The Marquise of O Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

The Marquise of O Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 26, 2025

Note: Film Movement is in the habit of re-releasing their titles every few years, and that seems to be the case with this title as well. While we typically tend not to review re-releases and/or re-packagings, that said, the label's first Blu-ray release from around ten years ago wasn't officially reviewed here at the site, and so I'll offer a few thoughts here.

The Marquise of O first appeared as a novella by Heinrich von Kleist in 1808, and it's probably hard for contemporary sensibilities to react with the same shock that early 19th century readers must have by being introduced to a title character who announces in a paper that while widowed she's rather mysteriously pregnant and wants the father to come forward so that she can marry him. It's almost like some set up for a historical epic directed by Douglas Sirk, had Sirk ever indulged in such an enterprise, but rather interestingly in that regard Éric Rohmer, who both directed and adapted the original for the screen, has a somewhat more "detached" approach to the material than Sirk might have, and the result may be an even more devastating critique of human peccadilloes and seemingly odd motivations than anything devised in the Eisenhower fifties.

The story begins with a framing device of sorts whereby some men read a shocking announcement in the local paper written by the Marquise of O (Edith Clever). The men are shocked not just by the Marquise's current "state", but by the fact that she would even be in that state, given her fine upbringing. The film then documents what in fact brought the Marquise to that state, even if the "details" are kept a bit on the circumspect side for a while. What seems to have happened is that the Marquise escaped a potential gang rape perpetrated by invading Russian troops during the Napoleonic Wars. The Marquise is ostensibly saved by the intervention of the commanding Count, AKA the Graf (Bruno Ganz). When the Graf is reportedly tragically killed soon thereafter, the Marquise is saddened that she'll never be able to thank him, but suffice it to say he may have left a little "parting gift" with her that then roils the entire family in some pretty heated (if at time emotionally restrained) melodrama.

The Marquise of O Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Marquise of O is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Film Movement's Film Movement Classics imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. I am assuming this is the same transfer as Film Movement offered in 2015, especially since this has a 2015 trailer as a supplement. There are both pluses and minuses to the transfer. The palette is really appealingly suffused throughout, and detail levels are also often very expressive on the luxe costumes and production design. The cinematography is often incredibly lush courtesy of ace lenser Néstor Almendros (Academy Award winner for Days of Heaven). That said, there's a somewhat digital appearance and while there is a grain field noticeable, this looks like it may have had some filtering applied (something that may be contributing to that aforementioned digital look).

The Marquise of O Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Marquise of O features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio in the original German. There's not a ton to the sound design here, even given the supposed context of the Napoleonic Wars, and so the track consists largely of spoken material and ambient environmental effects ("scoring" is relegated to things like military drums). Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Marquise of O Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Archival Interview with Director Eric Rohmer (HD; 2:07) is subtitled in French.


• Archival Interview with Star Bruno Ganz (HD; 2:53) is subtitled in English. This was sourced from some pretty spotty looking video.


• The Marquise of O Trailers

2015 Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:34)




Original Theatrical Trailer (HD; 4:18)

Additionally a nicely appointed insert booklet contains an interesting essay by David Thomson. The original pressing may have featured a slipcover, but the review copy sent to me did not have one.

The Marquise of O Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One might forgive the Marquise should she have suddenly exclaimed, "With 'friends' (and 'family') like this, who needs enemies?" Some of the decisions made by virtually all of the major characters in this convoluted tale will probably spark controversy, but Rohmer's cool, observant eye catches all of the "shenanigans" and a surprising amount of the nuances. Technical merits are generally solid and the two short interviews enjoyable. Recommended.