

Claudia Cardinale

Yolande-Gabrielle de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac (« Les Années Lumière »)

Vittorio Mezzogiorno

Vittorio Mezzogiorno

Jean-Paul Mara, dit Marat

Jean-François Stévenin

Jean-François Stévenin

Louis Legendre

Gabrielle Lazure

Gabrielle Lazure

Marie-Thérèse de Savoie-Carignan, princesse de Lamballe

Massimo Girotti

Massimo Girotti

L'envoyé du Pape (« Les Années Lumière »)

Michel Galabru

Michel Galabru

Abbé Maury (« Les Années Lumière »)

Michel Duchaussoy

Michel Duchaussoy

Jean-Sylvain Bailly (« Les Années Lumière »)

Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu

Marie-Anne-Charlotte De Corday (« Les Années terribles »)

Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee

Sanson (« Les Années terribles »)

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