Summer Movies 2013: Vatel

Our next movie for the summer, where historical fiction sets the stage for historical gardens, is Vatel (2000). It is based on the 17^th century historical figure, François Vatel (1631 – 4/24/1671). Though of low birth, he is highly sought because of his skills as a majordomo and party planner extraordinaire. The movie is set over a weekend at Vaux le Vicomte, a chateau in Chantilly near Paris, France in 1671. Vatel’s employer, Nicolas Fouquet, is attempting to wrangle a high military position from King Louis XIV, which will improve his finances, so puts on a lavish weekend party for the King and his Court at the chateau, planned and executed by Vatel (on a shoestring budget).

 

The movie follows Vatel through the highs and lows of food and spectacle wizardry, and a brief love affair with a favorite courtesan of King Louis. Vatel handles everything from menial tasks for Fouquet, to creating spun sugar confections, to overseeing fireworks and follies in the garden, all the while overseeing the preparation and presentation of food fit for a king. Delivery of the fish order is delayed, causing much angst, and Fouquet loses Vatel in a high stakes card game to King Louis, who plans to employ him at Versailles. Vatel impales himself on a sword, and is discovered by an employee, who has come to inform Vatel that the fish order has arrived. The traditional explanation is that Vatel committed suicide over the late fish order; the movie proposes that Vatel despairs that he is a mere commodity to be traded in a poker game.

Amidst all this high drama and frenetic activity to put on a grand party for a decadent court, are glimpse of the grand gardens at Chateau de Chantilly, where the movie was filmed. The original 20,000 acre estate was designed in 1560 by architect Jean Bullat. A 270 acre portion was later designed by André de Nôrtre in the mid-1600s (he was later the landscape architect for Versailles). The landscape is laid out on a grand axis, and includes waterways, lakes, fountains (using water on site), grand avenues and walking paths, statues, and flower parterres – all elements of Renaissance gardens. Many of the parties, spectacles, and events in the movie take place with the landscape as the background. Take a look at the trailer (select Watch Trailer): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190861/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1