Diane (film)

Diane
Original film poster
Directed by	David Miller
Produced by	Edwin H. Knopf
Written by	Christopher Isherwood John Erskine
Starring	Lana Turner Pedro Armendáriz Roger Moore Marisa Pavan Sir Cedric Hardwicke Torin Thatcher Taina Elg John Lupton Henry Daniell
Music by	Miklós Rózsa
Cinematography	Robert H. Planck
Edited by	John McSweeney Jr
Production company	MGM
Distributed by	MGM
Release date	January 12, 1956 (1956-01-12)
Running time	110 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2,660,000
Box office	$1,232,000

Diane is a 1956 American historical film drama about the life of Diane de Poitiers, distributed by MGM, directed by David Miller, and produced by Edwin H. Knopf from a screenplay by Christopher Isherwood based on a story by John Erskine. The music score was composed by Miklós Rózsa, and Robert H. Planck was the cinematographer, who filmed in CinemaScope and Eastmancolor. The exceptionally lavish costumes were designed by Walter Plunkett.

The film stars Lana Turner, Pedro Armendáriz, Roger Moore, and Marisa Pavan, and features Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Torin Thatcher, Taina Elg, John Lupton, Henry Daniell, Melville Cooper and an early film appearance by Stuart Whitman. It was Turner's last film under her longtime MGM contract and thus marked another stage in the decline of the studio star system.

The action is set in 16th-century France.

Diane de Poitiers (Lana Turner) becomes the mistress of Prince Henri (Roger Moore), second in line to the throne. Their liaison continues through Henri's arranged marriage to the Italian Catherine de' Medici (Marisa Pavan). Unknown to Catherine, her Medici relations arrange the death of the Dauphin and Henri's ascent to the throne as King Henry II. The antagonism of the two women, abetted by Medici scheming, eventually results in the death of Henri. Catherine, now ruling as regent for her three young sons, banishes Diane but spares her rival's life in a gesture of mutual respect.