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ItFromDawes t1_ixpupas wrote

I unironically love it when historical epics have French characters speaking in English accents. it doesn't make sense but at this point I wouldn't accept anything else.

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Many-Outside-7594 t1_ixpw54j wrote

Even stories set hundreds of years in the future!

It actually makes a kernel of sense, French used to be the language of diplomacy and any educated person would have spoken it.

How do you communicate that to a modern audience?

(Classically trained British actor enters the room)

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Mr_Oujamaflip t1_ixqxn5h wrote

If everyone is speaking the same language then why bother having English in a French accent. It gives you the impression the viewer is of the same language as the characters. However if one person puts on a French accent while everyone else is speaking English even if the movie is based in France it doesn't work because that person is the odd one out.

See the film Child 44. Everyone speaks with normal English accents even though it's in Russia and everyone should be speaking Russian. Except Tom Hardy who puts on a Russian accent while speaking and he sounds wrong.

Either commit to it and speak the correct language to the region or just do it in English as long as everyone is consistent with it IMO.

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ItFromDawes t1_ixr2092 wrote

I don't think it needs to be a French accent either. I just think it's funny that it always defaults to English accents in these movies and that I actually like it. AFAIK most of the actors aren't even English so it's fun/interesting seeing Brendon Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Jaime Lannister, and Vorenus from Rome all try to sound the same.

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