Ridley Scott's "Napoleon" Trailer Sparks Debate on Historical Accuracy

"I'm just a brute to those in positions of authority. Unsuitable for a more senior role." That is the quote from the official trailer for Ridley Scott's film "Napoleon." Some politicians in the twenty-first century could relate to this quote. But it's about a guy who, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, changed the course of European history.

The film, which stars Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte, is much awaited since it tells the story of the man's beginnings, his brutal ascent to the French emperorship, and his marriage to Vanessa Kirby's character, Josephine de Beauharnais.

The movie also claims to vividly depict historical moments, such as the Battle of Waterloo and Marie Antoinette's beheading.

An image showing Josephine being crowned at the Notre Dame Cathedral on December 2, 1804

An image showing Josephine being crowned at the Notre Dame Cathedral on December 2, 1804

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Illustration of the contested events

However, there has already been criticism of Ridley Scott's storytelling accuracy.

In a TikTok clip, for example, British historian and television host Dan Snow pointed out some of the inconsistencies, claiming that Marie Antoinette "famously had very cropped hair for the execution, and, hey, Napoleon wasn't there," and that "Napoleon didn't shoot at the pyramids" as depicted in the movie's trailer. Napoleon is shown watching Antoinette's execution in the teaser, along with her long, frizzed hair.

Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix said to Empire earlier this year that the movie is seen "through Ridley's eyes," but that "if you really want to understand Napoleon, then you should probably do your own studying and reading."

"The Best Film Never Made"

There are other directors that have attempted to tell Napoleon's story besides Ridley Scott.

There was never a chance to adapt one of these accounts of the life of the French military leader who became well-known during the French Revolution. However, a book named "Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon: The Greatest Movie Never Made" detailed the unmade film.

Film enthusiasts and reviewers had been curious about director Stanley Kubrick's enigmatic Napoleon film for a number of decades. Originally scheduled to begin production just after "2001: A Space Odyssey" was released, "Napoleon" was intended to be a character study as well as a great epic with numerous extras in large-scale war scenes. However, because of the enormous costs, it was ultimately canceled.

Film director Scott says that might not have been such a bad thing. The director once saw Kubrick's unfinished screenplay, which he found disappointing because it included every detail of Napoleon's life, he said to The New Yorker in early November. Scott concluded that the commander's life was only worth recounting in terms of the conflicts, leadership, and empire-building.

Still, when publisher Alison Castle began researching "The Greatest Movie Never Made" in 2002, she was taken aback by what she found out about the extensive Napoleon pre-production files held by the Kubrick estate. The book, which was released by Taschen, describes the amount of time and effort Kubrick put into his film's research.

Although the movie's battle scenes have garnered accolades, reviews for it have been mixed.

Although the movie's battle scenes have garnered accolades, reviews for it have been mixed.

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book centered on recently published letters

In other places, Andrew Roberts' "Napoleon: A Life" made use of the over 33,000 letters written by the French general that were made public, which revolutionized our comprehension of his personality and intentions.

The Washington Post called Roberts' 2014 book, "A thrilling tale of military and political genius," in their review.

Napoleon still piques people's interest nowadays. In fact, three of Napoleon's love letters were auctioned in 2019 by the French auction house Drouot for a total of €513,000 ($575,000). Napoleon wrote these letters to his wife Josephine de Beauharnais between 1796 and 1804.

It remains to be seen if Ridley Scott's latest picture can illuminate Napoleon as much as the previously listed letters, books, documentaries, or even unproduced films. Maybe it will even bring Scott his very first Academy Award. "And I'll say, 'About feckin' time!' if I ever get one," the 85-year-old told The New Yorker recently.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.