Daniel Auteuil did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Henri de Bourbon nor did Jean-Hugues Anglade for portraying Charles IX in La Reine Margot.
The shame marriage at the center of it being between Isabella Adjani's titular Margot, Catholic sister of the King, and Daniel Auteuil's Henri a protestant. Auteuil's whole appearance seems to be a story in itself. This with his frizzled hair and generally unkempt demeanor. Auteuil only amplifies this within his performance within the marriage scene with the expression of a man whose not quiet sure why he's there, and seems a little lost within it all. Auteuil's performance realizing as a man whose essentially a pawn as the film opens, both for the sake of the supposed alliance but also within his relationship to Margot who initially openly flaunts her intention both not to sleep with Henri but also basically sleep with everyone else she can get her hands on. His performance largely early on brings this right touch of affability with his state of consistent bafflement. He doesn't show a man completely out of his element, but rather one whose nature doesn't make him quite suited towards the situation. This as even when Margot declares her open disregard for their marriage Auteuil portrays just a bit of uncertain confusion rather than any kind of rage. This as he presents a man very much with the awareness of being stuck in not a particularly good situation but attempting to exist in it nonetheless. This situation that is only exacerbated when it turns out the marriage is but a ruse for the hierarchy to slaughter a massive group of the protestants with Henri only just barely escaping the same fate by being forced to convert to Catholicism.
Auteuil throughout this sequence portrays the same low key fear and more importantly the manner of the man completely out of his element. What he importantly maintains is a general likability within the character's reactions. This with a sense of empathy of a basically a much better man within a circle of vultures that make up the royal court. This creating an innate sense of decency that seemingly makes the natural transition within Margot as she becomes a better person, being horrified by the actions of her family while going to actually save Henri from an assassination attempt. The one actual scene of consummation between Margot and Henri, both actors portray well less as this overture of love between the two however a mutual sense of affection and tenderness within a difficult situation. The two attempt initially an escape however this fails when Henri stays back to rescue the injured King Charles IX during a boar hunt. This though saves Henri alternately as Charles comes to take a liking to the pure of heart Henri. I think what Auteuil's work does is make this exchange a natural one. This as more than anything he portrays a lack of deception within the nature of the man. This presenting even in his interaction with the King no sense of manipulation. This rather Auteuil brings a genuine warmth about just one man caring for another man. This consistently presenting Henri as someone who doesn't care about the politics, has no questionable ambitions as the royal family does, but rather just tries to be a good man. Auteuil makes that an honest trait in his performance, that doesn't make Henri this great hero, just a good man trying to survive and the right thing when he can.
This is followed by an excellent scene where Charles invites Henri to the room of his mistress for a quiet dinner. Anglade is terrific in this scene by offering so much insight within the character within this scene. This in presenting the only true moment of comfort as he speaks about not having to have his food tested, and showing the contentment of the King living not as one is the man's greatest gift. This while also so bluntly portraying the graciousness of Charles as a host in the moment. This presenting both the act of the man's adoration for being rescued but also the sense within his work that with Henri is one of the few people Charles seemingly can entirely not be suspicious around. This goes further though when Henri speaks towards Charles letting himself and Margot go off to live elsewhere. Anglade's reaction is wonderful as he brings this kind of knowing exasperation towards every moment of the discussion. This showing a man with a far greater knowledge upon the situation of Henri as he speaks with doubtful tones towards whether or not Margot could really exist without the debauchery of the court to enjoy. Anglade giving a great sense of Charles as a man within this world, neither overtly good or bad, but rather existing within the cutthroat place. Of course this backfires upon him soon when a second assassination attempt on Henri is thwarted by Charles again, this time unintentionally as he takes in a slow acting poison intended for Henri by mistake. This followed by what is almost a comical scene of Anglade learning from the court's chemist about the poison. This as his reaction almost has a moment of internalized laughing at the plight he has been given, while also still conveying the horror of the realization. The scenes following being Charles slowly dying from the poison, in a particularly grotesque way as he begins to sweat blood. Anglade's great in these scenes in showing the wretched state within every expression. Anglade conveying the overwhelming pain, but also the emotional distress and bitterness within every accusatory tone towards his family who has left him as such. It must be said Anglade dies well, bringing a certain flamboyance towards the character's unlikely and odd end, that is entertaining while never losing the body horror of the situation. As stated before, Anglade very much steals the film once the character has his turn. This as he makes the most out of the atypical and off-beat monarch, who is a true product of his cruel family both in life and in death.
(Auteuil)
