Tea at Trianon: Revolutionary Road (2008)

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Revolutionary Road (2008)

Here is a review from Elizabeth Kathryn Gerold-Miller.
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6 comments:

MadMonarchist said...: I guess everyone takes something different from a movie. To me it only seemed a reinforcement of the attitude that if abortion is illegal women will kill themselves doing it themself and that's why the only "humane" thing to do is legalize it. I didn't find any redeeming qualities about it but to be fair it's not the sort of film that's my cup of tea anyway.; January 3, 2010 at 10:54:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Yes, it does not sound like it has many redeeming qualities according to the reviews I have read, especially the one linked to.; January 3, 2010 at 1:45:00 PM EST
Julygirl said...: The film does not promote abortion anymore than it promotes adultery. It is a powerful film and I am glad I did not read a review of it before seeing it otherwise I would have decided not to see it and would have missed seeing my favorite actress at her best. I do not believe film reviews should go into the ins and outs of the story line and steal the viewers discovery and exploration of the film. There is so much more to a film, or for that matter a book, than the story line alone. One can tell the story of Dicken's Christmas Carol and miss reading the supurb talent of the writer and his skill of using words to relate the story. The same goes for a film, that of experiencing the actors depict and interpret life situations, and draw one along with them in the experience. I personally recommend the film highly. It should not be missed.; January 3, 2010 at 3:16:00 PM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Thank you for the feedback, Julygirl, that is just what my mother said about it, too.; January 3, 2010 at 4:24:00 PM EST
Nancy Reyes said...: From a medical standpoint, it is nonsense...
1 it's almost impossible to insert a catheter into one's cervix unless one is a contortionist
2 the Catheter method was done by another person, usually a local abortionist. However, most upper class women knew the local abortionist's name and didn't do such things.
3. The only thing that would cause her to bleed is a stiff object: knitting needles were sometimes used. I've never seen any, but my friends said the result was a perforated uterus that resulted in a hysterectomy.
4. once penicillin and blood tranfusions were invented, such deaths became rare, even in the slums.
I heard of only one: and that was a second trimester abortion where the catheter, fetus and placenta got infected.

Conclusion: propaganda to keep "abortion safe and legal" .; January 4, 2010 at 3:33:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Thank you for the feedback from a medical point of view. I am definitely NOT seeing this movie.; January 4, 2010 at 8:47:00 AM EST