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Napoleon

Napoleon

Drama · History · War · 1927

A biopic of Napoleon Bonaparte, tracing the Corsican's career from his schooldays (where a snowball fight is staged like a military campaign) to his flight from Corsica, through the French Revolution (where a real storm is intercut with a political storm) and the Terror, culminating in his triumphant invasion of Italy in 1797.

Movie details

Napoleon

1927 Drama · History · War 5h 30m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.8 / 10

Community rating

A biopic of Napoleon Bonaparte, tracing the Corsican's career from his schooldays (where a snowball fight is staged like a military campaign) to his flight from Corsica, through the French Revolution (where a real storm is intercut with a political storm) and the Terror, culminating in his triumphant invasion of Italy in 1797.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Napoleon?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Waterloo

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History · 1970

After defeating France and imprisoning Napoleon on Elba, ending two decades of war, Europe is shocked to find Napoleon has escaped and has caused the French Army to defect from the King back to him. The best of the British generals, the Duke of Wellington, beat Napolean's best generals in Spain and Portugal, but now must beat Napoleon himself with an Anglo Allied army.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Abel Gance

Written by

Abel Gance

Albert Dieudonné

Albert Dieudonné

Napoléon Bonaparte

Nicolas Roudenko

Nicolas Roudenko

Napoléon Bonaparte (Child)

Edmond van Daële

Edmond van Daële

Maximilien Robespierre

Alexandre Koubitzky

Alexandre Koubitzky

Georges Jacques Danton

Antonin Artaud

Antonin Artaud

Jean-Paul Marat

Abel Gance

Abel Gance

Louis Antoine Léon de Saint-Just

G

Gina Manès

Joséphine, Viscountess of Beauharnais

Court is in session

Put Napoleon on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.