The King's Trial

Overview

At the time Portugal presented a strange spectacle to the rest of Europe. D. Afonso VI, son of the fortunate D. João de Bragança, was in possession of the throne and was an insane imbecile. His wife, daughter of the Duke of Nemours and cousin of Louis XIV, dared hatch a plot to oust her husband from the throne. The king's stupidity justified the queen's bravado. Despite being master of unusual strength and having slept with his wife for a long time, she accused him of being impotent. Marie Françoise had acquired through artfulness what Afonso had lost in anger in the kingdom. She had him imprisoned ( November 1667 ) and quickly obtained a papal bull from Rome to confirm her virginity and bless her marriage to her brother-in-law Pedro. Portugal's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1990.

Cast

Carlos Daniel

D. Afonso VI

Aurelle Doazan

D. Maria Francisca de Saboia

Antonino Solmer

D. Pedro, Infante de Portugal

Nuno Carinhas

Marquis of Sande

Manuela Cassola

Nun in Convent

Ruy de Carvalho

Doctor Martim dos Reis

Suzana Borges

Joana de Almeida

João Mário Grilo

Escrivão

Isabel Alves de Carvalho

Josefa de Óbidos

Paulo Filipe

Duque de Cadaval