What Is Danton About?
The premise of Danton in 268 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the winter‑gray streets of Paris, 1793, every cobblestone seems to echo the weight of a nation teetering between liberty and oppression. Bread lines snake through rain‑slick alleys, and the air hums with whispered rumors of committees, tribunals, and an ever‑watchful gaze that turns ordinary citizens into cautious spectators. The city is a pressure cooker of fear, scarcity, and fleeting hope, painted in muted tones that make even sunlight feel like a distant memory.
At the heart of this charged atmosphere sits Robespierre, a gaunt figure whose rigid convictions have helped shape the Revolution’s most uncompromising policies. He moves through the streets with an air of detached resolve, his decisions dictating the rhythm of daily life. Across the same tumultuous stage, Danton bursts back from the provinces, greeted by a crowd that still remembers his fiery oratory and his reputation as a champion of the people. His return ignites a surge of populist energy that challenges the prevailing order, while Desmoulins, a bold printer, circulates pamphlets that keep the conversation alive in cafés and hidden rooms.
The clash between these two once‑allied titans fuels the film’s relentless tension, turning political philosophy into a personal duel. As rain falls over lantern‑lit squares, allegiances shift like shadows, and the audience is drawn into a world where idealism battles pragmatism on every street corner. The tone is a stark, almost theatrical portrait of a society on the brink, where eloquence can sway a crowd as surely as fear can silence it. Within this crucible, the characters navigate loyalty, ambition, and the haunting question of what a Republic must sacrifice to survive.
What Happens in Danton?
The complete story of Danton, from the first scene to the last, in 778 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Robespierre [Wojciech Pszoniak] sits at the heart of a Paris gripped by the Reign of Terror in the cold spring of 1794, where city streets are searched, rain blurs the cobbles, and long lines form for scarce bread. Ill in his flat, he watches Danton [Gérard Depardieu], freshly returned from the countryside and greeted as a hero by a hungry, dispirited people who crave leadership and courage. The atmosphere is thick with tension as Robespierre weighs his next moves against the rising question of whether mercy or iron will can sustain a republic.
Desmoulins [Patrice Chéreau], a bold printer, feeds public feeling with pro-Danton pamphlets from his shop, and Robespierre soon orders Héron to destroy that print shop, setting in motion a skirmish between intelligence, influence, and popular will. While the pressure mounts, Robespierre is tended by his barber, and his ally Saint-Just [Bogusław Linda] urges a harder line, pressing him to remove Danton from the political stage. Robespierre resists, preserving a wary line between friendship and the brutal necessity he believes the Revolution demands.
Before the National Convention sits, Westermann [Jacques Villeret] pressures for a coup to topple Robespierre’s power, while Danton declines, convinced that the people’s support and the power of his newspaper, Le Vieux Cordelier, will shield him. Yet he asks Bourdon [Andrzej Seweryn] to denounce Héron and his secret police in the Convention, a move that will pull others into the fray and expose the fragility of alliances in revolutionary times. The city breathes with a fragile hope that oratory and popular affection can outlast a tightening net.
That night, Robespierre invites Danton to a private dinner, building himself up with wine as he offers a chance to reconcile, while Danton drinks and coolly refuses to join Robespierre’s cause. The scene underscores a core tension: the more Robespierre seeks to line up the future of the Republic, the more Danton’s charisma and street-level support threaten to outpace him. After Robespierre leaves, a confrontation in the streets reveals a group of armed men—Westermann’s coup cohort—though Danton again refuses to be part of an illegal plot.
When Robespierre goes to Desmoulins’ house, he finds Desmoulins furious at the destruction of his printing work and unwilling to listen to Robespierre’s arguments about political strategy. Desmoulins’ wife pleads for him to live and think of the people, but Robespierre can do little more than press the case that the leadership must be unified, or the Republic will fracture. Robespierre then moves to the Committee of Public Safety and orders warrants for the arrest that night of Danton, Desmoulins, Westermann and several core associates, a drastic step that sends shockwaves through the revolutionary city. Danton, though he could rally more troops, chooses restraint, allowing the arrest to proceed and declaring that his oratory and the affection of the people will protect him.
The next morning, the National Convention reacts with outrage as Robespierre justifies the arrests by branding Danton an enemy of the Republic. Bourdon publicly shifts sides to back Robespierre, a turn that adds weight to Robespierre’s cause, while Danton faces the prospect of leadership being erased from the nation’s stage. At the Revolutionary Tribunal, the trial begins with uneasy silence as jurors grapple with the charges, and Danton’s interruptions threaten to derail the proceedings. The courtroom itself feels like a battlefield, where authority, legitimacy, and the people’s trust hang in the balance.
In prison, Danton’s confidence flinches when a fellow inmate mocks the possibility of a triumphant verdict, heightening the sense that the trial is more about political theater than due process. The following day, Robespierre learns from Fouquier-Tinville [Roger Planchon] that Danton’s constant interruptions have turned the process into a farce, spurring Robespierre to push through a decree that silences any speaker who steps out of line. The accused are quickly herded from court, and the verdict of guilt is announced with clinical finality.
