‘The Death of Louis XIV’ Is a Slow but Rewarding Look at the Last Days of a Legendary King

Sandra Miska

Few historical figures have fascinated people for centuries quite like the almost-mythical King Louis XIV (1638-1715) of France. Not for nothing was Louis called the Sun King, as during his record-breaking reign he helped shape France into a European superpower. Equally remembered for his immense sexual appetite, the Sun King carried on with a string of mostly ambitious women. However, the sun eventually sets on every mortal being, as is seen in “The Death of Louis XIV,” a French-language drama that examines the final days of the French king (Jean-Pierre Léaud). Few details are spared as doctors and those in his inner circle crowd the bedridden Louis, proving that death isn’t pretty even for the most glamorous of figures.

Louis XIV may be remembered as one of the most licentious of kings, but here he is introduced as a physically weakened man whose dogs provide him more joy than the company of any woman could. So tired is he that even a group of beautiful ladies can’t coax him out of bed. Everyday customs of court life are shown, including a scene early on when the sick king manages to eat a meal of poached eggs from bed. A crowd that includes his second wife, the rather stern-looking Madame de Maintenon (Iréne Silvagni), forms around him, and it’s strange to watch as many smile at him as if he were a child consuming a birthday cake, some even applauding after he has taken his last bite.

Also intriguing is seeing what was considered cutting edge medicine in 1715. Court doctor Fagon (Patrick d’Assumcao) fastidiously examines Louis’s eyes before prescribing him donkey milk based on their color. Later on, a group of renowned doctors from prestigious universities arrive and brainstorm drastic measures to cure their patient, including making an incision in his head to drain excess fluid. Now we know that gangrene in his leg is what led to the king’s demise; thus he could have been saved if an amputation had been performed in time. Apparently, no doctor wanted to take such drastic measures and risk being wrong.

“The Death of Louis XIV” is an incredibly slow film, but Léaud’s performance keeps the viewer invested. At times, he shows flickers of Louis’s former self, such as when he questions Fagon about what a few beautiful court ladies look like naked. Other memorable scenes include him having a final visit with his great-grandson and heir, who is still a little boy (Louis outlived his son and oldest grandson), and his telling a priest who is called in to give him last rites that he still has some life left in him. Even more striking are the scenes in which Louis has no dialogue and stares into space for several seconds at a time, perhaps thinking back on his eventful life and contemplating his own death.

At the end of the day, this is still a film set at Versailles—so both beautiful costumes and ornate set dressing are a must. However, director and co-writer Albert Serra sets a solemn tone with his dim lighting and mutated color choices.

“The Death of Louis XIV” opens June 2 in Los Angeles and Chicago.