Napoleon
Seen it?1927 | 425 min | Drama, History, War
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (88% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved The Longest Day or The Bridge on the River Kwai, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Intense.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 7 hr 5 min.
- What might put you off
- It's long: 7 hr 5 min.
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1927: an older pace and style.
A biopic of former Emperor of France, 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 1797 invasion of Italy.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
88% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.9 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$3 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 88K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Abel Gance
- Albert DieudonnéNapoléon Bonaparte
- Nicolas RoudenkoNapoléon Bonaparte (Child)
- Edmond van DaëleMaximilien Robespierre
- Alexandre KoubitzkyGeorges Jacques Danton
- Antonin ArtaudJean-Paul Marat
- Abel GanceLouis Antoine Léon de Saint-Just
- Gina ManèsJoséphine, Viscountess of Beauharnais
- Nicolas KolineTristan Fleury
- AnnabellaVioline Fleury / Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary
- Marguerite GanceCharlotte Corday