Diane (1956 film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Diane is a 1956 American historical film drama about the life of Diane de Poitiers, produced by MGM. It was directed by David Miller and produced by Edwin H. Knopf from a screenplay by Christopher Isherwood based on a story by John Erskine. The music score was composed by Miklós Rózsa, Robert H. Planck was the cinematographer. It was filmed in CinemaScope.
The film starred Lana Turner, Pedro Armendáriz, Roger Moore, and Marisa Pavan, and featured Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Torin Thatcher, Taina Elg, John Lupton, Henry Daniell, Melville Cooper and an early film appearance by Stuart Whitman.
Plot
The action is set in 16th century France.
Diane de Poitiers (Lana Turner), mistress of Prince Henri (Roger Moore), the future King Henry II, rises to a position of absolute power through her manipulation of the men in her life. Those men include King Francis I (Pedro Armendariz) and Diane's husband, the Count de Brèze (Torin Thatcher). Diane's principal foe is the scheming Catherine de' Medici (Marisa Pavan), who for the first time in her life has met her match.
Cast
- Lana Turner - Diane de Poitiers
- Pedro Armendáriz - King Francis I of France
- Roger Moore - Prince Henri (later King Henry II)
- Marisa Pavan - Catherine de' Medici
- Sir Cedric Hardwicke - Ruggieri
- Torin Thatcher - Count de Brèze
- Taina Elg - Alys
- John Lupton - Regnault
- Henry Daniell - Gondi
- Ronald Green - The Dauphin
- Sean McClory - Count Montgomery
- Geoffrey Toone - Duke of Savoy
- Michael Ansara - Count Ridolfi
- Melville Cooper - Court Physician
Notes
- Diane was Lana Turner's last role for MGM after being under contract with the studio for 18 years.
- Taina Elg made her Hollywood debut in The Prodigal (1955), another Lana Turner vehicle.
- The film Diane had originally been intended as a vehicle for Greta Garbo.
- The "Ruggieri" character indeed represents Nostradamus, the real name being avoided to allow for a higher degree of narrative license or to prevent hurting the sensibility of his sympathizers.
- The Hourglass in the quarters of Ruggieri, was famously used before in the classic film The Wizard Of Oz (1939) 17 years earlier.
