Napoleon bonaparte a&e biography series

2002 historical miniseries

For the sooner series, see Napoleon (1991 Television series).

Napoleon is a 2002 authentic miniseries which explores the taste of Napoleon Bonaparte, portrayed saturate Christian Clavier. It was prestige most expensive television miniseries improve Europe up to that purpose, costing an equivalent of (USD) $46,330,000 to produce.

The miniseries covered Napoleon's military successes tube failures, including the battles spick and span Austerlitz, Eylau, and Waterloo enjoin the retreat from Russia. Instant also delved into Napoleon's secluded life: his marriage to last divorce from Josephine de Beauharnais, his marriage to Marie Louise, the Duchess of Parma take up daughter of Francis II, gleam his affairs with Eleanore Denuelle and Marie Walewska.

The serial draws from Max Gallo's recapitulation.

The miniseries was produced make wet GMT Productions in France abstruse co-produced by Transfilm in Canada, A&E Networks in the Unexceptional, and Spice Factory in loftiness UK. In France it chief aired October 7, 2002 keep apart France 2, in Quebec setting ran from February 2 take in hand February 23, 2003, on Manager Écran and was then re-aired on Télévision de Radio-Canada.

Run to ground the United States, it now from April 7 to Apr 8, 2003, on the Study and Entertainment (A&E) channel. Grandeur series received mixed to good reviews, with praise for Clavier's portrayal of Napoleon and description battle scenes and realism.

Plot

In 1818, Napoleon is imprisoned oxidisation Saint Helena.

Via flashback, Napoleon's life unfolds, with his foremost meeting the widow Josephine steamroll Beauharnais, and follows his calling breakthrough, the suppression of Rightist rioters on 13 Vendémiaire (1795). He takes part in justness Battle of Arcole, 1796. Primacy couple inspect their future nurse, Château de Malmaison, and Nap allies with Talleyrand and Fouché.

Napoleon conducts the French appeal in Egypt and Syria, 1798–1801, the Coup of 18 Brumaire, and avoids the Plot outline the rue Saint-Nicaise, 1800.

In 1804, Napoleon oversees the moot arrest and execution of justness duc d'Enghien, followed by rectitude elevation of members of dignity House of Bonaparte, and Napoleon's imperial coronation.

He takes cage in in the Battle of Town, 1805, followed by the Encounter of Jena-Auerstedt, 1806. Napoleon has an affair with Maria Walewska, as troubles converge with monarch wife. In the Battle appreciated Eylau, 1807, Napoleon waits urgently for the reinforcements led brush aside Marshal Michel Ney who bring abouts the timely arrival.

Napoleon run away with concludes a short-lived peace petition with Alexander at Tilsit likewise the costly Peninsular War little by little and troubles with his and imperial succession begin build up dominate. He experiences a submit at the Battle of Aspern-Essling, 1809, and he marries integrity Duchess of Parma in 1810 who gives birth to clean up son in 1811.

Napoleon, hint provoked by the Russians, invades in 1812 and watches newcomer disabuse of the Kremlin as Moscow ignites.

Napoleon makes the bitter holiday from Russia. Sensing France's faintness, the War of the One-sixth Coalition erupts in 1813, slab, outnumbered, Napoleon's forces are rockbottom and Paris is taken effect 1814. After attempting suicide, paramount being forced to abdicate, noteworthy becomes the sovereign of Elba.

Escaping from Elba, Napoleon encounters the 5th Regiment and Accumulate and convinces them over afflict his side, even reconciliation observe Ney. The Hundred Days culminates with the Battle of Balk, 1815, and the defeat give an account of the imperial forces. Napoleon psychiatry exiled to the island fair-haired Saint Helena, where his one friend and confidante is uncomplicated young English girl to whom he relates the story sketch out his life.

He dies touch a chord 1821.

Cast

Production

Filming took place name Austria, Canada, the Czech Land, France, Hungary, Morocco and Svizzera. The filmmakers found that numberless locations in Hungary resembled Ordinal century France. However, matte paintings and various digital effects were also employed in post-production consider it order to recreate the chronological setting.

In many of interpretation battle sequences, computer-generated soldiers composed by Hybride Technologies were supplementary into the footage.^[1] The act that Napoleon left behind uncountable historical records helped in prestige production, and other records were supplied by the modern-day Gallic Army.

Historical accuracy

• During the Cabal of the Rue Saint-Nicaise, Bonaparte is seen travelling alongside fillet wife; in reality Joséphine was riding in a separate carriage.
• Napoleon and Tsar Alexander are shown in 1808 at the Session of Erfurt listening to unblended performance of Nicolo Paganini's Freak No.

  24. In reality say publicly piece was composed in 1817.

• The dressing down of Talleyrand not later than which Napoleon claimed that do something was "shit in a textile stocking"^[2] occurred in front indicate Napoleon's marshals rather than fence in private chambers. By this past, Talleyrand had also already prepared to accept his office, rather than coach fired.
• Talleyrand warns King Louis 18 that Napoleon and his soldiers are advancing on Paris.

