All language subtitles for Napoleon 2002 complete!!

- Open up!

This is the governor,
Hudson Lowe.

Well, knock again,
for God's sake!

[knocking]

Open up!

[knocking]

I order you to open the door,
General Bonaparte!

- He won't open if you
call him General, sir.

He insists on being
called by his title.

- Title?

Emperor?

Majesty?

Poppycock! He's Bony the Ogre,
and always will be.

Knock again!
- Yes, sir.

[knocking]

- Sire. Should l?

[Hudson Lowe:] If you
won't come out,

I'm going to revoke
all your privileges!

I'll cut off your wine supply!

Damn it, Napoleon!
Open the door at once!

[laughs]

What are these
shutters doing here?

They're specifically forbidden!
You are under 24-hour watch!

Well, if you want to imprison
yourself in this house,

it's perfectly fine with me.

My men are tired of chasing
you all over the island.

I'll cordon off the grounds,

and you won't even be
able to take a walk!

- Good day, Your Excellency.

- You have no business
here, Miss Balcombe.

- Let me through, please.

Thank you.

- You're wasting your
time, young lady.

His Imperial Majesty is hiding.

- From you, of course.

From me, never.

[clock ticking]

[women laughing]

- General Bonaparte.

- Ah. Come back another day.
Madame Tellien is engaged.

Today is her at-home day.

- It's like fashion nowadays.

It changes as easily
as politicians.

[laughter]

I've just spent a
fortune on a golden wig,

only to be told it's no
longer in fashion.

Now I have to cut it,
and have it restyled!

- It's better to cut your
wig than lose your head.

Believe me, I know
what I'm talking about.

[laughs]

[clears throat]

- A General Bon-Appetit,
or something like that,

is here to see Madame.

- Bonaparte. Yes. Show him in.

- A General! Which General?

- One without a post.
On half-pay.

But it's easier for him
to conceal his pride

than to conceal his ass.

[all laugh]

- Truly, his britches
are riddled with holes.

And cloth for uniforms is
reserved for officers

in active service.

Oh, please, General.

Come, let me introduce you.

Madame Ricanier.

- Madame.

- Strange-looking bird.

- With the eyes of an eagle.

- Madame de Stahl.

Madame de Beauharnais.

And Madame de Corgny.

- I am the young
captive, General.

[all laugh]

The famous poem. You know,

by Chenier?

[women laugh]

- The General must have been far
too busy during the Revolution

to take an interest in poetry.

I know what it is,
a soldier's life.

I was married to an officer.

- Yes, General le Borne.

Charged with the surrender
of the city of Maience,

and guillotined.

- Yes. That was my husband.

- Who was nearly followed to
the scaffold by his wife,

but for the grace of God.

- I would say more
the caprice of politics.

- ls it true, dear Rose,

that you cut off
your lovely curls

rather than let the
executioner mangle them?

- You make me appear vain
and absurd to the general.

- On the contrary.

To face death with pride
takes courage, Madame.

- It takes courage to face
life alone, with 2 children.

- General?

I have some good news for you.

I've managed to obtain
a length of cloth.

Enough for not just one pair
of britches, but two.

- Well, I thank you twice.

I thank all of you.

- Do you want a cup of
chocolate, General?

It's hot.

[giggles]

It's delicious.

We drank lots of it
in the West Indies.

- In the West Indies?
- I was born there.

My father owned a plantation,
with more than 200 slaves.

It was a paradise of
sunshine and sugar.

Imagine, when I was a little
girl I used to bathe in a river,

among irises and orchids.

I loved to swim in it naked.

[giggles]

- I come from an
island too, Madame.

But the women there
rarely bathe.

And when they do, it's fully
dressed, all in black.

Thank you again.

- General.

[women giggle]

General!

[women giggle]

General!

General, l've shocked you.

A soldier shocked
by a lady's words.

- It was not the
words, Madame.

It was the image
they evoked.

- The image of a little
girl frolicking in the sun?

- No. Of a woman naked.

A beautiful image of you.

- Now I'm the
one who's shocked.

- You shouldn't have
taken the risk.

- The risk?

- Of being alone with me and
the feelings you've aroused.

- You wouldn't dare.

- No, no. Not here, not now. But
tomorrow, when I see you again.

- Because you presume
you'll see me again.

- Yes, I will.

Won't l?

- Well, what time tomorrow?

- Message, sir.

- And this is the area
that concerns me most.

The Rue St. Honore and
the Palais Egalite.

of the rebels descend
on us from--

- Another good
reason to act!

Believe me, Barras.

We cannot let a simple riot--

- A simple riot?

Is that what you call 25,000
royalists storming the Assembly

to seize the deputies
and destroy the Republic?

- What forces do you have?

- Your name again.

