5 Best Napoleon Movies Adapted by Ridley Scott

Napoleon, from Ridley Scott It’s already hitting theaters. Epic movie starring Joaquin Phoenix tells the whole life of the legendary French soldier. Bonaparte He started out as a small soldier in a very turbulent France after the 1789 revolution. Little by little, he began to rise through the ranks thanks to his brilliant strategic tactics in battle. And finally, he came to take over the country. From there he launched an expansionist campaign throughout Europe, proclaiming himself emperor.

In the world of cinema, his adventures have been depicted many times. In some films he is presented as a real hero. In others – as a cruel and evil dictator. It’s obvious that Napoleon has attracted the interest of directors almost since the existence of cinema. Now brothers Lumiere Several short films were made based on it. Thousands of books, paintings and testimonies from that time have been preserved about his life. For this reason, everyone wanted to keep their part. Because more than 200 years later, how Scott has just bitterly confirmed that he remains a highly controversial figure around the world.

In fact, there are countless films set during the Napoleonic Wars, although Bonaparte does not appear in them. This is the case Master and commander or DuelistsHis personal Scott. In others, Napoleon appears, although not for long. Some of them are real jewels, for example War and Peace (1966) or Count of Monte Cristo (2002). But here we are compiling a list of five films that depict the brilliant strategist in detail from different angles.

Napoleon (1927)

Napoleon This is one of the most famous films in silent film history. This is a grandiose project by a French director. Abel Gans. Lasting four hours, it was the first installment of the director’s impossible vision to chronicle the Emperor’s entire life in six different films. The high costs of this caused him to give up before he went bankrupt.

The film uses a large number of techniques that were quite innovative for the time, both in the cinematic language itself (close-ups) and techniques (outdoor shooting or multi-camera shooting), as well as in editing and editing. A technique is used to project it Polyvision, created for the final scene. This involved the simultaneous projection of three different rolls of film with different but related images.

Actor Albert Dieudonne was responsible for giving life Napoleon. The plot of the film began in the childhood of the main character. A great episode features a snowball fight in which a little boy organizes his allies to defeat his rivals. He later moves on to 1781, when Bonaparte He studies at a military academy. Hans He included moments from the French Revolution and shot the film until 1796, when he was already a general and preparing for the Battle of Montenotte. A masterpiece in every sense.

Desiree (1954)

Unlike the previous one, Desiree This is a more dramatic and romantic film. The director was Henry Coster and, thanks to its meticulous production, it received two award nominations Oscar Awards. One of them was for best artistic direction, the other for best costumes. The public reception was not extraordinary and somewhat faded into oblivion. However, he has a fundamental ingredient that will help save him.

Marlon Brandoone of the best actors in film history, responsible for giving life Napoleon. He does this in a tone that varies depending on Desiree Keep it up. First, a young man is shown, madly in love with Desiree Clary, daughter of an aristocrat and eventual Queen Consort of Sweden and Norway. But the minutes passed Bonaparte He allows himself to be seduced by the world of politics and war, displaying an increasingly cold, distant and imposing character.

Austerlitz (1960)

Although Waterloo is his most famous battle, as well as his final defeat, Austerlitz highlights one of the most brilliant victories Napoleon. The director, like the first film on this list, Abel GansThis time the project was not so large-scale. And he did not go down in history like that one, although it will be interesting to those who want to learn more about life Bonaparte. The battle, known as the “Battle of the Three Emperors”, took place in 1805 and saw French forces defeat a combined Russian-Austrian army.

Actually, the first part Austerlitz He doesn’t focus on the battle itself. On the contrary, the coronation is represented here Napoleon as emperor, as well as some moments of his political life in France. It is in the second part that the soldier leads his army to a masterful victory from a tactical point of view, something that is taught in schools today. Pierre Mondy plays the main character. Orson Wellesfamous director Citizen Kanehas a cameo role Robert Fulton, developer of the steamship. And the Italian director also appears Vittorio De Sica How Pope Pius VII.

Waterloo (1970)

Focusing solely on the most militant approach to life Napoleon, Waterloo This is perhaps the most successful film. Soviet director Sergei Bondarchuk just completed the above War and Peace. After this film, he wanted to delve more fully into history Bonaparte and achieve your legendary defeat. The famous Battle of Waterloo marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars, when the emperor was captured and exiled to St. Helena.

The Soviet Army itself sent thousands of its soldiers as extras to Waterloo. Actor who played Napoleon was Rod Steiger. From the British side, Christopher Plummer gave life Duke of Wellington. Jack Hawkins was a lieutenant general Thomas Picton. AND Orson Welles He appears again, but this time in the guise of a king. Louis XVIII. The film itself is not a masterpiece, but it does have great acting and, above all, powerful war scenes filled with extensive practical effects. A delight for fans of this kind of cinema.

The last fight (Monsieur N.) (2003)

After the disaster at Waterloo. Napoleon He was sent to a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. On the island of St. Helena, the former emperor spent the last six years of his life in exile. And it was during this period of time that it was established. The last fight (Monsieur N.). Franco-British co-production, directed by: Antoine de Caunes. Unlike the previous ones, this film is a thriller with mystical elements such as betrayal, lies and the big question. Actor Bonaparte is Philip Torreton.

Stuck on Saint Helena Napoleon refuses to give up forever. Thus, gradually he begins to come up with an escape plan. To do this, it is necessary to avoid attracting the attention of the governor. Hudson Loweto whom he gives life Richard E. Grant. The film plays with various hypotheses about the last days Napoleon. The most common version is that he died of a stomach disease (possibly cancer, ulcers, or accidental poisoning). But there are also those who believe that the body that was taken to the Les Invalides in Paris is not his. In this alternative, some say that the real corpse was sent to the king. George IV. And others feel it Bonaparte managed to escape from Santa Elena.