The Taking of Power by Louis XIV

The Taking of Power by Louis XIV

1966 · 95 min · ★ 7.1 · Drama, History

Cardinal Mazarin dies, leaving a power vacuum in which the young Louis asserts his intention to govern as well as rule. Mazarin's fiscal advisor, Colbert, warns against Fouquet, the Superintendant who has been systematically looting the treasury and wants to be prime minister. Fouquet believes Louis will soon tire of exercizing power and overplays his hand by offering a bribe to Louis' mistress to be his ally. She reports this to the king who arrests Fouquet. Louis and Colbert design a brilliant strategy to keep merchants making money, nobles in debt, the urban poor working and fed, and peasants untaxed.

Directed by Roberto Rossellini · Written by Philippe Erlanger

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Criterion Channel

Cast

Make it a double feature

3h 17m together

The Taking of Power by Louis XIV

The Night of Counting the Years

Both from Roberto Rossellini.

More from Roberto RosselliniSee all →

CartesiusCartesius · 1974
Cartesius
★ 9.01974
Series
Descartes left the Jesuit college where he had spent his childhood. He doubted the knowledge that had been instilled in him, with the exception of mathematics and geometry. He enlisted in the army of the Prince of Nassau in Breda. Upon his return, he wanted to escape the worldly atmosphere and devote himself to his studies. During an intense night, he found the foundations of a new science.
Rome, Open CityRome, Open City · 1945
Rome, Open City
★ 8.01945
MovieDramaWar
During the Nazi occupation of 1944 Rome, Resistance leader Giorgio Manfredi is pursued by the Nazis as he seeks refuge and a means of escape.
L'età del ferroL'età del ferro · 1965
L'età del ferro
★ 8.01965
SeriesDocumentary
A comprehensive overview of the entire Iron Age from the time of the Ertuscans to the present day.
L'India vista da RosselliniL'India vista da Rossellini · 1959
L'India vista da Rossellini
★ 8.01959
SeriesDocumentary
In this long journey through India, with a total running time of 251 minutes, viewers have the opportunity to discover, among other things, the city of Bombay at that time, the fishermen of Versova, the eating habits of Indians, regions such as Malabar and Bengal, India’s diverse wildlife, and the work of then–Prime Minister Nehru, one of the most ardent supporters of Rossellini’s project.
Germany, Year ZeroGermany, Year Zero · 1948
Germany, Year Zero
★ 7.61948
MovieDrama
In the ruins of post-WWII Berlin, a twelve-year-old boy is left to his own devices in order to help provide for his family.
The Night of Counting the YearsThe Night of Counting the Years · 1969
The Night of Counting the Years
★ 7.61969
MovieDramaHistory
Set in 1881, a year before the start of British colonial rule, it is based on the true story of the Abd el-Rasuls, an Upper-Egyptian clan that had been robbing a cache of mummies they have discovered at tomb DB320 near the village of Kurna, and selling the artifacts on the black market. After a conflict within the clan, one of its members made a crucial decision when the Antiquities Service arrived.
PaisanPaisan · 1946
Paisan
★ 7.51946
MovieDramaWar
Six stories unfold in various regions, from Sicily to the northern Po Valley as American military personnel interact with a variety of Italian locals over eighteen months in the push north during the Italian Campaign of WWII as German forces retreat.
General Della RovereGeneral Della Rovere · 1959
General Della Rovere
★ 7.51959
MovieDramaWar
In WWII-Italy, the Gestapo blackmails a con man to impersonate a dead partisan commander in order to extract information from his fellow inmates.
Europa '51Europa '51 · 1952
Europa '51
★ 7.31952
MovieDrama
A wealthy, self-absorbed Rome socialite is racked by guilt over the death of her young son. As a way of dealing with her grief and finding meaning in her life, she decides to devote her time and money to the city’s poor and sick. Her newfound, single-minded activism leads to conflicts with her husband and questions about her sanity.
Journey to ItalyJourney to Italy · 1954
Journey to Italy
★ 7.21954
MovieDramaRomance
Married for eight years with no children, Brits Katherine and Alex Joyce are driving to Italy, their ultimate destination just outside of Naples to sell the villa they have just inherited from his uncle, the villa where they will be staying during their time there. On the drive, they come to the realization that this trip marks the first time that they have truly been alone together, and as such don't really know one another in the true sense.
Ro.Go.Pa.G.Ro.Go.Pa.G. · 1963
Ro.Go.Pa.G.
★ 7.21963
MovieComedyDrama
Four short films by four different directors dealing with the principles of modern life. "Illibatezza" (Rossellini): The hostess Anna Maria, to dissuade an aggressive suitor who prefers maternal tendencies, assumes an unscrupulous attitude, obeying the suggestions of her distant boyfriend. "The New World" (Godard): The deflagration of an atomic bomb causes strange effects on the inhabitants of a city. "La ricotta" (Pasolini): During the filming of a film about a religious subject, the extra Stracci dies hanging on the cross due to an indigestion of ricotta. "Il pollo spante" (Gregoretti): While an expert illustrates to a board of merchants the most modern techniques to increase sales through the discovery of the secret self of the average consumer, the human story of a bourgeois who, following these suggestions, focuses on the purchase of a plot of land in the countryside.
StromboliStromboli · 1950
Stromboli
★ 7.11950
MovieDrama
After the end of WWII, a young Lithuanian woman and a young Italian man from Stromboli impulsively marry, but married life on the island is more demanding than she can accept.
India: Matri BhumiIndia: Matri Bhumi · 1960
India: Matri Bhumi
★ 7.11960
MovieDocumentaryDrama
Several stories depicting the landscapes and fauna of India are mixed with documentary footage.
SocratesSocrates · 1971
Socrates
★ 7.11971
MovieDramaHistory
A false accusation leads the philosopher Socrates to trial and condemnation in 4th century BC Athens.
The Flowers of St. FrancisThe Flowers of St. Francis · 1950
The Flowers of St. Francis
★ 7.11950
MovieDramaHistory
In a series of simple and joyous vignettes, director Roberto Rossellini and co-writer Federico Fellini lovingly convey the universal teachings of the People’s Saint: humility, compassion, faith, and sacrifice. Gorgeously photographed to evoke the medieval paintings of Saint Francis’s time, and cast with monks from the Nocera Inferiore Monastery, The Flowers of St. Francis is a timeless and moving portrait of the search for spiritual enlightenment.
Escape by NightEscape by Night · 1960
Escape by Night
★ 7.01960
MovieDramaWar
In Nazi-occupied Rome, a beautiful bootlegger, to the chagrin of her lover, gives sanctuary to three escaped POWs: an American pilot, a Russian sergeant and a British major.