- General Bonaparte,
currently without a command.

- Ah, Bonaparte.

Artillery, wasn't it?

Right, then.

We have 4,000 men, from the camp
at Sablons, and General Menou.

4,000 against 25,000.

- No cannons?

- General Menou left
them in Sablons,

with the excuse that they
would slow him down.

- We need that artillery.

Tell Squadron Leader Murat
to retrieve those cannons.

He's a human tidal wave.
Nothing can stand in his way.

At the moment
we have the artillery,

we will position it like this.

One battery here, another here.

Another one on this bridge in
line, and another one here.

- of the cannons come through,
you'll take command of them.

- I warn you, citizen,

that I follow a pledge
to its end or mine.

Don't ask me to answer for
any blood that's shed.

of I draw my sword,
it will remain drawn

until the order of
the Republic is restored.

- What is the date?

[bell tolling]

- It's midnight, so it's now
the 13th of Vendemiaire.

- Your appointment
as Chief of Staff.

It's up to you now.

[shouting]

[shouting]

[horse neighs]

- Murat! Take your position.

Follow me, men!

- Position!

- Ah!

- Aim!

- Fire!

- Ah!

[shouting]

- Left, forward!

Volley shot, fire!

- Argh!

[shouting]

- Grenadiers!

Fire!

Fire!

[screaming]

- First row!

Aim! Fire!

[screaming]

Second row!

Aim! Fire!

- Argh!

Stand up!

Forward!

[woman crying]

- Over here,
I need some help!

- It's a slaughterhouse!

- No, Murat, it's
a battlefield. This is war.

- War? In the streets
of Paris? Against Frenchmen?

- Against royalists,

who are in league with
the enemies of the nation.

There are 40 English vessels
off the coast of Brest,

and 40,000 Austrians at
the gates of Strasbourg.

They are waiting for the
Republic to be overthrown.

They are waiting
to invade France.

It will not happen.

I'm a general of the Republic,
and I will not let it.

[footsteps]

[birds chirping]

- General Bonaparte for
Madame de Beauharnais.

- Very good, General.

- Hello.

[both:] Hello.

[Distant voices]

- Good morning, General.

I see you've been taken
captive by my children.

- Captivated, Madame,
not captive.

- I'm no longer
a child, Maman.

- Oh, I'm sorry,
you're right.

I found him a position
with General Hosch.

- I would say Hosch got the
better part of the bargain.

- What a splendid
uniform, General.

Can I touch it?

It's pure wool,
excellent quality!

Are you turning into
a fashion peacock?

- Ah, the new general
of the army of lately

can't command in rags.

- The army of lately?

Is this your reward for
saving the Republic?

- Yes. A gift from Barras.

- Shall we go?

- Yes.

Eugene is a very
serious young man.

He has a sense of discipline.

of he were under my command,
I'd make a fine soldier out of him.

Hortense, on the other hand,
obviously needs a father.

She's only 14.

- She looks older,
doesn't she?

- Yes, but she's 14.
I made inquiries.

- About my daughter?

- About the world around you.

I know nearly everything
about you, Josephine.

[giggles]

But my name,
apparently, is Rose.

- Your lovers call you Rose.

Your husband has decided
to call you Josephine.

- But my husband, General--

- ls dead, yes.
The prior one.

I'm talking about
your new husband.

- My new husband?

- Yes, come now.

There is nothing
extraordinary

about a widow remarrying.

- Not at all!

Only that I don't have
any prospect in sight.

- You are looking
at him, Madame.

Excellent foundry work.

These monsters must have a range
of over well over 2,000 metres.

Wouldn't you say so, Muiron?

- Yes, General.

Except that these
cannons are not for us.

They're for the
army of the Rhine.

- What's been provided
for the army of lately?

- Nothing.

- What do you mean, nothing?

- I mean just that.

- How do they expect me

to push the Austrians
back with nothing?

- Most of our men don't even
have shoes, let alone cannons.

- No shoes, no cannons.

We have cavalry, don't we?

- A whole regiment, General.

- Thank you for that.

- Unfortunately,
there are no horses.

The cavalry men have eaten them.

- Sorry?

- It was that,
or starve to death.

- He should have been
here over an hour ago.

What can he be doing, Barras?

After all, getting
married was his idea!

- You don't love him?

- I love his love for me.

No one, not even you,

has ever loved me like this.

Do you know what passion is?

- Of course! It's, uh, it's--

- Look no further. It's him.

- Forgive me,
mi dolce amore.

I'm sorry I'm late,

but there's been
so much to do!

[giggles]

I have only a few days
before going to join my army.

Where is he?

Wake up back there!

We want to get married!

Happy?

I am.

[giggles]

- Let's go celebrate!

- General, wait! There is
something I must tell you.

- Yes, what?

