Let Joy Reign Supreme (1974) Rating: Starring: Thierry Lhermitte, Jean Rochefort, Nicole Garcia, Christine Pascal, Martina Vlady, Philippe Noiret, Jean-Pierre Marielle Director: Bertrand Tavernier Category: Studio: Kino Video Subtitles: English Length: 114 mins Want to buy?           Bertrand Tavernier's (Life And Nothing But) Let Joy Reign Supreme, is a "rich, ambitious" (Newsweek), extraordinarily detailed and character-dense look at French monarchy, diplomacy and debauchery on the threshold of bloody insurrection. Tavernier's favorite leading man Philippe Noiret (Life And Nothing But, Cinema Paradiso) plays the infamous Philippe d'Oreleans, uncrowned king of a nation divided by appalling poverty and riddled with greed and conspiracy. In the year 1720, Philippe d'Oreleans rules France as regent to the lat Louis XIV's pre-teen heir. Socially liberal but financially reckless, Philippe stokes his treasury with profits from France’s American colonies Louisiana and Mississippi, even while attempting to administer domestic justice with a slightly even hand. But Philippe's strongest allegiance is to a barely concealed private life of outrageous hedonism and sexual appetites. Witness and provocateur in both whorehouse debauches and court functions is Abbe Dubois (Jean Rochefort), Philippe's scheming would-be archbishop. When a hapless noble's one man secession lands him at the steps of the Paris gallows, Dubois' lust for power and Philippe's obsession with his beautiful young goddaughter create a political pressure cooker that could lead to invasion, revolt or war. Rochefort's brilliant turn as the gleefully treacherous Dubois and Christine Pascal as Phillippe's orgy accomplice and confidant Emile lead a supporting cast of bottomless enthusiasm and charisma. A miraculous fusion of unabashed ribaldry, even-handed history, extravagant production values and directorial restraint. Let Joy Reign Supreme "is sumptuously beautiful, delightfully intelligent, genuinely wicked and witty." (The New Republic)