A Cursed Monarchy

Les Rois maudits (A Cursed Monarchy) is a French-Italian miniseries from 2005, directed by Josée Dayan and adapted from Maurice Druon's celebrated novel cycle. It comprises five episodes of roughly 90 minutes each, broadcast on France 2 in November 2005. The story unfolds during the reigns of the last Capetian kings and the first monarchs of the House of Valois. King Philip the Fair, already beset by scandal and court intrigue, draws a curse down upon his own family when he moves against the Knights Templar. The troubled successions that follow, marked by rivalry and conspiracy, set France and England on the road to the Hundred Years' War. A distinctive feature of this adaptation is its deliberately theatrical approach to sets, costumes, and makeup. The cast includes Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Claude Brialy, and Tchéky Karyo. The production was also shown in Belgium, Canada, and Switzerland.