Synopsis

Meet Jackie and David Siegel and their eight children; Jackie is a former beauty queen and David is the billionaire “Time-Share King” of the world, and they are building their dream home – the USA’s largest single domestic home - modelled on the Versailles palace in France. And then the economic crisis hits. The Queen of Versailles is their story and how, in the face of the worst economic crisis in 100 years, Jackie, David, their children, maids, dogs, employees and business associates struggle to keep the time-share business afloat and finish their dream-home: Versailles, Florida. The Queen of Versailles is a deft and surprisingly subtle piece of filmmaking; Lauren Greenfield’s knowing camera not only interviews but captures private moments in the Siegels’ lives, and she constructs metaphors to create portraits of family, friends, colleagues, nannies and children as their rarefied world is turned upside down. The result is a hypnotic film of a family and the demise of the American Dream.

On Twitter

profile

Queen of Versailles

QofVersailles

RT @ErnestSpencer: THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES Premieres on CNBC Today: "The Queen of Versailles" traces the lives of billionaires Ja... bit.ly/18x71ir 6 days ago · reply · retweet · favorite

RT @instituteartist: 9 P.M. (CNBC) THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES nytimes.com/2013/06/12/art… 6 days ago · reply · retweet · favorite

RT @IvanTheK: REMINDER: Queen of Versailles on CNBC (US) tonight at 9PM ET. 6 days ago · reply · retweet · favorite

RT @TheStalwart: Tonight @ 9 CNBC is airing the best movie ever made about the financial crisis. I wrote about it here. businessinsider.com/the-queen-of-v… 6 days ago · reply · retweet · favorite

RT @rjtwatts: The Best Movie Yet About The Financial Crisis businessinsider.com/the-queen-of-v… via @clusterstock 6 days ago · reply · retweet · favorite

RT @instituteartist: "The Queen of Versailles" on CNBC tonight, Robert Frank gives us an update four year later...work has resumed video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video… 6 days ago · reply · retweet · favorite

RT @heylandy: Ever wondered how the 1% live? Watch The Queen of Versailles on ABC2 on Sunday night. Such a good doco!! /@moviemongrel 2 weeks ago · reply · retweet · favorite

On Facebook

Reviews

  • "A meditation on marriage and a metaphor for the fragility of fortunes, big and small." – The Economist
  • "The loss of grotesque wealth has never been so entertaining – or weirdly moving – as in this riches-to-rags documentary" 4The Guardian
  • "Jackie could sell a few pairs of $17,000 Gucci boots on eBay and be richer than most of us. As for this doc, it’s priceless. " 4Time Out London
  • "A bizarre and mesmerising journey to the heart of Cloud Cuckoo Land. " 4Empire Magazine
  • 4Total Film
  • "Lauren Greenfield's documentary opens into a riveting American tragicomedy" 4The Independent
  • "Terrific documentary" 4The Times
  • "Greenfield finally manages to summon sympathy for people who at first seem vain, selfish and greedy. It’s quite an achievement" 4The Telegraph
  • "Prepare to be shocked, disgusted and compelled." 4Little White Lies
  • "Greed, Schadenfreude and recession frame this riveting, nuanced documentary portrait " 4The Irish Times

Articles