The Queen of Versailles (2012)

Remarkable documentary made by Lauren Greenfield about former billionaire David Siegel, who made a fortune selling time-share apartments, and Jackie Siegel, his wife. The couple have lots of children and dogs and live in a huge house, but plan to build an even bigger house, styled after the Palace of Versailles, which turns out to be the largest home in America. Then the global financial crisis hits and they risk losing everything. 

It’s a powerful study of wealth and its effects. There are fascinating scenes of excess in which you see Jackie shopping at Walmart or going through the antiques she keeps in a storage facility. It’s impossible to imagine having this kind of wealth. Yet being obscenely rich doesn’t seem like much fun. Their dogs foul the carpets frequently. Their eight children seem to barely know their father. Their pet lizard dies through complete neglect. And the Siegel marriage seems strained. 

The documentary shows all of this without making judgement, but the Siegels nevertheless sued to prevent the film’s release. That the filmmakers won the case only confirms how skilfully and impartially they presented the story.