Diane (1956) User Reviews (12)

'You made me a prince...Now make me a king!"

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 7/10 · 12 December 1999]

Lana Turner was elegant and beautiful as the French courtesan, wearing through most of the motion picture dramatic black costumes... She came to the court of King Francis I to plead for the life of her husband, Count Louis de Brézé who was falsely accused of plotting against the King...

Count de Brézé (Torin Thatcher) suspected his release by an act of infidelity...

Francis I (Pedro Armendariz) was the King who in his person and actions combined the romantic ideal of the medieval knight-king and the refined humanism and art of the Renaissance... When he required Diane's presence, the Count felt his suspicious confirmed... Obviously he was wrong!

However, the real reason Diane has been called is to teach the King's, Prince Henri (Roger Moore), the graces of court life in preparation for his marriage to Catherine de Médici (Marisa Pavan). Impressed by her beauty, charm and political sageness, as well as her ability to cope with his son, the King keeps her at court...

Prince Henri fell violently in love with her...

When the King is killed in battle, Diane became mistress of Henry, now King of France... Throughout his reign, Diane held court as Queen of France in all but name... The real Queen was forced to live in comparative obscurity... Catherine soon comes to hate the woman who is her husband's real love...

But Henri's reign was short, due to Gondi (Henri Daniell) treachery...

Directed by David Miller, the film carried faithfully the 16th Century environment with an impressive stag hunt, an exciting encounter with a wild boar and a thrilling climactic jousting tournament...

Sir Cedric Hardwicke played Ruggiere, the master of astrology, master of the art of predicting... He gave the Queen of France much to think over when she visited him, and in that tournament he murmured: 'What must be... Will be!'

If you like to see history in movies, plus intrigue, politics, secret plotting, suspicion, disloyalty... and you love colorful spectacle, and you want to see Lana Turner's good-acting with Marisa Pavan - in her possibly the best role of her film career as Henri's menacing yet pitiable wife - well, don't miss this entertaining motion picture!

Handsome, little heralded historical romance has its virtues...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 27 September 2006]

DIANE is probably the least well-known of all LANA TURNER's "big" pictures at MGM--the studio which ironically was on the verge of bankruptcy at the time of this film, but you'd never know it from the opulence of the finished work in gorgeous Technicolor and featuring one of Miklos Rozsa's more subtle scores.

It's interesting for a couple of reasons: mainly, because it appears to be a faithful recreation of that period in costumes and settings, features ROGER MOORE (youthful and handsome before his James Bond adventures), and gives LANA TURNER and MARISA PAVAN some very interesting moments as they oppose each other in a number of well played scenes.

Other than that, it's a stilted costume romance that never quite comes to life despite all the efforts to give it handsome production values. That explains its obscurity among Lana's films. The lady herself is very fetching here, beautifully costumed (mostly in black), thanks to Walter Plunkett's designs, and attractively photographed for maximum glamor effect.

But part of the unreality comes from the excessive glamor given to Turner. Despite this flaw, she does turn in a good performance as Diane de Poitiers, courtesan who stirs envy in the king's wife and is the subject of much court intrigue in medieval France.

Neglected by today's viewers who probably have never had a chance to see it, it deserves a wider audience.

Romance novel, not history

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 5 June 2014]

A big costume drama of medieval France was Lana Turner's farewell to MGM with her leading man Roger Moore. One has to remember that this is based on a historical novel so the inaccuracies are to be expected.

The biggest inaccuracy was that young Prince Henry played here by Roger Moore was only 15 when he was introduced to Diane De Poitiers a married noblewoman to a man some 40 years her senior. Young Prince Henry may have needed some tutoring in the fine arts of court etiquette, but it was obvious Diane had some needs as well and Henry did fill them.

Roger Moore fine actor that he is, is not playing a 15 year old. Lana Turner plays the older Diane and she's fine in the role. Marisa Pavan is best in the film as Catherine DeMedici who marries Prince Henry and has a lot of kids among them three boys who become Kings of France, the last Valois kings as it happens. Pavan perfectly fits my conception of Catherine in her younger years. Pedro Armendariz is fine Francis I.

As is well known in 1559 King Henry II of France dies when he's accidentally struck with a lance in the eye. He lingered for a few days but his wound was mortal and he was in agony. The film and no doubt the book it was based on have a lot of intrigue and the idea being this was no accident.

You're not seeing history, you are watching a romance novel. But it was a decent farewell for Lana Turner. And if the story is ever remade today it would be something like Justin Bieber as Henry and Demi Moore as Diane.

Lana's final bow at M-G-M

[gregcouture · 1 May 2003]

Lana Turner was a busy actress in the mid-Fifties, appearing in "The Sea Chase" at Warner Brothers, with John Wayne; in Twentieth-Century Fox's lavish remake of "The Rains Came," newly titled "The Rains of Ranchipur," co-starring with Richard Burton; and in her second-to-last at Metro, her long-time home studio, "The Prodigal," one of M-G-M's most expensive made-in-Hollywood spectacles. All were handsomely mounted in CinemaScope and color and all were at least moderately entertaining as well as flattering to the blonde beauty of their leading lady, "Luscious Lana." By the time "Diane" was being lensed on the Culver City soundstages in 1955, M-G-M was in straitened financial circumstances, though one would never know it by observing the deluxe production values liberally applied in the making of this costumer. One month after this picture's release in early 1956, Lana ended her eighteen year association with M-G-M and, for her, it was back to Twentieth for 1957's "Peyton Place" (and a Best Actress Oscar nomination) and thence to Universal-International where, in 1959, Lana and producer Ross Hunter began a run of some extraordinary good luck at the box office, beginning with the ultra-glossy updated remake of "Imitation of Life."

"Diane" provided Lana with a regal departure from M-G-M. All of the elements were liberally provided by M-G-M to support Lana's abilities and beauty. The property was originally planned as a Greta Garbo vehicle some years before; the eventual script was penned by Christopher Isherwood, from a story, departing from historical exactitude, as has always been Hollywood custom, by John Erskine; and visual elements were assigned to the studio's best, including costume designer Water Plunkett, who dressed Lana in a profusion of elaborate black gowns, since Diane is frequently in mourning for one noble or another as the story proceeds to the fadeout. Miklos Rozsa's score is one of his better efforts, sounding a bit less derivative of some of his earlier efforts at musically framing stories with historical settings. Additionally Lana's costars all turn in very professional work, with Marisa Pavan (the sister of the ill-fated actress Pier Angeli) especially effective as Diane's nemesis, Catherine de Medici. As an example of M-G-M's luxurious style of filmmaking, even while the studio teetered on the edge of bankruptcy, this is the kind of entertainment that is rarely reproduced in these sensation-seeking times.

The VHS version is no doubt "formatted" so, unless you are content to wait for a scheduling of this one on Turner Classic Movies, where it most likely would be letterboxed, "Caveat emptor!"

The music score makes this one a must-see!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 29 June 2017]

Copyright 1956 by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. New York opening at Loew's State: 12 January 1956. U.S. release: 6 January 1956. U.K. release: 30 July 1956. Australian release: 15 March 1956. 9,868 feet. 110 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: Diane de Poitiers was the French courtesan who became the mistress of King Henri II of France and virtually supplanted his wife, Catherine de Medici, as the power behind the throne. Writers have alternatively described her as "the most cultivated woman of the French Renaissance" and as "a sixteenth-century silken tramp." In the M-G-M film loosely based on her life, we first see Diane as she appears at the court of Francis I to plead for the life of her husband, Count de Breze, who has been falsely accused of plotting against the King. She succeeds in having him spared but at the same time alienates the affection of her husband.

COMMENT: Rozsa works harder than anyone to make "Diane" a success, supplying one of his most romantic themes and a full-bodied orchestral score full of medieval color and atmosphere. Yes, it's the music that ensures the script at times is quite moving — not the performances. In fact, they are all generally poor, amateurish and quite unconvincing. It says much for the general level of acting that it's Marisa Pavan who is by far the most believable of the principals. Turner and Moore are particularly inept and surprisingly Pedro Armendariz is only a notch or two less woeful. Some of the support players are almost equally hopeless. Fortunately Henry Daniell gets more than one chance to be scheming and villainous, whilst Sir Cedric Hardwicke (in a small role) contrives to be memorably spooky. Of course both Daniell and Hardwicke have the benefit of their stage-trained voices to out-maneuver the rest of the cast. All the same so far as acting goes, the honors belong firmly to Miss Pavan, who is never more compelling than in her final confrontation scene with Turner.

