Little Chaos, A

Chief Chick Comments

Occasionally, we uncover a wonderful movie about which you might not otherwise know. A Little Chaos is one of these. Starring Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenhaert(hopefully you saw him recently in Far From the Madding Crowd) along with Alan Rickman who directs as well and Stanley Tucci. Winslet plays Madame de Barra, a widow who has also lost her daughter, and who is a struggling landscape architect. She is summoned to interview with Monsieur le Notre, from a famous landscape architectural family, who is retained by King Louis XIV in the late 17th century to design the gardens at Versailles as the famous palace is being built. Ultimately, much to her surprise, Madame de Barra is hired to design and oversee the construction of The Ballroom Garden at Versailles. This garden still exists at Versailles and supposedly is slightly to the left in a copse when you first enter the gardens. I will be looking next time I am there. Accidentally, Madame de Barra comes across Louis XIV while he is grieving the loss of his wife and has taken off his cloak and wig. She believes him to be the gardener. We soon find that Monsieur le Notre and his wife are estranged, and in this fictional account he is drawn to de Barra. Lovely scenery, interesting story and script, well acted! Truly a delightful, magical movie. I expect it will be one of my best of the year. This movie may be difficult to find. I watched it on Streaming Video. It may be available also on youtube. In Chicago it is at The Siskel Theater and should be at selected theaters in larger theaters. It is worth the search.

Flock Comments