The Emperor's New Clothes (2001 film)

Infobox Film
name = The Emperor's New Clothes


image_size =
caption =
director = Alan Taylor
producer =
writer = Simon Leys (novel)
Kevin Molony, Alan Taylor & Herbie Wave (screenplay)
narrator =
starring = Ian Holm
Iben Hjejle
Tim McInnerny
music = Rachel Portman
cinematography = Alessio Gelsini Torresi
editing = Masahiro Hirakubo
distributor = FilmFour
released = flagicon|USA 14 June 2002
flagicon|AUS 7 November 2002
flagicon|UK 30 January 2004
runtime = 107 min
country =
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0282768

"The Emperor's New Clothes" is a 2001 film that was adapted from Simon Leys novel "The Death of Napoleon". Directed by Alan Taylor, the film stars Ian Holm as Napoleon and Eugene Lenormand, a Napoleon look-alike, Iben Hjejle as Nicole 'Pumpkin' Truchaut and Tim McInnerny as Dr. Lambert. The plot re-invents the history surrounding Napoleon Bonaparte's exile to St. Helena following his defeat at Waterloo.

In 2002 it won the Audience Award for Best International Feature Film at the Florida Film Festival.

Plot summary

Beginning in what is generally accepted as the final days of the Emperor Napoleon's life, the story starts with a French Grocer, Eugene Lenormand, telling a story to a young boy by candle light as the projection of the now dead Emperor is projected to the wall. What if, instead of finding himself in exile for the rest of his life, Napoleon devised a scheme with his aides to free himself from his prison using a double?

Enter Eugene Lenormand, a poor galley hand aboard a supply ship passing St. Helena, a man who is the doppleganger to Napoleon. They switch places with the understanding that when it is certain that the Emperor has reached Paris Lenormand would reveal himself as an impostor and Napoleon would reclaim his throne. The plan seems simple enough and as if it would go on without a hitch as Napoleon disguised as Lenormand would leave the island and Lenormand, disguised as Napoleon, would remain, waiting to set off the final stage of the plan by revealing the hoax perpetrated.

But nothing would be as it would seem. Facing initial troubles finding his way to France Napoleon would leave the ship well out side the borders, and have to travel through Waterloo, the site of his famous loss to the Duke of Wellington, only to find that the site of his final battle was now a tourist trap. Stopped at the border by guards it would seem that he would be further delayed, but only to find that the guard was still loyal to him and an agent of the conspiracy. At long last he would finally reach France to wait for his triumphant welcome.

Only Lenormand, enjoying his time as Emperor, would nix the plan, refusing to proclaim himself as an impostor. As Napoleon waits, Lenormand begins to live the life of luxury afforded by exile and living the life of Napoleon, recounting stories the way he believed they should be for the Emperor's Memoirs.

Napoleon finds himself resigned to the fate, working to save the business of the dead Lt. Truchaut by, devising a plan to sell fruit as the widow of the Lieutenant tries to rescue the bankrupting household. He even finds himself falling in love with the widow as they work together. But when Napoleon dies on St. Helena as it is recorded, the real Napoleon must decide between the life he had and the life he has now; the love of France, or the love of a woman as he seeks to reclaim France.

Quotes

Napoleon Bonaparte: Six years of English cooking... six years of staring at these dreary walls... six years with your face. You're quite ugly, did you know that? I haven't had the heart to tell you.
Louis Marchand: Yes, sire.

Montholon: You will of course be traveling incognito...
Napoleon Bonaparte: Yes, of course incognito, but in what capacity?
Montholon: Uh... as a galley hand.
" [Napoleon glares.] "
Montholon: It is in the utmost need, Sire.
Napoleon Bonaparte: Surely something above decks would have been more appropriate.

Captain Nicholls: Let us understand each other. Either this is Napoleon, in which case we have all nobly performed our duty, and may look forward to a well-deserved retirement in England at the expense of the British Crown. Or this is an imposter, and you have colluded in the most heinous fraud of all time, the suitable punishment for which I can only guess at. While I, I have allowed the Monster of Europe to slip through my fingers and escape from this island on my watch. ON MY WATCH! Gentlemen... what we have here is a dead emperor.

" [Napoleon slips outside Pumpkin's door and hits his head on the cobblestones.] "
Nicole 'Pumpkin' Truchaut: Sergeant! Sergeant Lenormand, are you all right? Can you hear me?
" [No response.] "
Dr. Lambert: Listen to me. How many fingers can you see?
" [No response.] "
Nicole 'Pumpkin' Truchaut: What is your name?
Napoleon Bonaparte: Emperor Napoleon.

External links

*imdb title|id=0282768|title=The Emperor's New Clothes