The Princess of Montpensier

...Tavernier turns a tale of courtly duty and manners into a tense, twisty drama.

...gallops along as elegantly and confidently as the horsemen we see in the opening scene.

All the dramatic mechanisms he sets in motion here hinge on the reality that the princess of Montpensier is, at the same time, a possession and an object of desire.

...Marie represents Tavernier's main area of interest, but the characters and situations surrounding the princess are given no less vivid, detailed treatment by the filmmaker.

...it’s masterful and combined with the performances it keeps the film’s material from drying up.