- You're not married.

- What do you mean?

- I'm just standing
in for the official.

He got tired of
waiting and left.

- What's up?

- But you married us.

- Yes, you were yelling,
with so much authority,

I could not refuse.

- Well, fix it, you fool!

Tonight I have
a woman to love,

and tomorrow I must take
lately back from Austria.

- Uh...

- Why don't you
come with me?

- To lately?

- Yes.

- Do you see me
following an army?

Ruining my shoes in the mud,

wearing wrinkled dresses,

sleeping on straw...

- Sleeping, sleeping.

There are other things
to do besides sleeping.

[laughs]

What's so funny?

- You're funny.

- Because I'm mad about you?

- No, because you're just
mad. And I love that.

[gunshot]

- Argh!

[gunshot]

[cannon shot]

- How can the
Austrians see us?

- They can hear us, Muiron.

We're an entire
army on the march,

while they're hidden
away, silent,

and concealed by
this filthy mist.

Stay back!

We have to take that bridge.

We can't go around it.

- What about the cannons?

They're holding it under fire.
We'll be massacred.

- Not if we charge.

We won't stay in the
line of fire for long.

We must impress them,
make them doubt.

- Sorry, General,
but I myself doubt.

- I don't.

The charge, beat the charge.

- The charge, General?

- Go on, boy. And put
your heart in it.

[Drumbeat]

- Charge!

[shouting]

[shouting]

- Take your positions!

- Afraid, Muiron?

- Yes, General!

- Then you're a brave fellow!

- Charge! Onward!

[shouting]

Don't stop! Don't stop!

[shouting]

Onward!

- Argh!

[horse neighing]

Yeah!

[shouting]

- Oh...

- ls it bad, my friend?

- No, I'm all right.

The first 15 or 20 were harder.

What really hurts is that
the bridge is still Austrian.

- Well, they can keep
their damn bridge!

Find boats! Beams,
planks of wood.

Anything you can lay
your hands on,

to build another
bridge further on.

As soon as it's ready,

Pogerot will cross
to the other side,

take the enemy from the rear,
and drive them to Massena.

We will chop them to pieces.

We shall make them pay
dearly for Muiron's death.

Go, start, gentlemen!

- Want out?

Worried about the battle?

- No, no. No, Josephine.

She hasn't written
to me for 2 weeks.

But I'm bound to have a letter
tomorrow or the day after.

- I'm so sorry, General.

It arrived this morning.

- Did you open it?

- Not at all. It's been
through the battle.

[Josephine:] I don't write to
you as often as I would like,

dear Napoleon,

because I have so little time.

At the dinner party...

- You can do it!

- Easy...

- My men say you risked your
life like an ordinary soldier.

They call you
''The Little Corporal''.

Said with affection, General.

- Bonaparte!

- Long live Bonaparte!

[cheering]

- Long live Bonaparte!

- Vive--

[cheering]

- Put it down there.

- Napoleon!

How handsome you are
as a great general!

- Great general
and great victor.

- Oh!

- Look what l've
brought you from lately.

of there is too much, you
can give some to the poor.

- There won't be too much.

Feeding your 7 brothers and
sisters is not always easy.

In Corsica, people knew us.

Here, we're strangers.

- You have nothing
to worry about.

I'll look after
you from now on.

You'll never want for
anything ever again.

You must get ready
to leave Marseilles.

I want you to meet
my wife at last.

When you get to know her--

- I don't need to meet her
to know what she is.

You made a bad marriage,
Napoleon. You deserve better.

- Then, at the very least,

you could write
congratulations to her.

- Me?

I wouldn't know how.

- l've prepared
a letter for you.

All you have to do is copy
the words and sign it.

Please.

- l'll try to find the time.

I don't want that woman

coming between us.

I wish you had not
even mentioned her.

- I have to leave now.

Be well, Maman. Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

Napoleon?

Do you love her?

- Yes.

She's taking nothing
away from you.

The day you leave me,

I'll be in a world
of inferior beings.

- Whoa...

[parrot squawks]

[Door opens]

- Oh! Bonaparte!

- Did you receive
him in this?

- Receive who?

- The man who has just left!

- A man just left?

- An officer. Judging by his
uniform, he's a dragoon.

- Ah, yes. Captain Hippolyte
Charles. He's a charming boy.

He's sometimes my escort. He
brought me some theatre tickets.

- Ah, you're going
to the theatre?

- Yes, yes I am.

What's wrong with it?

I mean, you left for so long.

You don't want me to lock
myself up in here, do you?

- And you received
him half-naked?

- But Bonaparte!

But the poor boy
just came and left.

- Show me the tickets.

- I don't have them.

- Where are they?

- I don't know.
Go ask Constant.

He must have left
them with him.

Go interrogate him!

