If you’ve spent any time scrolling through Netflix’s European catalog, you’ve probably stumbled across Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction. It’s this weirdly charming, visually lush Danish film that dropped in late 2023, and honestly? It’s kind of a breath of fresh air. While most period dramas these days feel like they’re trying to be Bridgerton with neon lights and pop covers, this movie goes in the complete opposite direction. It’s old-school. It’s witty. It’s fundamentally Danish.
The film is directed by Bille August—the guy who won an Oscar for Pelle the Conqueror—and it’s based on a book by Karen Blixen. You might know her as Isak Dinesen, the woman who wrote Out of Africa. But this isn’t a sweeping, tragic romance about coffee plantations. It’s a comedy of manners that feels more like a sophisticated prank than a soap opera.
Basically, the plot revolves around a self-appointed expert on love named Cazotte. He’s hired by a Grand Duchess to help her awkward son, Prince Lothar, find a wife and—more importantly—produce an heir. But the real star is the titular character, Ehrengard. She’s a no-nonsense maid of honor who basically treats the art of seduction like a chess match she has no intention of losing.
The Queen Margrethe Connection No One Talks About Enough
One of the coolest, and frankly most bizarre, things about Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction is who worked behind the scenes. Usually, when a movie says "Royal Involvement," it’s some marketing fluff. Not here. The sets and costumes were actually designed by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
Yeah. A literal sitting Queen (at the time of production) did the production design.
She used a technique called découpage. It’s basically high-end collage work. If you look closely at the backgrounds in the film, they have this slightly surreal, layered quality. It doesn't look like a standard CGI backdrop. It looks like a painting you could step into. This choice gives the movie a "fairytale for grown-ups" vibe that sets it apart from the grittier historical dramas we’re used to seeing on streaming platforms. It’s stylized. It’s intentional. It’s very, very European.
Most people skip the credits, but seeing "Scenography and Costumes by HM Queen Margrethe II" is a legitimate flex. It’s not just a gimmick; her artistic eye defines the entire rhythm of the film. The colors aren’t just "period accurate"—they’re vibrant and satirical, matching the tone of Blixen’s prose.
Seduction as a Game of Power
Let’s talk about the "Seduction" part of the title. In modern movies, seduction is usually portrayed as this heavy, sexualized thing. In Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction, it’s a mental game. Cazotte, played by Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, is a bit of a narcissist. He thinks he can manipulate human emotions like a conductor leading an orchestra.
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He makes a bet with the Grand Duchess. He claims he can make Ehrengard fall in love with him not by being "nice," but by using the specific "art" of psychological manipulation.
It’s kind of messed up if you think about it too hard.
But the movie knows it’s messed up. That’s the point. Ehrengard, played by Alice Bier Zandén, isn't some naive farm girl. She’s a soldier's daughter. She’s stoic. She’s observant. The tension doesn't come from "will they or won't they," but rather from "when is Cazotte going to realize he’s completely outmatched?" It’s a subversion of the typical Casanova trope. Instead of the man winning the girl, we watch a man slowly realize he’s not nearly as smart as he thinks he is.
The Problem With Cazotte’s Ego
Cazotte is the kind of guy who talks about "The Art" with a capital A. He’s an artist, a poet, and a world-class flirt. But the film subtly critiques this. You see it in the way the camera lingers on his face when things start to go wrong.
He isn't a villain, exactly. He’s just a man who has lived his life believing that emotions are things you can manufacture. When he meets Ehrengard, he meets reality. She doesn't react to his rehearsed lines. She doesn't swoon at his sketches. She just... exists. And that drives him crazy.
Is It Actually Factually Accurate?
When we talk about "historical accuracy" in a film like this, we have to be careful. Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction is set in the fictional Grand Duchy of Babenhausen. It’s not a real place. So, in terms of history, it’s a fantasy.
However, it is extremely accurate to Karen Blixen’s specific literary style.
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Blixen wrote with a sort of "mythic" quality. She loved stories about fate, irony, and the way the upper class traps itself in its own rules. Bille August captures that perfectly. The dialogue feels slightly formal, because that’s how people in these social circles would have spoken. They didn't just say what they felt; they hid their feelings behind layers of etiquette.
- The film stays true to the 1962 novella published posthumously.
- It honors the Danish tradition of "hygge" but twists it into something sharper.
- It avoids the "girl boss" tropes of 2024, letting Ehrengard be powerful through her silence and her competence rather than through modern dialogue.
Why the Ending Actually Matters
A lot of viewers were a bit confused by the finale. Without spoiling the specifics, let's just say it doesn't end with a wedding and a sunset. It ends with a lesson.
The "Art of Seduction" turns out to be a bit of a joke on the audience. We expect a romance. We get a comedy of errors where the "expert" is the one who ends up schooled. It reminds me a bit of Dangerous Liaisons, but with a much lighter touch.
The ending reinforces the idea that you can't actually control other people. No matter how many paintings you make or how many letters you write, human nature is unpredictable. Cazotte’s failure is his greatest masterpiece, even if he’s too proud to admit it at first. It's a clever, slightly cynical look at love that feels very grounded, despite the flashy costumes.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Movie
People often label this as a "Steamy Romance." If you go in expecting 365 Days or even The Great, you’re going to be disappointed. This isn't a "steamy" movie. It’s a "witty" movie.
The seduction is intellectual. It’s about a look across a room. It’s about the way someone stands during a portrait sitting. If you don't pay attention to the subtext, you'll miss the best parts of the film.
Another misconception is that it’s a "slow" movie. Sure, it doesn't have car chases, but the pacing is actually quite tight. At 94 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. Every scene serves a purpose—either to build the world or to show another crack in Cazotte’s facade.
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Practical Takeaways for Your Watch Party
If you’re planning to sit down with Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction, here is how to actually enjoy it.
First, watch it in the original Danish if you can. The subtitles are fine, but the cadence of the Danish language adds to the dry humor. There’s a specific "flatness" to Danish comedy that is lost in the English dub.
Second, pay attention to the colors. Because Queen Margrethe designed the sets, the color palette shifts based on who has the upper hand in a scene. It’s a subtle visual cue that most people miss on the first watch.
Third, read up on Karen Blixen. Knowing that she was a woman who lived a wildly adventurous life—running a farm in Kenya, surviving a disastrous marriage, and becoming a literary giant—makes her take on "seduction" much more interesting. She wasn't writing from a place of fantasy; she was writing from a place of experience.
The Actionable Verdict
If you want a movie that looks like a painting and acts like a play, watch this. It’s a great example of how European cinema can take a simple story and make it feel substantial.
Stop looking for a traditional romance. Look for the irony. Look for the way the characters use language to hide their true intentions. That’s where the real "art" is.
To get the most out of the experience, follow these steps:
- Switch to Danish audio. The English dubbing loses the subtle irony in Mikkel Boe Følsgaard's performance.
- Look at the "Découpage" backgrounds. Notice how the landscapes often look like paper cutouts. It’s a deliberate nod to the Queen’s art style and the story’s "fairytale" artifice.
- Watch the body language. Because the dialogue is so formal, the characters express their real feelings through how they sit, move, and hold their eyes. It’s a masterclass in non-verbal acting.
- Check out the novella. If you liked the film’s vibe, Karen Blixen’s Ehrengard is a quick read and offers even more insight into Cazotte’s internal monologue.
The film is currently streaming on Netflix worldwide. It remains one of the most unique collaborations between a monarch and a major film studio in history, and for that reason alone, it’s worth the hour and a half of your time.