First Look: Best of times and worst of times
The movie: "The Queen of Versailles"
When: Opening Friday at the Suncoast
Cast: David Siegel, Jackie Siegel
Director: Lauren Greenfield
The story: The riches-to-rags documentary begins with the Siegels building a 90,000-square-foot mansion inspired by both the French chateau of the title and Paris Las Vegas. Then the economy collapses, funding for his company’s Westgate tower at the Planet Hollywood Resort dries up, and the couple is forced to make major lifestyle changes.
The buzz: "The Queen of Versailles" won the documentary directing award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Then David Siegel sued both the festival and the movie’s director. Aside from those scenes from "The Dark Knight Rises," though, who doesn’t enjoy seeing the 1 percent squirm?
– CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE
