The New Murrey and Blue blog

Not Richard, but Robert will certainly do….!

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We all like a good TV series, especially if it has a mediaeval setting, but does anyone remember the French series from the early 70s, concerning Maurice Druon’s books, The Accursed Kings/Les Rois Maudits? The books deal with the French monarchy in the 14th century, and are (they say) another inspiration for Game of Thrones.

This Wikipedia page is very informative: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Accursed_Kings

When originally broadcast here in the UK there were sub-titles, but it didn’t detract at all. And when Robert of Artois was on screen, who cared what he was saying! The female population was too busy just looking.

The opening scene shows a gathering of all the characters, with brief remarks about them all. There is a man in red towards the back, and the camera dwells upon him, moving slowly up from feet to head. This is Robert (as played by the French actor Jean Piat, who is still good-looking today). Robert is quite something to behold, ladies. Take my word for it. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22ojll_ep-01-rois-maudits-1972-le-roi-de-fer-part-1_shortfilms

The series was made again in 2005, but they messed with the costumes and thus ruined the whole thing before a word was uttered.

Anyway, I wholeheartedly recommend the books and the 1972 production.

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  1. aschalmers Avatar
    aschalmers

    Hooray! I thought I was the only one who remembered this series. Haven’t read the books, but just seen Audible have them in French or English. I could be really posey and go for the ones en Francais.

    Me and my little school chums used to be glued to this of a Saturday night. Much better than all this Scandi noir stuff:) Also a good way of watching sex and violence and pretending it was educational.

    How about the BBC series “The Devil’s Crown” with Brian Cox as H2 and Jane Lapotaire as E of A I see that’s another one of those series which has been lost. Shame. Had a quick look on IMDB and I had completely forgotten Patrick Troughton had been in it as well playing William Marshal.?

    Oh well, I know what I’m reading for the next couple of months.

    Best

    Adrienne

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    1. viscountessw Avatar
      viscountessw

      Yes, I remember Brian Cox & Co, Adrienne. At least, the scene I recall had someone lying in a bed (dying? childbed?) while good old King Henry bonked a woman against a stone column in the same room. Thinking of Henry II, it was probably something he WOULD have done. More than once.

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  2. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    I most certainly do. I was about 14 or 15 & loved it, I’ve always remember Robert more than the other characters too. I seem to remember managing to get some of the books from the library. I’d love to see it again

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  3. wordynerdbird Avatar
    wordynerdbird

    I’d never heard of them, so thank you.
    They’re on my reading list now.

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