Napoleon Bonaparte is a historical figure that crops up time and time again in cinema. Be it in weighty period dramas, or sillier adventure and time travel movies, he's frequently referenced. It's no wonder that this is the case as Napoleon was such a significant figure in the French Revolutionary War, as the leader of the French Republic. Later, he went on to become the French Emperor, and is one of the most widely remembered historical figures of the country. Ironically, despite his larger than life legacy, half of what he is most remembered for is being quite the opposite.
While Napoleon had a significant positive impact on France's trajectory of modernization, his involvement in colonization and slavery are a large stain on his reputation. The good and the bad — and the humorous — sides of Napoleon are represented in the countless depictions of him that have come to the big screen. Much like figures such as William Churchill or Abraham Lincoln, those who were present and in power for historical turning points will continuously be re-depicted and reevaluated through art as time goes on. Here are 10 of the best portrayals of Napoleon Bonaparte in movies.
9 Herbert Lom — War and Peace (1956)
Leo Tolstoy's classic novel War and Peace has been adapted a number of times over the years, but in 1956, King Vidor directed a version that has become a staple. Starring the greats Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda, the story follows two aristocratic Russian families during the period of time when Napoleon was attempting to invade. It's a behemoth of a novel, so the fact that it has been cut down into a three and a half hour movie has its positives and negatives, but overall it comes out on top.
What Makes It Great
In this classic adaptation, Herbert Lom takes on the role of Napoleon. Despite the somewhat corny and overwrought dialogue that was common in this era of Hollywood, Lom manages to give the character some humanity. Napoleon's failed Russian invasion was one of his biggest and most obvious failings as a leader, so this moment in his life requires a depth of character, which Lom pulls off.
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8 Rod Steiger — Waterloo (1970)
This time around, in Waterloo, the narrative unsurprisingly centers around the Battle of Waterloo. It stars Rod Steiger as Napoleon and Christopher Plummer as the Duke of Wellington, his opposition. Here, we find Napoleon having escaped from British imprisonment, which causes the French army to defect from the King and follow him into battle once more with the British instead.
What Makes It Great
Steiger and Plummer both play up the opposing characteristics of their characters, with Napoleon being driven by his heart and Wellington by his mind. This emphasis of the binary between the two men works well with the visual spectacle presented in the movie. It's a broad strokes performance, but it works perfectly in its context.
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7 Teddy Camilleri — Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
In a much more comedic offering, Napoleon appears in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. This adventure comedy stars Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves as the titular Bill and Ted, two high schoolers on the precipice of failing out of school. When Ted's father decides he will send Ted to military school if he fails, a man named Rufus shows up with a time machine to help the boys pass their history final because in the future, they will need to save the world.
What Makes It Great
Teddy Camilleri does an excellent job at taking on this alternative approach to Napoleon. The movie is a cult classic for a reason, which is that it's impossible not to have fun watching the silliest events take place. Seeing Napoleon brought into the present(ish) day when he finds a water park called Waterloo is obviously absurd, but it is nothing if not funny, thanks, in no small part to Camilleri's comedic chops.
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6 Ian Holm — The Emperor's New Clothes (2001)
The Emperor's New Clothes is a take on Napoleon that, while comedic, doesn't reach the same levels as Bill and Ted. This movie finds Napoleon hiring a lookalike to take his place in exile while he himself returns to Paris to reclaim leadership. Things don't quite go to plan, however, and Napoleon's journey turns out to be harder than he expected, and his lookalike, Sergeant Eugene Lenormand decides he quite likes his new life of luxury.
What Makes It Great
What's so fun about The Emperor's New Clothes is that both Napoleon and Lenormand are played by Ian Holm. This conceit amplifies the humor of the lookalike scenarios, and makes the differences in their personalities even funnier. Holm does an incredible job in these roles and carries the movie impressively. Coincidentally, Holm had previously played Napoleon once before in Time Bandits.
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5 Dennis Hopper — The Story of Mankind (1957)
In a unique premise, The Story of Mankind finds the council of elders of outer space debating whether humans need to be wiped out as a result of a fundamental evil. So, they hold a trial with the spirit of man as the defense and the devil as prosecutor. They present a series of episodes from history as evidence for either side and through this we see the likes of Joan of Arc, Isaac Newton, and Marie Antoinette.
What Makes It Great
This movie is a campy classic. Dennis Hopper plays a young Napoleon with Marie Windsor as his older Josephine counterpart. In this case, Hopper plays up the idea of Napoleon being a small man and portrays him in a rather pathetic manner. As long as you're not expecting something too serious, The Story of Mankind is hugely enjoyable for what it is.
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4 Albert Dieudonné — Napoleon (1927)
From writer and director Abel Gance comes the massive epic Napoleon. It's impressive not just because it clocks in at a whopping five and a half hours, but also for Gance's experimental and forward-thinking filmmaking techniques. Despite the movie's expansive length, its narrative only covers the earlier years of Napoleon's life because it was intended to be the first in a series.
What Makes It Great
Albert Dieudonné performs the role of Napoleon here. The lack of dialogue does nothing to diminish the strength of his performance, which possesses a chilly, severe exterior. The great thing about historical figures that are returned to repeatedly is that depictions of said figures can be used to watch the evolution of cinema as a form. This is never more true than here, in such a phenomenally progressive film.
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3 Marlon Brando — Désirée (1954)
In Désirée, the focus is on Napoleon's romantic exploits. It delves into the titular Désiré Clary (Jean Simmons) who becomes infatuated with Napoleon, but is rejected in favor of Josephine (Merle Oberon), who becomes empress. However, when she fails to produce an heir, Napoleon casts her aside as well.
What Makes It Great
It's Marlon Brando that takes on the role of Napoleon in this iteration of his story that draws parallels between the Emperor's romantic and political conquests. Brando's performance has a similar icy cool to Dieudonné's, but his chemistry with Simmons is far from cold. These characters are all passionate and full of feeling, which makes the focus on romance just as exciting as the Napoleon stories that tackle the battles.
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2 Alex Norton — The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Napoleon isn't the main focus of The Count of Monte Cristo, but he plays a key role. Two friends, Edmond Dantes and Fernand Mondego, must divert their ship to the island where Napoleon is exiled when their captain falls ill. In exchange for providing his personal doctor, Napoleon demands that Edmond delivers a letter for him. Fernand discovers the letter and accuses the unknowing and illiterate Edmond of treason so that he can have Edmond's girlfriend to himself. So, Edmond spends the next 13 years of imprisonment plotting his revenge
What Makes It Great
The Count of Monte Cristo is a delightfully swashbuckling adventure. Napoleon isn't a main player here, but Alex Norton does a great job of playing the fallen, exiled Emperor. His performance plays well into the adventurous and fun tone of this Napoleonic tale.
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1 Philippe Torreton — Monsieur N. (2003)
This time around, in Monsieur N., Napoleon is front and center, though still exiled. He is not taking well to his situation, however, and because he still has troupes of loyal officers, he spends his time scheming for how he can escape captivity. Sir Hudson Lowe, governor of the region, is played by Richard E. Grant, and he faces the tricky task of keeping Napoleon in place.
What Makes It Great
Moneiur N. is thoughtfully put together in all aspects from its visual splendor, writing, and importantly, casting. Philippe Torreton's Napoleon has all the right amounts of mystery and mischief for this era of the character's life. He and Grant are also well-matched, making for a deeply enjoyable double act.
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