Is Ridley Scott’s Napoleon Movie Historically Accurate and Correct?
Introduction
Before the release of the film, director Ridley Scott and his team proudly claimed that they had meticulously ensured the historical accuracy of the movie about Napoleon. However, several violations of historical truth have been pointed out by viewers and critics alike, prompting a reevaluation of the film's adherence to historical facts. This article delves into these inaccuracies and the overall historical accuracy of Napoleon.
Opening Scene and Misrepresentations
The opening scene sets the tone for the film with a scene in Paris on October 1793, shortly before the execution of Marie Antoinette. Several inaccuracies in this scene are noteworthy:
Marie Antoinette is shown with long hair, but historically, people about to be executed were given a haircut. A close-up of her face also misrepresents her vulnerability and fear as she jokingly apologized to the executioner for stepping on his toe.
Napoleon is falsely portrayed as present at this scene when he was, in fact, away from the capital at the time.
These misrepresentations are just a few of the many inaccuracies that plague the film.
Language Spoken
A glaring violation of historical truth in the film is the language used by the characters:
Napoleon and his wife Josephine apparently speak English, despite being French. Russian Tsar Alexander was also shown speaking English.
Other characters, such as the Austrian princess who speaks German, are shown speaking English.
Forgiving the Duke of Wellington, who speaks English because he was born in Ireland, the use of English hinders the viewers from identifying the characters based on their accents and dialogues.
The uniformity of language presentation is a significant oversight in the film.
Age of Main Characters
The film’s portrayal of the ages of its main characters, Napoleon and Josephine, is another major critique:
Napoleon, who was six years younger than Josephine, is depicted by an older actor playing the younger character. This age inversion is in stark contrast to the Hollywood convention that typically casts older men with younger women.
The actor playing Napoleon, Joaquin Phoenix, who was 48 at the time of the film's release, was too old for the role. A younger actor, perhaps in his 30s, would have been more appropriate for the historical period depicted.
These inaccuracies make the characters difficult to relate to and detract from the historical authenticity of the film.
Structure and Timeline of the Film
The chronological structure of the film is another point of contention:
The film's timeline, which spans over 20 years from 1793 to 1815, often jumps between events without clear connections. Important events like the military campaign in Russia in 1812 and the subsequent peace treaty in 1814 are not adequately addressed.
The film also includes fictional meetings and encounters, such as the meeting between Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington, which never actually occurred. This invented dialogue and interaction fail to respect historical accuracy.
The disjointed narrative and inaccuracies in the timeline undermine the overall historical authenticity and coherence of the film.
Respective Messages and Evaluation
Several other aspects of the film's historical accuracy have also been questioned:
The film fails to provide deep insights into Napoleon's character, motivations, or family life, excluding important historical details.
Josephine's character and background are also poorly explored, missing out on crucial biographical information that would have contributed to a more comprehensive narrative.
While the film can be entertaining to some degree, its failure to capture the true essence of the historical events and figures leaves much to be desired.
Conclusion
The film Napoleon by Ridley Scott, despite some of the strong performances and visual aesthetics, fundamentally lacks in presenting an accurate portrayal of historical events and figures. The numerous inaccuracies and violations of historical truth make the film a less compelling representation of Napoleon's life.