On the eve of execution, Danton reflects that his greatest failure may not be his own harm but his inability to truly fulfill the people’s trust. As the condemned men are paraded through silent crowds to the scaffold and guillotined, Robespierre’s long-held composure ruptures. Saint-Just cheers him on, urging a declaration of dictatorship, while Robespierre recoils at the thought, admitting that if dictatorship becomes necessary, democracy itself may be an illusion. The trial’s drama closes on a sobering note: the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, once recited as a beacon of liberty, is shown here under the shadow of fear, doubt, and the moral compromise of revolution. The film leaves the viewer with a stark meditation on how the noblest ideals of the Revolution are fatally compromised.
Danton Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Paris under the Terror: Robespierre spots Danton” to “Execution and Robespierre’s breakdown”. 14 events name a place, across 11 locations.
- 1
Paris under the Terror: Robespierre spots Danton
In cold spring 1794 Paris, bread lines stretch through the rain and fear grips the city. Robespierre peers out onto the streets and sees Danton returning from the countryside, celebrated by a hungry, dispirited populace who still regard him as a hero. The political climate foreshadows the looming confrontation between the two former allies.
When:Spring 1794 Where:Paris
- 2
Héron orders destruction of Desmoulins' print shop
Héron, head of the secret police, visits Robespierre and is told to crush Desmoulins' print shop, which is publishing pro-Danton circulars. Robespierre sanctions the move, signaling the regime's readiness to silence dissent. The print shop’s destruction marks the first direct blow against Danton's influence.
When:Evening of that day Where:Desmoulins' print shop
- 3
Saint-Just urges Danton’s execution
While Robespierre is attended by his barber, Saint-Just enters and presses for Danton to be guillotined. Robespierre refuses to bow to this pressure, trying to balance friendship with revolutionary duty. The tension reveals the rift between personal loyalties and political necessity.
When:That day Where:Robespierre's flat
- 4
Committee of Public Safety pushes to eliminate Danton
At a meeting of the Committee of Public Safety, other members advocate for removing Danton, arguing he threatens the Republic. Robespierre, torn by his friendship with Danton, resists the push and delays any drastic move. The power struggle escalates as rivals try to outmaneuver him.
When:That day Where:Committee of Public Safety
- 5
Westermann discusses coup with Danton; Danton refuses
General Westermann discusses a coup to overthrow Robespierre with Danton, who refuses to join such illegal action. Danton believes the people's support through his newspaper and presence will shield him. He urges Bourdon to denounce Héron, hoping to expose the secret police.
When:That day Where:Paris
- 6
Héron arrested following Bourdon’s denunciation
Bourdon's denunciation of Héron triggers the arrest of Héron and several of his associates. The secret police's grip on power begins to crack as one of its chief instruments is neutralized. The arrests ignite further warnings of the danger Robespierre faces from within his own coalition.
When:That night Where:National Convention
- 7
Danton invites Robespierre to a private dinner; Robespierre's attempt to win him over; Westermann's men outside
That night, Danton hosts Robespierre for a lavish dinner in a private room, hoping to win him to a more moderate stance. Robespierre refuses to yield and leaves after failed talks. On the street, he encounters a group of armed men who turn out to be Westermann's coup force, who Danton still refuses to join.
When:That night Where:Private dining room, Paris restaurant; Paris street
- 8
Robespierre confronts Desmoulins; Desmoulins' fury; wife pleads
Robespierre goes to Desmoulins' house, where Desmoulins is furious about the destruction of his press and refuses to talk. Desmoulins' wife begs him to stay and live, asking Robespierre to intervene with gentler measures. Robespierre leaves unable to change his friend’s path.
When:That night Where:Desmoulins' house
- 9
Arrest warrant issued for Danton, Desmoulins, Westermann
Robespierre returns to the Committee of Public Safety and obtains a warrant for the arrest of Danton, Desmoulins, Westermann, and several associates. The interior politics of the Revolution snap into a new, deadly phase. The act sets the stage for an irreversible collapse of Danton’s coalition.
When:That night Where:Committee of Public Safety
- 10
National Convention reacts; Bourdon switches sides
The National Convention erupts in outrage at the arrests, while Bourdon abandons Danton to back Robespierre. The political landscape shifts as an old ally joins the faction of the Committee. Robespierre’s position gains the upper hand, though at a steep moral cost.
When:Morning Where:National Convention
Show the other 4 events of Danton Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Trial before the Revolutionary Tribunal begins
The trial opens with Danton, Desmoulins, Westermann and allies facing a tribunal that is short of jurors but proceeds. Danton interrupts repeatedly, challenging the proceedings. Prosecutor Fouquier complains that there is little ground for conviction, but the court presses on.
When:Morning Where:Revolutionary Tribunal
- 12
No-tolerance gag order; guilty verdict after interruptions
A decree is issued prohibiting anyone from speaking out of turn in court. Within minutes, the accused are bundled out and the verdict of guilty is read. The legal process is revealed as a hollow instrument in service of political ends.