More Like This

The CountessThe Countess · 2009
The Countess
★ 5.92009
MovieDramaHistory
Kingdom of Hungary, 17th century. As she gets older, powerful Countess Erzsébet Báthory (1560-1614), blinded by the passion that she feels for a younger man, succumbs to the mad delusion that blood will keep her young and beautiful forever.
The LibertineThe Libertine · 2004
The Libertine
★ 5.92004
MovieDramaRomance
The story of John Wilmot, a.k.a. the Earl of Rochester, a 17th century poet who famously drank and debauched his way to an early grave, only to earn posthumous critical acclaim for his life's work.
BlowBlow · 2001
Blow
★ 7.42001
MovieCrimeDrama
The story of how George Jung, together with the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar, established the billion-dollar cocaine empire in the United States in the 1970s.
BluebeardBluebeard · 1963
Bluebeard
★ 6.41963
MovieDramaCrime
Paris, France, during the First World War. While thousands of soldiers die every day on the battlefields, Henri Landru, a seemingly respectable furniture dealer, married and father of four children, relentlessly feeds his own sinister factory of death.
The French RevolutionThe French Revolution · 1989
The French Revolution
★ 7.51989
MovieDramaWar
A history of the French Revolution beginning from the decision of the king to convene the Etats-Generaux in 1789 in order to deal with France's debt problem. Part one spans the event until August 10, 1792 (when the King Louis XVI lost all authority and was imprisoned). Part two carries the story through the end of the terror in 1794.
Girl with a Pearl EarringGirl with a Pearl Earring · 2003
Girl with a Pearl Earring
★ 6.62003
MovieDramaRomance
This film, adapted from a work of fiction by author Tracy Chevalier, tells a story about the events surrounding the creation of the painting "Girl With A Pearl Earring" by 17th century Dutch master Johannes Vermeer. A young peasant maid working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.
The Baby of MâconThe Baby of Mâcon · 1993
The Baby of Mâcon
★ 6.81993
MovieDramaHistory
In 17th-century Tuscany, a church play is performed for the benefit of young aristocrat Cosimo. In the play, a grotesque old woman gives birth to a beautiful baby boy. The child's older sister is quick to exploit the situation, selling blessings from the baby, and even claiming she's the true mother by virgin birth. However, when she attempts to seduce the bishop's son, the Church exacts a terrible revenge.
MarquiseMarquise · 1997
Marquise
★ 5.51997
MovieDramaComedy
Marquise is a drama about the rise and fall of a beauteous actress. As cheerfully portrayed by Sophie Marceau, the eponymous heroine is an engagingly ribald, but perhaps rather too modern, character. She rises from an impoverished background to become a favourite of the Sun King, Louis XIV, and the mistress of the celebrated Racine, who wrote roles especially for her; but her fate, in the end, is a tragic one.
BenedettaBenedetta · 2021
Benedetta
★ 6.62021
MovieHistoryDrama
A 17th-century nun becomes entangled in a forbidden lesbian affair with a novice. But it is Benedetta's shocking religious visions that threaten to shake the Church to its core.
ColetteColette · 2018
Colette
★ 6.92018
MovieDramaHistory
After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as Willy, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels.
The Man in the Iron MaskThe Man in the Iron Mask · 1998
The Man in the Iron Mask
★ 6.71998
MovieAdventureAction
Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis, Athos and Porthos, have fought together with their friend, D'Artagnan. But with the tyrannical King Louis using his power to wreak havoc in the kingdom while his twin brother, Philippe, remains imprisoned, the Musketeers reunite to abduct Louis and replace him with Philippe.
Seven SwordsSeven Swords · 2005
Seven Swords
★ 6.22005
MovieActionDrama
In the middle of the 17th century, the Manchus conquered China and founded the Ching dynasty. Due to widespread uprisings against the new rulers, the study and practice of traditional martial arts is forbidden and punishable by death. The unscrupulous leader of a troop of mercenaries takes advantage of this situation to make a fortune with the bounty on his head.
The Draughtsman's ContractThe Draughtsman's Contract · 1982
The Draughtsman's Contract
★ 7.11982
MovieHistoryMystery
R. Neville, a brash young draftsman, is hired to make a dozen landscape illustrations at the estate of Mr Herbert and his wife Virginia. Aside from monetary compensation, the arrangement includes a sexual liaison offered to Neville by Virginia while her estranged husband is away. But when the murdered body of Mr Herbert is discovered at the estate, mysterious clues found in Neville's drawings point to the identity of the killer.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter