Film Of The Week

The title for this entertaining mix of historical fact and fiction refers to the chaos that landscape designer, Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet), brings to the well-ordered designs for the gardens of King Louis IV’s Palace of Versailles. The grand palace’s real master landscaper, André Le Notre (Matthias Schoenaerts from Rust and Bone), interviews the fictional Sabine for the position of designing what became the Rockwork Grove – an innovative circular, tiered garden with cascading water. He’s immediately put off by her unconventional free thinking and resistance to his meticulous but restrictive garden designs, so he dismisses her.

But it seems Le Notre is not quite finished with the beautiful widow and she ends up being given the job. However, this is 1682 in quite a rigid society and it soon becomes clear that Sabine is up against many obstacles in having her innovative designs realised in physical form. Many people don’t want this woman to succeed so she has to deal with sabotage on several levels. However, Le Notre is convinced the results will be special, and nobody will be surprised to learn that the unhappily married man (Helen McCrory plays his ‘boo hiss’ wife) also becomes smitten with Sabine, who we learn has a tragic past.

Meanwhile, King Louis IV, played by the film’s director Alan Rickman (his first directorial effort was The Winter Guest), comes across Sabine quite by accident when he retires to a garden for quiet contemplation after the death of his wife. Just for a short time he’d like to be a normal person and he and his landscape designer have a casual conversation which might stretch credibility but does have charm and poignancy.

Alan Rickman brings us a beautiful and sumptuous looking film with all the finery and pomp of 17th century France. The script by Alison Keegan, Jeremy Brock and Rickman might have little to do with history, but if you’re looking for facts watch a documentary. Kate Winslet does her customary excellent job of portraying the strong but damaged woman and the romance between her and the handsome Le Notre is sure to be a hit with female audience members.

by Vicki Englund