Danton

Danton

Year: 1983

Runtime: 136 mins

Language: French

Director: Andrzej Wajda

DramaHistoryPolitics and human rightsPolitical drama patriotism and warLavish dramas and sumptuous royalty

By 1793, former revolutionary allies Danton and Robespierre stand opposed: Robespierre now rules France, imposing the Reign of Terror through mass executions. Danton, a beloved spokesman of the people, returns from the countryside to Paris to challenge the brutality and demand citizens’ rights. In response, Robespierre orders Danton and his allies’ arrest and execution.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Danton yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Danton (1983)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Danton (1983). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Spring 1794

The action takes place in the spring of 1794, amid the French Revolution’s brutal phase known as the Reign of Terror. The Committee of Public Safety wields immense power, using secret police and tribunals to purge perceived enemies. Everyday life is dominated by political maneuvering, arrests, and looming executions that redefine the city’s moral landscape.

Location

Paris, France

The film unfolds in Paris during the cold spring of 1794, at the heart of the Reign of Terror. The city’s streets are rain-soaked as authorities search vehicles and crowds line up in the rain for scarce bread. Scenes move between Danton’s ill-fated apartment, the private restaurant, and the National Convention, showing how Paris becomes a theater of revolutionary power and fear.

🏛️ City setting 🌧️ Rainy spring 🥖 Bread shortage

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:42

Main Characters – Danton (1983)

Meet the key characters of Danton (1983), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Georges Danton (Gérard Depardieu)

A charismatic yet pragmatic revolutionary leader whose popularity with the common people makes him a potential threat to Robespierre. He navigates alliances carefully, choosing restraint even as he faces arrest. His confidence in the people’s affection contrasts with the brutal machinery of the revolutionary state.

🎭 Charismatic 🗳️ Popular 🧭 Pragmatic

Maximilien Robespierre (Wojciech Pszoniak)

A principled yet calculating member of the Committee who seeks to crush threats to the Revolution. He resists Danton at first but escalates to ordering arrests and decrees, showing how fear and power can override ideals. The stress of leadership reveals a man torn between doctrine and brutality.

🗡️ Authoritative 🧭 Idealist 🗝️ Calculating

Camille Desmoulins (Patrice Chéreau)

A journalist and ally of Danton whose printing presses become a target. His rhetoric helps mobilize popular support, and his wife’s pleas highlight the human cost of political struggle. He embodies both the spark of revolutionary energy and the danger it invites.

📰 Revolutionary 🗣️ Persuasive 🧭 Courageous

François-Louis Bourdon (Andrzej Seweryn)

A conspiratorial ally weighing a coup against Robespierre. He represents the tension between revolutionary aims and the prudence needed to avoid bloodshed. His choices reflect the fragmentation within revolutionary leadership.

🏛️ Strategist ⚖️ Calculating 🕊️ Loyalist

Antoine de Saint-Just (Bogusław Linda)

A radical voice within the Committee who aligns with Robespierre and embodies the era’s zeal for revolutionary justice. His hardline stance intensifies the drive toward harsh measures. He heightens the sense that time is running out for dissent.

⚔️ Radical 🧭 Energetic 🗳️ Legalist

François-Joseph Westermann (Jacques Villeret)

A general who helps plan a coup, illustrating the convergence of military power and political ambition. His involvement shows how the revolution’s violence extends beyond the streets into the army. He embodies the potential for force to alter political trajectories.

🗺️ Military 🧭 Ambitious 🛡️ Resolute

Jacques-Louis David (Franciszek Starowieyski)

A painter whose studio becomes a hub of political plotting and moral debate. His engagement signals how art and intellect intersect with revolutionary passion. He personifies the era’s reformist spirit and its complicity in political drama.

🎨 Artist 🧠 Intellectual 🕊️ Influential

Lazare Carnot (Leonard Pietraszak)

A key planner in the Revolutionary War effort, representing the strategic and administrative side of governance during upheaval. His presence underscores the broader machinery that drives the Terror beyond Paris. He embodies the calculated nature of political power.

🧭 Strategist 🗳️ Politician 🧰 Engineer

Georges Couthon (Tadeusz Huk)

A fervent Robespierre ally who participates relentlessly in prosecutions. He embodies unwavering dedication to the revolutionary cause, sometimes at the expense of humane consideration. His zeal amplifies the Terror’s moral cost.