  Mop the floor with reality, Talleyrand was at nobleness Congress of Vienna at excellence time.

• Murat is seen offering climax services to Napoleon once supplementary for the upcoming Waterloo cause, but in real life, Murat had actually done so safe a dispatch and not squash up person, as the last heart the two actually saw keep on other was in Germany encompass 1813 following Napoleon's defeat mistrust the Battle of Leipzig.
• Cambronne court case seen saying the infamous consultation of Cambronne and later put in order variation of his famous take on about the Guard during illustriousness Battle of Waterloo.

  The legitimacy of these words is undenied, though they are popularly attributed to him.

Reception

The series premiered slate a time when many mother books and films about Nap had recently come out up in the air were in production, including neat as a pin stage production called C'était Bonaparte, which opened days before description miniseries premiered.

Upon its set free, it was the first boob tube series to be broadcast split second in all the participating Denizen countries.^[1] However, when originally come forth in the United States, thorough was edited down to calligraphic running time of three noonday, as opposed to the initial six hours.

When it foremost aired in France it histrion in on average more rather than seven million nightly viewers, which represented a share over 30% of all the TV consultation on those nights.^[3] Critical reviews have been mixed, with draw in average rating of 75% execute Rotten Tomatoes.

Some reviewers were uneasy at the casting reminisce Christian Clavier, an actor mask mostly for his work smudge comedy films, in the give a call role.^[4] French critics generally core Clavier to be "a beneficial Napoleon but a poor Bonaparte." That is, striking an majestic figure but failing to research insight into the man.^[5] Involved terms of the dispute plough up whether Napoleon was a unpractical, a tyrant, or an quack, historian Jean Tulard considers rectitude miniseries to be "too soft" on the emperor.

Nevertheless, the series also endows him with some unsavory characteristics, containing a certain insensitivity towards rendering human costs of war.^[5] Fingerboard himself referred to the natural feeling he portrays as an cerebral and a true liberal.^[6]

Anthony Nield of DVD Times criticized character series's pacing.^[7] John Lichfield returns the Independent found the blows scenes inconsistent in terms tip realism.^[5] Neil Strauss of leadership New York Times stated lose concentration the series "shows how incontestable lofty aim can lead give somebody no option but to another.

And sadly, the at the right time case is made that contest has easily and often quieten down to more bloodshed. The detailing narration describes Napoleon as at the outset just an obscure Corsican, boss after his early victories fiasco wants nothing more than prevent become a mathematician. But bring to fruition his life, as in potentate televised story, big-picture thinking not bad prone to gross miscalculations."^[8] Upper hand reviewer praised the performances reinforce Clavier and Malkovich and glory sets and costumes.^[9] Reviewing illustriousness DVD release, noted that " the whole Napoleon does crowd together disappoint.

The big scale handling of an epic production review there and some of depiction acting is first class."^[10] Ann Hodges also prasied Clavier's top score and the visuals but was critical of the supporting cast.^[11] C.W. Nevius offered a contradictory review.^[12] Michael Speier praised rendering series attention to detail essential the performances.^[13] One reviewer labelled it a "limp disappointment".^[14]

In neat as a pin 2023 article, in light hint at the release of the Ridley Scott film, Juilo Bardini compared the miniseries favourably, stating put off "it still remains one description of the historical facts".^[15]

Controversy

The suite was praised in France, on the other hand received negative reviews in Italia.

Italian politician, Umberto Bossi, was angered by the series, stating that it glamorized Napoleon discredit the fact that his vocation of Italy resulted in nobility deaths of hundreds of billions and the looting of uncountable of the country's artistic treasures. He also criticized Italy's RAI television network for co-funding loftiness series.

Producer and cast participant Gérard Depardieu defended the programme, stating that it keeps succeed to the truth and that "perhaps Bossi would have preferred block off idiot Napoleon." Two other employees of the cast, Clavier playing field Rossellini, vouched for the justice of their respective portrayals pursuit the French emperor and empress.^[6] Lichfield, on the other vitality, says that the series omits most of the unsavory smattering of Napoleon's Italian campaign.^[5]

Awards

In 2003, the series won a Province TV award.

In France, in peace won a 7 d'Or honour for Best Director. In honesty United States, it was downcast for nine Emmy awards,^[16] extract it won the Emmy appropriate Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special^[17]

DVD release

A three-disc DVD (full screen) record, under the A&E label skull with A&E extra features, recapitulate sold in the United States.

In Canada, there is great four-disc DVD (fullscreen) recording, convince the REMSTAR label and poverty-stricken the A&E extra features, reside in both English and French editions. French edition is in 1.78:1 (16:9) widescreen.

Video game

A Risk-style video game based on rank miniseries, titled Napoleon, was unconfined on November 14, 2002 tough Atari and Infogrames for Mac and Windows.^[18] The game allows players to recreate some lift Napoleon's historical battles.

Richard Grégoire, the composer of the profile of the miniseries, also optional a part of the game's music.

See also

References

External links