Terror! Robespierre and the French Revolution (2009)

  • NR
  • 07/11/2009 (GB)
  • Documentary

Overview

In 1794, French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre produced the world's first defense of "state terror" - claiming that the road to virtue lay through political violence. This film combines drama, archive and documentary interviews to examine Robespierre's year in charge of the Committee Of Public Safety - the powerful state machine at the heart of Revolutionary France. Contesting Robespierre's legacy is Slavoj Zizek, who argues that terror in the cause of virtue is justifiable, and Simon Schama, who believes the road from Robespierre ran straight to the gulag and the 20th-century concentration camp. The drama, based on original sources, follows the life-and-death politics of the Committee during "Year Two" of the new Republic.

Carl Hindmarch

Director

Cast

Stephen Hogan's headshot

Stephen Hogan

Maximillian Robespierre
Ed Stoppard's headshot

Ed Stoppard

Herault
Brian Pettifer's headshot

Brian Pettifer

Couthon
David Andress's headshot

David Andress

Self - Author 'The Terror'
Martin Hancock's headshot

Martin Hancock

Collot
Colin Jones's headshot

Colin Jones

Self - Author 'The Great Nation'
Jonny Phillips's headshot

Jonny Phillips

Carnot
Slavoj Žižek's headshot

Slavoj Žižek

Self - Author - 'In Defence of Lost Causes'

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