Napoleon Plot Summary
Ridley Scott’s newest epic, Napoleon, tells the story of the leader of the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix). From his rise through the ranks of the rebellion to his multiple exiles from the country he loves so much. He was a man of high goals, but he also had a massive inferiority complex that we at times see woven throughout the films. And as the two and a half-hour run time wraps up, the film does end on a bit of a sour note for him.
How did Napoleon rise to the role of French Emperor?
From his first moments on screen, where he witnesses the beheading of Marie Antoinette, Napoleon comes off as a man determined for great things. He echoes his greatness and the word destiny a lot throughout the film. In the early stages of the film, he is a solider looking for a promotion in the French Revolution. He plots out an attack on the opposing base and sinks multiple British battleships that are ported where he resides.
From here, he rises to power as a general, going to war with countries that oppose him. He later crowns himself emperor of France and separates the country from the monarchy. His goal is to expand France’s reach all over Europe. But eventually he is outsmarted when trying to take over Russia and is left alone in an abandoned city during a Russian winter as a tactic by his enemies.
Why did Napoleon and Empress Josephine divorce?
A major part of the movie is Napoleon and Josephine’s toxic relationship. She is unfaithful to him when he is away, and we later learn she cannot conceive a child. Thus, creating a rift between them as he rises to Emperor but he cannot create a bloodline to leave behind him. They later divorce and yet remain close even after a divorce. Napoleon ends up marrying the archduchesses of Austria to help create a bloodline.
What was left out of the movie?
Ridley Scott’s film is up for debate as to what is truth and what is maybe enhanced a bit for dramatic purposes. There are some elements of Napoleon’s life that have been left out. One of which is touched on but never looked heavily and that stems from Napoleon having many illegitimate children through the affairs he too had.
He never necessarily acknowledged them as his own and how it may affect his legacy. The meeting between him and the Duke of Wellington also apparently never happened. And there were also many assassination attempts on his life that were not mentioned in the movie.
How many times was Napoleon exiled?
Napoleon was exiled from France twice. The first time was in 1814, when he was sent away to the island of Elba. However, about a year later, he was able to make his way back to France with 700 men and reinstate himself as Emperor. Napoleon’s successor was not much loved by the people of France.
Louis XVIII was ousted by Napoleon, and the army he essentially stole from him as most of the country was still very much on his side. His connections to France still ran deep, thus making this an easy move. This exile lasted for 300 days.
The second time Napoleon was exiled was to an island in the Atlantic Ocean called Saint Helena. There, he was under British guard and cut off from his wife and son. He was able to live a decent life, given the situation. The exile would last for six years, where he’d live out his final days there. Napoleon is believed to have died from stomach cancer at the age of 51.
What were Napoleon’s last words?
At the end of the movie, we learn of his final moments through some text on screen. He apparently uttered the words, “France, the army, head of the army, Josephine.” These four things sum up what seemed to have meant the world to Napoleon. He loved France and his duty to his country.
He loved Josephine, despite their rocky relationship and her inability to conceive a child. Despite his controversial character traits, even someone like him still has things that they pledge themselves to.
Read More: Napoleon Movie Review