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Timeline

Marguerite (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 129 min · French
Directed by
Xavier Giannoli
Starring
Christa Theret, André Marcon, Catherine Frot, Michel Fau

In 1921 Paris, wealthy socialite Marguerite Dumont secretly harbors a passion for singing, despite being hopelessly tone-deaf. Her extravagant parties hide her delusion of grandeur and unwavering belief in her talent. Encouraged by a journalist, and with the reluctant guidance of a former star, Marguerite decides to pursue her dream, challenging societal expectations and her husband’s disapproval. This poignant story explores the power of passion, perseverance, and the importance of self-belief.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Marguerite
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Marguerite (2016)

Where can you watch Marguerite? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Kanopy, Tubi TV and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Marguerite Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Marguerite (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Marriage of Marguerite and Georges

    Marguerite marries Georges, a union stemming from both affection and convenience. While Georges is enticed by her wealth, Marguerite is captivated by his title, setting the stage for a complex relationship built on misunderstandings.

  2. Marguerite's Musical Aspirations

    In her quest for Georges' approval, Marguerite devotes herself to music, despite lacking talent. Her fervent desire to impress him leads her to misguided aspirations, all while Georges maintains a dismissive distance throughout their marriage.

  3. Georges' Affair

    As Marguerite strives for her husband's admiration, Georges engages in a secret affair with a mutual acquaintance. This betrayal creates an emotional rift, with Marguerite blissfully unaware of the deception that shadows their relationship.

  4. Marguerite's Vibrant Community

    Marguerite's musical community is aware of her lack of talent yet continues to celebrate her generous hospitality. Avant-garde artists opportunistically incorporate her peculiar musical attempts into their own performances, leveraging her naivety for their gain.

  5. Madelbos' Ambitions

    Madelbos, Marguerite's dedicated butler, harbors aspirations of fame as a photographer. He captures her in her operatic costumes, hoping that her eventual success will bring him recognition, albeit for the wrong reasons.

  6. Blackmailing Pezzini

    In a desperate attempt to secure a voice coach, Madelbos resorts to blackmailing the washed-up tenor Pezzini. This unethical move complicates the dynamics further, as Georges had hoped for a more straightforward critique of Marguerite’s abilities.

  7. Marguerite's Vocal Training

    Under Pezzini's reluctant mentorship, Marguerite undergoes a series of unconventional vocal exercises. His entourage moves in with her, transforming her home into a hub of misguided artistic endeavor, in the lead-up to a charity concert.

  8. Charity Concert Approaches

    As the charity concert featuring Marguerite's operatic performances nears, tension runs high. Georges grapples with the prospect of attending while fearing he may be subjected to ridicule during the event.

  9. Discovery of Betrayal

    Just before the charity concert, Marguerite learns of Georges' betrayal, her heart shattered by the revelation. Despite this devastation, she resolves to perform, holding on to a glimmer of hope amidst the sorrow.

  10. Marguerite's Performance

    During her performance, the audience initially reacts with laughter, but Marguerite's fleeting moment of genuine emotion catches Georges' eye. However, as she tries to sing with authenticity, she suddenly falters and coughs up blood, heralding her decline.

  11. Medical Concerns

    A voice specialist reassures Marguerite that all she needs is rest, yet she becomes increasingly detached from reality. Meanwhile, Georges contemplates their tumultuous relationship and the future of her singing career, leading to a sense of regret.

  12. Capture of Marguerite's Memories

    As Marguerite's state deteriorates, a doctor records her memories of concert engagements on a phonograph. Georges, aiming to reveal the truth, instructs the doctor to capture her singing, illustrating his conflicted emotions about her delusions.

  13. Georges' Regret

    Feeling overwhelming regret for his prior actions, Georges rushes to the hospital to be by Marguerite's side. However, his motorcar has a genuine breakdown, causing unavoidable delays and compounding his anxiety about her condition.

  14. Marguerite's Final Moments

    Georges arrives at the hospital just as Marguerite experiences her tragic final moments. Embraced in his arms, she is surrounded by the love that had so often eluded her, as Madelbos captures this poignant scene with his camera.

Last updated: November 07, 2024 at 23:47

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Timeline questions answered

Marguerite Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Marguerite (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Marguerite continue singing even though she has no talent?

Marguerite genuinely believes she possesses exceptional vocal abilities and views her singing as the key to winning her husband Georges' approval. Throughout their marriage, Georges has never directly addressed her lack of talent, and her social circle enthusiastically encourages her performances because they benefit from her generous hospitality and parties.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes establish that Marguerite's community attends her events solely for her generosity, never for her musical abilities.

  • marguerite dumont
  • tone-deaf
  • singing
  • delusion
  • music passion
Q2

Why does Georges constantly avoid attending Marguerite's performances?

Georges knows Marguerite has no talent and dreads the public humiliation of watching his wife perform badly. He uses his car's repeated 'breakdowns' as fabricated excuses to skip her concerts, though these lies eventually become unsustainable.

Foreshadowing: Georges' pattern of avoiding performances is established early, with the car excuse introduced as a recurring joke.

  • georges dumont
  • husband
  • performance avoidance
  • car breakdown
  • embarrassment
Q3

Why does no one tell Marguerite that she can't sing?

Most people around Marguerite are too afraid to shatter her hopes, partly because of her generous nature and her charitable work supporting war orphans. Additionally, avant-garde artists actually exploit her peculiar musical attempts by incorporating them into their own works.

Foreshadowing: The narrative establishes early that Marguerite's community is aware of her lack of talent but chooses to profit from her rather than help her.

  • marguerite dumont
  • community
  • truth
  • deception
  • war orphans
Q4

Why does Marguerite still perform at the concert after discovering Georges' affair?

