Monsieur N (2003)
Country: FR/GB/SA
Technical: col/scope 128m
Director: Antoine de Caunes
Cast: Philippe Torreton, Richard E. Grant, Jay Rodan, Elsa Zylberstein, Roschdy Zem, Bruno Putzulu
Synopsis:
St Helena, 1816: a new governor arrives to take over custodial duties vis à vis General Bonaparte (sic), but he soon discovers that his captive has far more power and influence than he would like. This, and the vast expense for the Crown of administrating such an important duty, lead him to attempt to remove Napoleon by other means.
Review:
The screenplay appears to be a weaving together of any number of facts, rumours and myths pertaining to Napoleon's last years as have come down to us, with the result that it isn't always easy to see what it is getting at. It cobbles together a juicy little conspiracy theory, then apparently dismisses it, spends inordinate screen time on the effects of a gangly, pasty-faced girl on both l'empereur and the film's narrator, without her seeming to affect the intrigue one iota. The scenery is fascinating and the early scenes reconstructing life on the island and detailing the soft prison of Bonaparte's existence are far more effective than Grant's histrionics and our central character's endless questions. But it's a brave film to make, and Torreton is excellent in the title role.
Country: FR/GB/SA
Technical: col/scope 128m
Director: Antoine de Caunes
Cast: Philippe Torreton, Richard E. Grant, Jay Rodan, Elsa Zylberstein, Roschdy Zem, Bruno Putzulu
Synopsis:
St Helena, 1816: a new governor arrives to take over custodial duties vis à vis General Bonaparte (sic), but he soon discovers that his captive has far more power and influence than he would like. This, and the vast expense for the Crown of administrating such an important duty, lead him to attempt to remove Napoleon by other means.
Review:
The screenplay appears to be a weaving together of any number of facts, rumours and myths pertaining to Napoleon's last years as have come down to us, with the result that it isn't always easy to see what it is getting at. It cobbles together a juicy little conspiracy theory, then apparently dismisses it, spends inordinate screen time on the effects of a gangly, pasty-faced girl on both l'empereur and the film's narrator, without her seeming to affect the intrigue one iota. The scenery is fascinating and the early scenes reconstructing life on the island and detailing the soft prison of Bonaparte's existence are far more effective than Grant's histrionics and our central character's endless questions. But it's a brave film to make, and Torreton is excellent in the title role.
Country: FR/GB/SA
Technical: col/scope 128m
Director: Antoine de Caunes
Cast: Philippe Torreton, Richard E. Grant, Jay Rodan, Elsa Zylberstein, Roschdy Zem, Bruno Putzulu
Synopsis:
St Helena, 1816: a new governor arrives to take over custodial duties vis à vis General Bonaparte (sic), but he soon discovers that his captive has far more power and influence than he would like. This, and the vast expense for the Crown of administrating such an important duty, lead him to attempt to remove Napoleon by other means.
Review:
The screenplay appears to be a weaving together of any number of facts, rumours and myths pertaining to Napoleon's last years as have come down to us, with the result that it isn't always easy to see what it is getting at. It cobbles together a juicy little conspiracy theory, then apparently dismisses it, spends inordinate screen time on the effects of a gangly, pasty-faced girl on both l'empereur and the film's narrator, without her seeming to affect the intrigue one iota. The scenery is fascinating and the early scenes reconstructing life on the island and detailing the soft prison of Bonaparte's existence are far more effective than Grant's histrionics and our central character's endless questions. But it's a brave film to make, and Torreton is excellent in the title role.