Set in the vibrant, politically charged French court of the mid-17th century, the story follows how music, dance, and power intertwine to shape a dynasty. Lully begins to win over the 14-year-old King Louis XIV, Benoît Magimel, by presenting him with specially designed shoes for Ballet Royal de la Nuit. This early favor sparks a swift ascent, but it also stirs resentment among the aging courtiers, especially the royal composer Johan Leysen, Cambert, who sees his own authority threatened at the heart of the court.
As Cardinal Mazarin’s shadow fades with his death, the young king asserts his own rule in 1661. He faces a religious establishment controlled by his mother at the Palais-Royal, and the old guard braces for a reshaping of power. In this shifting landscape, Lully’s ambitions collide with Cambert’s axis of influence, pushing their rivalry into new dimensions.
The tension between Lully and Cambert intensifies when Cambert’s mistress, Cécile Bois Madeleine Lambert, née the daughter of Michel Lambert, marries Lully in 1662. This alliance cements a personal entanglement that heightens the public rivalry, as Lully and another Versailles favorite, Tchéky Karyo as Molière, press to recalibrate the court’s cultural power and push back against the entrenched nobles who clutch to tradition.
Together, Lully and Molière strive to disarm the old regime and redefine taste at court. Their efforts come into sharp relief during the controversial staging of Tartuffe in 1664, an event that underscores their limits and the delicate balance they must strike with a skeptical audience and a powerful monarchy. The fragrance of change is everywhere, and the duo discovers that genius alone cannot erase centuries of custom or the political gravity surrounding the king’s theater.
As the years pass, Lully’s grip on the king’s dance instruction and choreographic direction loosens, signaling a shift in influence at court. He must also navigate mounting emotional tensions with his wife’s niece Julie, a thread that grows heavier with time. These tensions come to a head at the gala for Cambert’s Pomone in 1671, a ceremonial moment that crystallizes the complex web of ambition, art, and affection that has guided Lully’s life on the royal stage.
Throughout these decades, the film paints a nuanced portrait of a man whose artistry and loyalties are tested by a changing throne, a restless court, and the inexorable pull of history.