The script is recycled high-school history, the dialogue often unintentionally risible. But the movie is dressed out with attractive costumes and sets. There's even a bit of action to spice all the stage-like talk. Director Miller often fills his CinemaScope screen to dramatic advantage. But as said at the beginning, it's the music that makes "Diane" a must-see.

Royal tryst in the Renaissance

[shakercoola · 5/10 · 27 April 2019]

An American historical drama; A story set in 16th century France. It is based loosely on the historical story about King Francis I of France who asks Diane de Poitiers, a French noblewoman and a prominent courtier, to tutor his son, Prince Henri. He becomes the future King Henri II and she becomes his mistress after his arranged marriage to Italian royal, Catherine de' Medici. The film plays out as a procession of people in elaborate, colourful costumes in grande sets and against impressive vistas. It has a stately feel, driven mainly by plot rather than excitement and moving scenes. But, at its core is an interesting tale about true love and the political maneouvering when two royal families collide. Unfortunately, it is let down by a poor script and dialogue which doesn't have enough fire bursts from its slow magma flow. The jousting scenes in the climactic royal tournament were impressive and the film is photographed well, but it feels a bit flat, even from the beginning. Lana Turner impresses though she is a little stiff in what is largely a sympathetic role. Marisa Pavan is impressive as the de Medici Queen. Roger Moore is handsome and easily copes with his character's progress from youth to kingship. The Italian noble Gondi, a villainous de Medici intermediary, is played by Henry Daniell, and is probably the most impressive performance.

Stunningly bad

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 2/10 · 8 November 2018]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - if a movie features actors solemnly turning away from each other to stare into the middle distance while spewing gibberish dialogue, it is more than likely a bona fide bowser. It works in Shakespeare because actors are speaking poetry, and as long as you halfways understand what they are trying to say, it's powerful and moving. But when Hollywood hacks try it, with lines written by other Hollywood hacks, it comes across as self-important tripe. On top of that, if instead of seasoned thespains you have pretty boys like Roger Moore, you're in trouble. Pile on the marquee with Inert Carbon Rods like Lana Turner and your move veers dangerously from bad to farce. The low point comes about 45 minutes in when they've got some Hollywood Blvd teen staring into a crytal ball and making bold predictions. It looks like they didn't even bother rustling up a costume for the kid, just dragged him right off the stroll. This is an epic. As in epically bad.

Diane vs. Catherine de Medici

[JLRMovieReviews · 8/10 · 14 April 2009]

Lana Turner is Diane. Well, who is she? As this film says, she was a courtesan in good with the court of King Francis I. Pedro Armendáriz plays a very convincing King Francis I, who has agreed with the de Medicis that their daughter shall marry into their family. But complications arise. Lana plays Diane with conviction, but this film really belongs to Marisa Pavan as Catherine de Medici. This was probably Pavan's finest hour, as she fleshes Catherine out into a very passionate and misunderstood person. To watch Pavan, as Catherine de Medici experiences what she feels is an injustice to her sensibilities and an insult to her as a woman and a Queen is simply something to behold. Roger Moore is good as Prince Henri but manages to be overshadowed by Pavan's acting chops and Lana's loveliness. As usual, Henry Daniell is on hand with his duplicitous nature. All in all, if you get a chance to see Diane, the film, watch it. It is one of Lana's better films in her later years. And, while it may take some liberties with some of the facts, you'll see Diane vs. Catherine de Medici.

In Chenonceaux....

[dbdumonteil · 6 May 2006]

.....in the heart of France ,in Touraine ,there is Chenonceaux which was nicknamed "le Château des Dames" .It's there,among other places, that the long duel between Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medicis took place.If you visit it,and I urge you to do it if you were interested in this movie which is essentially fictionalized history,the guide will show you the monogram which was sculpted on the walls :Henri II the King was pretty smart on his part:the letters are officially H (Henri) and C (Catherine) but it can also be read H and D (Diane) .The interlaced letters can be read differently depending on who's concerned.

