Vatel

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Vatel ★★ 2000 (PG-13)

Lavish period drama suffers from a dull screenplay and a lack of gusto. In 1671, Sun King Louis XIV (Sands) is ruling with the usual decadence when he and his court are invited to the country chateau of the Prince de Conde (Glover), who's hoping to curry favor. Conde leaves the plans for the the royal visit to his steward, Francois Vatel (Depardieu). He must supply food and entertainment to keep the court amused but Vatel provokes envy as well. Depardieu is efficient but the English language cast seems to be primping more than acting. 117m/C VHS, DVD . GB FR Gerard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Julian Glover, Julian Sands, Timothy Spall, Arielle Dombasle, Hywel Bennett, Richard Griffiths, Feodor Atkine, Phillippe LeRoy, Murray Lachlan Young; D: Roland Joffe; W: Jeanne Labrune, Tom Stoppard; C: Robert Fraisse; M: Ennio Morricone.