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05/03/2011 Drama 1h 35m
80
User score

To shine too brightly is to challenge the sun.

Overview

"The king, the squirrel and the grass snake" is a two‑part French historical drama set in 17th‑century Paris, following the intense rivalry between Nicolas Fouquet, the brilliant and flamboyant Superintendent of Finances, and Jean‑Baptiste Colbert, the calculating administrator determined to bring him down. As Fouquet rises in power, wealth, and prestige—building the magnificent château of Vaux‑le‑Vicomte and securing Mazarin’s favor—his influence begins to alarm the young Louis XIV. Colbert seizes the opportunity to undermine his rival, weaving a political trap that will reshape the future of the kingdom. Through court intrigues, shifting alliances, and the growing authority of the Sun King, the film portrays the fall of a man who shone too brightly and the birth of absolute monarchy in France.

Top billed cast

  1. Lorànt Deutsch

    Fouquet

  2. Thierry Frémont

    Colbert

  3. Sara Giraudeau

    Marie-Madeleine Fouquet

  4. Laurent Natrella

    D'Artagnan

  5. Carole Richert

    Madale de Sévigné

  6. Davy Sardou

    Louis XIV

  7. Anne Loiret

    Anne d'Autriche

  8. Marie-Christine Adam

    Marie de Maupeou

  9. Marie-Julie Baup

    Catherine de Manneville

  10. View more

Full Cast & Crew

Current Season

Season 1

 2011 | 2 Episodes

Set at the dawn of Louis XIV’s reign, the story follows the quiet but fierce rivalry between two men: Nicolas Fouquet, brilliant, dazzling, a patron of the arts, and Jean‑Baptiste Colbert, methodical, patient, and determined to reshape the kingdom in his own way. At first indispensable to France, Fouquet shines through his intelligence and spectacular lifestyle, enough to spark the young king’s suspicion. As he builds Vaux‑le‑Vicomte and expands his influence, Colbert weaves a relentless strategy to bring him down. After the famous fête at Vaux, Louis XIV decides to assert his authority: Fouquet is arrested, tried, and becomes the symbol of a monarchy tightening its grip. Through this clash, the two films portray the birth of absolute power and the fall of a man who dared to shine brighter than the king.

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Status
Ended

Original Language
French

Original Name
Le Roi, l'Écureuil et la Couleuvre

Keywords