Queen Margot (R)

Patrice Chéreau edited the original cut of the film (roughly 160 minutes) to a shorter 138 minutes for international release. This was due to the disappointing box-office performance in France and the criticism (by, among others, Variety critic Todd McCarthy) of the film as being too violent and often incoherent. The French press were scathing of this 'American censorship' (they described the film as having been 'given a face-lift' for American audiences), but the new version was defended by various French critics being both more coherent whilst also maintaining Chereau's artistic vision. The shorter cut was later released in France too, in the hopes of increasing the film's box-office takings. 20 years later, Chereau slightly re-edited his film again and re-mastered it for a new BluRay release with a running time of 161 minutes. This was one of Chereau's last completed acts before his untimely death, so it can be regarded as the definitive version.

The scene between Margot and La Mole, where they stand outdoors wrapped in nothing but a red cloak, was included for the American release even though it had not appeared in the original cut. The American distributors had insisted on the relationship between the two characters being more substantial (the romance was to become the focal point for the American marketing campaign).

Although Isabelle Adjani and Daniel Auteuil were respectively in their late 30s and early 40s when the movie was shot, their real-life counterparts, Margaret of Valois and Henri of Navarre, were in fact both only 19 when they married one another.

The film was the highest-grossing foreign language film in Britain during the year of its release; its box office gross of £600,000, at the time, ranked it amongst the highest grossing foreign language films of all time in the UK.

In addition to all the costumes worn by the lead actors, about 600 extras costumes were custom made in Paris for the film. Despite their sumptuous appearance, the clothes were mostly made from linen and cotton sateen; clothes that appear to be elaborately brocaded, such as Margot's wedding dress, are merely prints in most cases. Jewelry was limited to mostly pearls and elaborate embroidery - the norm for the era - was discarded both for stylistic and budgetary reasons.