Marisa Pavan is a good choice as Catherine,and Lana Turner is good-looking .A pre-James Bond Roger Moore does a decent job -anyway Henri II's face is not that much familiar even to FRench people ,unlike François Premier,his father who also appears in the film:it's strange they chose a Mexican actor to play him! Historically ,the film leaves much to be desired but there are good ideas :the cage for instance:the scene in the forest is almost eerie and the final tournament -whose ending might or might not have been predicted- gains in intensity.

Great harmony between Roger Moore and Lana Turner

[moatazmohsen78 · 8/10 · 16 April 2006]

I think that the year of 1956 was the golden year for Hollywood because of golden films in this time as: somebody up there likes me - Julie and Daine.

This film was a good portrait by acting , writing and directing which presented a history of another countries as:France and Italy which make a theory of globalization beyond the cinema.

Lana Turner was a sweaty girl in the cinema all the time and in different stages , she made a good act in this film by mixing of love and sadness in the story of this film.She transformed from stage to stage in the main points of this character by great experience from her in her history.

Roger Moore was a Jan premiere in this film and he played this role as a first straining in his life and history that he made a grand harmony with Lana Turner which making a math in acting between them and this main point was advantage for film. He made a golden name after this film and he presented a spirit of Robert Taylor, Clark Gable , Tayron Power........ etc. If he completed his steps in Hollywood he will make a diamond name in the international cinema but he preferred returning to his home England to make many films in his country and to serve England with his experience he gained it from Hollywood.

Opulent,Lavish,Rousing Historical Melodrama

[schweinhundt1967 · 30 November 2002]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** As is the usual case with the historical films MGM did at this time,the production values and effects can't be beat.Costumes,sets,props,make-up,staging,sound,and camera work are first-rate.From a technical point of view,it couldn't have been better.Any studio would be proud to present this movie.

Not having read the original novel,I don't feel qualified to venture an opinion as to it's fidelity.I do feel moved,however,to point out certain historical inaccuracies:

1.)It was Diane's FATHER,not her husband,who was convicted of treason,and received the capital sentence.

2.)Diane DID tender the ultimate inhospitality in return for the death sentance being commuted.

3.)She was never Henri's mistress UNTIL after The death of Francis.

4.)Francis,instead of having defeated the Duke of Burgundy,was actually captured by him,and held captive for 2 years.

These inaccuracies aside,this film is still highly enjoyable,within certain parameters.Let's take a look at these;

1.)Lana is playing the same character that she portrayed in "Three Musketeers",and "The Prodigal",with one difference-in those she showed an EVIL heroine,and in this she's a GOOD heroine.

2.)Pedro,as Francis,gives a historically accurate portrait-arrogant,tyrannical,autocratic,lecherous,commanding.Still,he's playing the same role as in "From Russia With Love."

3.)Moore,as Henri,is also right on the money,from a historical perspective.If he had lived long enough,he would have been the same as Francis.Not the same as doing Bond,but nothing that any capable,well-trained actor couldn't have done.

4.)I don't know enough about the actress doing Catherine to judge her performance,but she does a good job.

The rest of the cast does a splendid job in their parts.Still,it's nothing that we haven't seen each one of them do in at least 4 other perod dramas,swashbucklers,and costume-dramas.They do it well,but it's nothing new.Enjoy it as repraisals of things done previously.

HISTORICAL NOTE:When Diane's father was on the scaffold,facing the executioner,the herald appeared,and announced that the sentence had been commuted to life imprisonment.He was aware of the price she had paid,and praised her actions in language that can't be used in mixed company.A year later,he was released,and restored to his estates and titles.He then spent the rest of his life going around France,complaining to anyone who would listen,and crabbing that his daughter had purchased his life at the cost of her own virtue.

MORAL:THERE"S REALLY NO PLEASING SOME PEOPLE,NOW,IS THERE?

History By Hollywood???

[foxfyreangel · 28 February 2002]

If you take this for what it was, Hollywood's take on a real historical event, Diane was an enjoyable movie, as long as you haven't a clue as to what went on then.

They had so much wrong in this story it was rediculious. I mean they even omited Nostradamus, Catherine's protogee, and the one who made the predictions of the kings death and that each of her sons would rule.....for a time. What I would like to know is why they had some squirrely kid predict this? Instead of the truth.