Napoleon

Following the consummation of his marriage in 1810 to his second wife, Marie-Louise, the 18-year-old Archduchess of Austria, the Emperor Napoleon claimed his new empress had only one thing to say: "do it again." Impishly narrated by the twinkly-eyed historian David McCullough, filmmaker David Grubin's (whose LBJ remains one of the finest cinematic biographies ever made) latest opens on December 2, 1804, with Napoleon crowning himself emperor, before examining the fascinating turn of events that led the humbly born Corsican youth from his insignificant post in the French army as an artillery lieutenant to becoming, at the age of 35, the ruler of the largest empire since the days of the Caesars. In Part 1, we follow the 5' 2'' Bonaparte as he makes a name for himself as a military strategist, racks up a string of victories for France, and--ambition being the engine that drove all of Napoleon's moves--launches his bid for power in the vacuum left by the collapse of, first, the monarchy under the French Revolution, and, finally, the provisional government in 1799. Far from being a dry dissertation of dates, times and places, however, Grubin's film is chockfull of personal anecdotes (Napoleon's culinary palette was rather primitive, his two favorite dishes being potatoes and macaroni and cheese), illuminating commentary from a predominantly French roster of historians, and excellent portraiture and on location footage. In Part 2, the wheel of fortune completes her turn, bringing the most powerful man on earth down off his throne, from his most infamous military battle (Waterloo, which would enter the language as a synonym for crushing defeat) to his ignominious "final palace," a wooden bungalow on a windswept piece of rock called St. Helena. Bringing history alive through compelling narrative, striking visuals, and perceptive assessments from lively interviewees, Napoleon is an entertaining and instructive reminder of the ethereal nature of power and empires. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)