The Queen of Versailles
Lauren Greenfield:
The Queen of Versailles (USA, 2012)
100 min. - English
Age limit 3 years
Sin III: Gluttony of Wealth
The Queen of Versailles is an unbelievable film about the insanity of excess wealth. Simultaneously it is an intelligent and impressive depiction of what is wrong with this era. The Siegel couple – David Siegel, who has built his wealth on resort houses, and Jackie Siegel, an ex-model and 31 years his junior – are building the largest house in the United States for their home, a new Versailles of 90 000 square meters. The everyday life of this family is like The Osbournes coated with gold dust: absurd, hilarious and disgusting.
The film offers a hilarious insight to the lifestyles of the super rich. Director Lauren Greenfield manages to get inside the golden cage of the family, and manages to strip their façades down. Apparently Greenfield did this a bit too well, for David Siegel sued her later on. Part of the fascination of this film is indeed based on the crazy everyday life rivaling the ones seen on reality tv, and the incredible environment of the family. Beneath its shiny surface, the film is an intelligent portrait of the insane profits and massive losses created by the economical system.
The Queen of Versailles looks magnificent. The production pennies were not saved, and during its peaks the film is a hilarious comedy. However, as the ending reveals, even the massive amounts of money and wealth cannot bring happiness. Siegels’ life is shaded by sad undertones, emphasized by the strict, right-wing policies.
Sun 17th Nov at 1:00pm Tapio 4