The Emperor's New Clothes (2001)
Napoleon, exiled, devises a plan to retake the throne. He'll swap places with commoner Eugene Lenormand, sneak into Paris, then Lenormand will reveal himself and Napoleon will regain his throne. Things don't go at all well; first, the journey proves more difficult than expected, but more disastrously, Lenormand enjoys himself too much to reveal the deception. Napoleon adjusts somewhat uneasily to the life of a commoner while waiting, while Lenormand gorges on rich food.
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So much average
Sadly Over-hyped
Just what I expected
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
This is a carefully crafted, beautifully acted "what if" story about Napoleon Bonaparte. It is literate, inventive, and has a beautiful music score to boot. The female lead, Iben Hjejle, is a revelation! I wish she would make more films outside of Denmark.The story centers around Napoleon's exile after Waterloo, and a plot to have him escape (using a double), return to France to raise an army and regain his throne. But something unforeseen happens along the way, when his double, back on St. Helena, decides he is enjoying being Emperor Napoleon too much to give it up. That leaves the real Emperor Napoleon, secretly back in Paris, with a problem: nobody believes he is who he says he is...Let's not reveal any more of the plot in this outstanding film (provided you can enjoy a movie with no nudity and cursing, and virtually no violence).
As a Napoleon buff, I eagerly anticipate any new film on the great man, but I was a little worried about a "comedy" starring a British cast. I guess I was worried most of all that the film would jibe at Napoleon. And I never really thought Ian Holm (gifted actor that he no doubt is) could truly do the Emperor justice (ah how I long to see Pacino play the role...). All that said, I enjoyed the film a lot. It isn't a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it is humorous without "taking the mickey" out of the man. Highly recommended to Napoleon fans and film lovers alike.
This film was a joy to watch. No deep meaning is to be had here, no lesson to be learned, just a wonderfully entertaining film. The acting is great and it is easy to get lost in the story. Ian Holm is wonderful as always. If you are just looking for a fun movie to watch this one is a great choice.
Some Spoilers BelowI found this title in the Comedy section of my video rental store and decided to give it a try. It's not really a comedy but is a humorous fantasy about Napoleon Bonaparte trading places with a common seaman to get off the island of St. Helena and return to France. Ian Holm plays both Napoleon and his double.This movie has a nice script, excellent acting, and is beautifully photographed. It holds the viewer's attention for the full 107 minutes. Though the plot is implausible, it is not preposterous as so many movies are today.I never heard of this movie when it was first released, so it was a nice discovery in the video store. It probably would have had a wider audience if it had been shown on Masterpiece Theater or had been an HBO movie. Indeed, the production has the feel of a made for TV movie. Looking at the credits for Alan Taylor, it does appear that his previous efforts have been for network or cable TV.One bright spot in the film is the performance of Iben Hjejle as Pumpkin. Although her falling for Napoleon is a little hard to believe, his choosing a life with her instead of re-taking power is entirely believable. I hope to see more of her in the future.