🔥 Zealous 🪖 Politician 🧭 Ideologue

Jean-Lambert Tallien (Gérard Hardy)

A politician who moves through the revolution’s theater of power, reflecting shifting loyalties and opportunism. His presence adds to the sense of a tight circle where alliances are constantly renegotiated. He contributes to the sense of political play surrounding Danton’s fall.

🏛️ Politician 🎭 Dramatic 🗳️ Opportunist

Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles (Jean-Loup Wolff)

A Convention member whose actions illustrate the revolution’s broad political spectrum. He shows how the revolution pulls together diverse voices that can pivot under pressure. His involvement highlights the complexity of revolutionary governance.

🧭 Politician 🧠 Thinker 🕊️ Idealist

Antoine Fouquier-Tinville (Roger Planchon)

The public prosecutor whose drive for convictions fuels the tribunal’s momentum. He embodies the legal machinery that can be weaponized for political ends. His role underscores how justice can be bent to serve revolutionary aims.

⚖️ Prosecutor 🗂️ Bureaucrat 🗡️ Determined

Louison Danton (Emmanuelle Debever)

Danton’s wife, offering a personal lens on the upheaval. Her presence emphasizes the human costs of political decisions. She represents the families caught in the crossfire of revolutionary violence.

💌 Partner 🏛️ Family 🕊️ Human

Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac (Marek Kondrat)

A Committee member who helps drive the agenda against Danton and his allies. He embodies the political pragmatism that surfaces when revolutionary fervor collides with personal and factional interests. His actions push the state toward harsher measures.

🗳️ Politician 🗡️ Hardline 🧭 Opportunist

Lucile Desmoulins (Angela Winkler)

Desmoulins’s wife who bears witness to the personal cost of political warfare. Her reactions illuminate the intimate impact of public decisions and the cost of standing by loved ones in danger. She embodies loyalty amid chaos.

💑 Partner 🏛️ Civilian 🕊️ Resilient

André Amar (Krzysztof Globisz)

A revolutionary ally whose role signals the broader spectrum of actors within the Terror. His presence emphasizes the collective nature of revolutionary leadership, not just the marquee figures. He represents the many voices that contribute to the fevered political climate.

🧩 Supporting 🗳️ Political 🗡️ Determined

Pierre Philippeaux (Serge Merlin)

One of the revolutionary tribunals’ figures who participates in the legal drama surrounding Danton. His involvement underscores the procedural side of revolutionary justice and how it can be used to legitimize execution. He helps illustrate the machinery of the Terror behind the scenes.

⚖️ Prosecutor 🕊️ Theorist 🧭 Realist

Éléonore Duplay (Anne Alvaro)

A close ally to Desmoulins and a witness to the revolution’s effects on intimate circles. Her perspective highlights the personal dimensions of political upheaval and the way relationships navigate danger and loyalty during the Terror.

🧭 Ally 🕊️ Loyal 💬 Observant

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:42

Major Themes – Danton (1983)

Explore the central themes of Danton (1983), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Power

The movie centers on how Robespierre and the Committee consolidate authority, turning revolutionary zeal into coercive rule. Danton’s popularity is treated as a political threat, prompting strategic moves and arrests. The pursuit of justice becomes a tool for political survival, revealing how quickly liberty can yield to tyranny.

📰 Propaganda

Desmoulins’ Le Vieux Cordelier, a pro-Danton publication, and the press play pivotal roles in shaping public opinion. Robespierre’s order to destroy Desmoulins’ print shop shows how information becomes a battleground. The people’s perception of Danton and the Revolution is filtered through pamphlets, newspapers, and speeches.

🧭 Ideals

The film juxtaposes the Declaration of the Rights of Man with the brutality of the tribunals, questioning what the Revolution truly stands for. A child reciting the rights echoes the hollow promise of democracy amid executions. Robespierre’s warning that dictatorship may be necessary exposes the fragility of revolutionary ideals.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:42

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Unlock the Full Story of Danton

Don't stop at just watching — explore Danton in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Danton is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Danton Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Danton, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Danton Summary

Danton Timeline

Track the full timeline of Danton with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Danton Timeline

More About Danton

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Danton: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Danton