Despite learning of Georges' betrayal just before the concert, Marguerite decides to perform anyway. She hopes that a successful performance might finally earn her husband's genuine love and attention, clinging to the belief that musical triumph could restore their relationship.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Marguerite discovering the affair immediately before the concert, making her determination to perform an act of desperate hope.

  • marguerite
  • affair
  • betrayal
  • charity concert
  • performance
Q5

What causes Marguerite to cough up blood during her performance?

During her performance, Marguerite experiences a physical collapse and coughs up blood, signaling the onset of a serious medical condition. This dramatic moment marks the beginning of her final decline, though the full medical details remain ambiguous.

Foreshadowing: The narrative builds tension toward this moment as Marguerite pushes herself to sing with genuine emotion for the first time.

  • marguerite
  • coughing blood
  • performance
  • collapse
  • illness
Q6

Why does Madelbos blackmail the voice coach Pezzini?

Madelbos, Marguerite's butler and amateur photographer, desperately wants fame and believes that capturing Marguerite's eventual public success will make him famous. When he struggles to find a qualified voice coach willing to work with Marguerite, he resorts to blackmailing the washed-up tenor Pezzini.

Foreshadowing: Madelbos's photographic ambitions are introduced early, establishing his ulterior motive for supporting Marguerite's career.

  • madelbos
  • pezzini
  • blackmail
  • voice coach
  • photographer
Q7

What happens to Marguerite at the end of the movie?

Marguerite dies in the hospital surrounded by love, which had eluded her throughout her marriage. Georges finally arrives in time to hold her as she passes, and Madelbos captures this final moment with his camera, though the fulfillment of her dreams remains tragically out of reach.

Foreshadowing: The narrative builds toward this bittersweet ending where Marguerite experiences connection only in death.

  • marguerite
  • death
  • hospital
  • georges
  • final moments
Q8

Why does Georges pretend his car breaks down to avoid Marguerite's concerts?

Georges fabricates car breakdowns as a gentle way to avoid confronting Marguerite about her terrible singing. He hopes someone else will eventually deliver the honest critique he cannot bring himself to give, while maintaining the appearance of a supportive husband.

Foreshadowing: This pattern is established from the beginning of their marriage, with the car mechanic storyline providing comedic relief.

  • georges dumont
  • car breakdown
  • excuse
  • avoidance
  • lies
Q9

Why did Marguerite marry Georges despite their obvious incompatibility?

Marguerite married Georges primarily because she was captivated by his title and aristocratic status. Meanwhile, Georges was drawn to her substantial wealth. Their union was built on a mix of affection and practical convenience rather than genuine compatibility or mutual understanding.

Foreshadowing: The marriage dynamics are established in the opening timeline, revealing the transactional foundation of their relationship.

  • marguerite
  • georges
  • marriage
  • title
  • wealth
  • convenience
Q10

What fuels Marguerite's belief that she could become a professional singer?

Marguerite's unwavering belief stems from a complete lack of honest feedback, her husband, servants, and social circle all perpetuate her delusion. The avant-garde artists even encourage her, though for their own artistic exploitation rather than genuine support.

Foreshadowing: The community's collective silence about her lack of talent is established early, showing how easily Marguerite's delusion is maintained.

  • marguerite
  • delusion
  • talent
  • confidence
  • false belief

Movie threads

More Movies Like Marguerite, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Marguerite tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about delusional artists like Marguerite

Stories of misguided passion and the heartbreaking reality that follows artistic delusion. If you were captivated by the poignant story of Marguerite's misguided passion, explore these similar films about characters whose artistic delusions lead to tragic or bittersweet outcomes. Discover other movies that delve into the world of untalented dreamers, societal expectations, and the heartbreaking collision of fantasy and reality.

  • tragic
  • poignant
  • delusional
  • melancholic
  • misguided
  • lonely
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic
  • Pacing: slow, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories typically follow a protagonist on a sincere but flawed artistic journey, oblivious to their own lack of ability. The plot is driven by the growing dissonance between their perception and reality, often culminating in a moment of devastating clarity or a sad acceptance of their insulated fantasy. Supporting characters often have complex motives, ranging from cruel encouragement to reluctant pity.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their shared focus on the emotional core of delusion, creating a specific type of character-driven tragedy. The mood is consistently melancholic and poignant, balancing a sense of hope with an underlying dread. The pacing is often deliberate, allowing the audience to sit with the uncomfortable beauty of the character's misplaced faith.

Slow-burn period character studies like Marguerite

Slow-burn period dramas focused on the quiet tragedy of a single, isolated individual. For viewers who appreciated the delicate and melancholic character study of Marguerite set in 1920s Paris, this collection features similar movies. Find other poignant dramas with a slow pace that delve into the inner lives of isolated individuals within richly depicted historical settings, often leading to bittersweet or tragic conclusions.

  • poignant
  • melancholic
  • delicate
  • lonely
  • touching
  • atmospheric
  • Tone: melancholic, poignant, delicate
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate, atmospheric
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is less about plot-driven events and more about the gradual unfolding of a character's inner life against a backdrop of a specific time period. Conflict often arises from the character's inability to conform to societal norms or from a profound internal loneliness. The story arc is typically intimate, concluding with a sense of melancholy or quiet resignation that emphasizes the character's tragic beauty.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific mood blend: a delicate, melancholic, and poignant atmosphere combined with a slow, deliberate pacing. They prioritize emotional depth and character authenticity over complex plotting. The historical setting is not just backdrop but actively shapes the character's isolation and the constraints they face, making the era a key component of the vibe.

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Every angle

Marguerite (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Marguerite in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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