When:Soon after noon Where:Courthouse; Revolutionary Tribunal
- 13
Danton’s final reflections before execution
On the eve of their deaths, Danton sits in prison, depressed at having failed the people rather than the Revolution’s goals. He questions whether his life mattered as the crowd’s passionate support wanes. His emotional state foreshadows the bloodshed to come.
When:Day before execution Where:Prison
- 14
Execution and Robespierre’s breakdown
Danton, Desmoulins, and Westermann are led to the scaffold and guillotined as the crowd falls silent. Robespierre’s long-suppressed tension fractures; Saint-Just presses him toward dictatorship. Robespierre recognizes that dictatorial power would betray the Revolution’s ideals, symbolized by a child reciting the Rights of Man amid the tragedy.
When:Execution day Where:Guillotine; Paris
Who Are the Main Characters in Danton?
4 characters, among them Georges Danton - Gérard Depardieu, Maximilien Robespierre - Wojciech Pszoniak and Camille Desmoulins - Patrice Chéreau: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Georges Danton - Gérard Depardieu
Played by Gérard Depardieu
Danton is depicted as a charismatic, persuasive leader whose connection with the people makes him a formidable political force. He values pragmatism and is wary of bloodshed, yet remains loyal to his friends. His confidence in popular support contrasts with Robespierre's relentless pursuit of control, and his arrest and execution reveal the brutal costs of revolutionary politics.
- 🎭 Charismatic leader
- 🗳️ Political strategist
- 🕊️ Popular with the people
- MR
Maximilien Robespierre - Wojciech Pszoniak
Played by Wojciech Pszoniak
Robespierre is presented as an uncompromising ideologue who believes in purging threats to the Republic. He seeks to consolidate power through the Committee of Public Safety and the Revolutionary Tribunal. His calculated moves, fear of dissent, and eventual breakdown after the executions show the terrifying arc of revolutionary principle turning into dictatorship.
- 🎭 Ideologue
- ⚖️ Absolute authority
- 🧭 Calculating
- CD
Camille Desmoulins - Patrice Chéreau
Played by Patrice Chéreau
Desmoulins is a passionate defender of liberty who uses his newspaper to challenge Robespierre and mobilize the people. He is a loyal ally to Danton and a fierce advocate for free expression, yet he fears the consequences of political violence. His frustration with the destruction of his press underscores the humans costs of revolution.
- 🎭 Radical journalist
- 📰 Press reformer
- 🔥 Loyal friend
- JD
Jacques-Louis David - Franciszek Starowieyski
Played by Franciszek Starowieyski
David appears as a witness to the upheaval, embodying the role of art and portraiture in revolutionary politics. His studio becomes a site where political factions and public narratives are shaped, reflecting the era's tension between creativity and propaganda. He stands as a symbol of how artists participate in shaping history.
- 🎨 Revolutionary painter
- 🖌️ Artist of propaganda
- 🧭 Political ally
Where and When Is Danton Set?
Danton is set in Paris and France (Spring 1794). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Spring 1794
The events take place during the height of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror. Leaders of the Revolution maneuver for control as Danton and Desmoulins rally public opinion against Robespierre's faction. The period is marked by executions, political purges, and intense public emotion.
Where
Paris, France
The story unfolds in Paris during the cold spring of 1794, a city gripped by the Reign of Terror, bread shortages, and constant political pressure. The action moves through streets, taverns, and the halls of the National Convention, where power games shape life and death. The film uses the city as a stage for arrests, trials, and the volatile relationship between popular support and state violence.
- 🏛️ Paris
- 🕰️ 18th Century
- 🗞️ Revolutionary setting
What Are the Themes of Danton?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Power Struggle, Public Opinion and Revolution Ideals.
-
01
Power Struggle
The film centers on how revolutionary ideals can be twisted into political control. Danton and Robespierre clash as they seek to shape the regime, and the fear of losing power drives arrests and trials. The balance between justice, loyalty, and expediency drives the characters toward drastic choices and bloody outcomes.
-
02
Public Opinion
Danton's popularity with the people and the influence of his newspaper highlight how public support can shield or threaten leaders. The regime uses propaganda and media to justify actions, while citizens react with hope or fear. The story shows how crowds and public sentiment become a tool in revolutionary politics.
-
03
Revolution Ideals
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is invoked as a beacon, even as its ideals are compromised by necessity and violence. The characters confront whether democracy can survive amid executions and dictatorial measures. The film ends by exposing the fragility of lofty ideals when confronted with political survival.
What Kind of Film Is Danton?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A deeply tense and oppressive political drama that chronicles the fatal power struggle between former revolutionary allies, culminating in a grim and tragic execution that shatters the ideals it was meant to uphold.
- tense
- oppressive
- tragic
- serious
- claustrophobic
- grim
- political power struggle
- betrayal
- revolution
- miscarriage of justice
Content notes: political execution, beheading, imprisonment, miscarriage of justice.
Quiz
How well do you remember Danton? Test yourself on the story.
