All of these are good places to get either the details of the time period, or the “feel” of the characters. A number of characters in the game are based on archetypes that first appeared in these works.​​​

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Movies

 

• Les Miserables (2012): Victor Hugo’s classic story of a failed revolution, remade as a classic musical.
   

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939): Hugo explores class inequalities in an earlier time period.
   

• The Prisoner of Zenda (many remakes): Romance of a noble Englishman taking over the role of a Balkan king.
   

• A Tale of Two Cities (many remakes): Charles Dickens’ tale of the French Revolution.

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• The Count of Monte Cristo (many versions): A famous story of revenge.

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• The Son of Monte Cristo (1940) This obscure movie was the original inspiration for this game.

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• The Three Musketeers (1973) The classic swashbuckler. This version is the most faithful to the book.

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• The Man in the Iron Mask (1998 and others) More swashbuckling Dumas.

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• The Scarlet Pimpernel (many versions) An apparent fop rescues French aristocrats during the revolution.

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• Any Zorro! movie: Lots of swashbuckling.

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• The Princess Bride (1987) Don’t tell me you haven’t seen this already! Inconceivable!

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• Scaramouche (1952) A wanted master swordsman hides out in in acommedia dell’arte troupe.

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• The Corsican Brothers (many remakes) Identical twins, one a nobleman, the other a peasant.

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• Start the Revolution Without Me (1970) A parody of the above with two sets of twins. Gene Wilder.

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• The Court Jester (1955):  An all-time classic with Danny Kaye. Basil Rathbone is the perfect antagonist.

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• Duck Soup (1927): The Marx Brothers’ take on a revolution.

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Novels

 

    Most of the movies listed above were adapted from classic novels.

   In addition,

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• Westmark, The Kestrel, The Beggar Queen -- Lloyd Alexander

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• The Moon is a Harsh Mistress -- Robert Heinlein

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• Malafrena -- Ursula LeGuin

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• Freedom & Necessity – Steven Brust & Emma Bull

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Non-Fiction

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• The Revolutions of 1848 -- Priscilla Robertson

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• Europe after 1815 -- René Albrecht-Carrié

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• Metternich’s Europe 1815-1848 -- Mack Walker

    

 

Songs to get you in the mood...

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• ​Life in Wartime​​​, Talking Heads

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• ​Revolution​​​, Beatles

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• ​Won’t Get Fooled Again​​, The Who

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• ​Fernando​​​, ABBA

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• ​Les Mis​​​​, Weber​

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• ​Angry Young Man​​, Joel

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