Honestly, I think
you're jealous!

- Why didn't you write to me?

- I wrote!

- No. A few scribbled lines.

Those cold, polite words
people write to each other

after decades of marriage.

- Because I don't know how
to caress with words.

I need to touch.

Flesh to flesh.

I missed you so much.

You were gone for so long.

But now you're back.

Oh, I'm so happy you're back!

- I thought about this
moment almost every day.

[laughs]

- I understood that
from your letters!

They were shocking. I had to
keep them under lock and key.

That is why, also,
I didn't write to you.

Because I was afraid I would
drive you mad with desire,

and then, you
would throw yourself

on the first Italian woman.

- How should I address you?

Monsignor, since
you were a bishop?

Your Excellency,

because the Revolution made
you ambassador to England?

Or Minister,

because you are in charge of
France's foreign relations?

- Most people call me
Talleyrand. Just Talleyrand.

- Ah, yes.

Like just God?

- Or Satan.

They like seeing
me as the devil,

but I shouldn't think
that would scare you,

because people tell me that
you're not afraid of anything.

- Of one thing.

Stupidity.

- Then you must tremble
every day of your life!

I've heard rumblings
about your proposal

for a new constitution.

I must say, I expected something
more revolutionary from you.

- I like order.

I fought for the Republic.
I'm not a revolutionary.

- I share your
fondness for order.

But when you speak of a
concentrated government,

you don't perchance
mean concentrated

in the hands of one man, do you?

- You ask questions that
sound like answers.

- Yes, well, because
it's always difficult

to find someone who would
wield that kind of power

who would not become a dictator.

What about you?

Are you interested
in political power?

- Me?

The glory I won in lately is all
I could possibly wish for.

- Yes, of course there's glory,

but then there's money, too.

- In that regard, I was very
well paid by the enemy.

I have other plans.

- Oh, do tell me!

I'll be as silent as the grave.

- Mathematics.

I became an artilleryman
thanks to mathematics.

My one dream is to return
to my former vocation.

- To mathematics?

- Yes, I hope to be
elected to the institute

in the domain of physical
science and mathematics.

- Hmm.

Hmm...

And that's all?

- For the moment.

- Hmm.

I see.

To your modest ambitions.

Salut.

- What is this place called?

- Malmaison, General.
The bad house.

In memory of
the barbaric Normans

who raided the place
many years ago.

Committed infamous
crimes here.

I'll open up.

- I can turn it
into a happy house.

I know it doesn't
look like much now,

but let me take care
of everything.

- Where did you learn
to run a house?

In the West Indies, when
you were a little savage?

- A little savage who always
appreciated beauty.

- Expensive things, too.

Over 300,000 francs
for a country house.

- You're not
paying for it.

- Certainly not.

But it's so much
less for your family.

- Oh please, Joseph.

You can't accuse me of
neglecting my family.

I've always placed
your welfare above my own.

- And, my dear
brother-in-law,

the family Bonaparte
includes me.

- l'll wait for you outside.

Probably smells musty in there.

- l'll wait for
you out front.

- It does smell a bit musty.

- Soon, it will smell
of joy, of life, of love.

Do you know that
when I was a child,

a fortune teller
predicted that one day,

I was going to be
greater than a queen?

Today, I have the
feeling she saw right.

This is my palace.

And you will be the king.

- Husband is good enough.
I don't like kings.

- You think we would be mad
to buy it, don't you?

- I think 300,000 francs
is a lot of money

for a general
living on his pay.

- Yes, but you're worth much
more, because if you wanted--

- You don't have to say it.
Talleyrand already did.

The French have had enough

of being governed by
men who are corrupt.

But they are not
ready to rise up.

- Perhaps for now, your
interest is to avoid anything

that could tarnish
the glory you won in lately.

- Ideally, I should go
somewhere far away,

pursuing new military triumphs.

- You say that as if you already
have a glimmer of an idea.

- No, not a glimmer.
A revelation, Josephine.

Egypt.

- Egypt? Why Egypt?

- Because holding Egypt

means cutting off
England's route to India,

and giving us access to all
the goods from the East.

What's more, our
ambassador in Cairo

said that Egypt is a country
of incredible wealth.

When I come back, l'll be
able to buy you Malmaison.

- That's how you'll
make history.

General Bonaparte,
first to have fought a war

so that he could buy
his wife a house.

- Gentlemen, the Pyramids.

4,000 years of history
are contemplating us.

[camel grunts]

Well, Roustam, the tea!

Admire the work of my
cartographers, St. Hilaire.

This is Egypt in the
days of the pharaohs.

Everything is in here,
even the canal.

- The canal, General?

- Didn't you know that
the pharaohs built a canal

joining the Nile
to the Red Sea?

- No!

- initiated under
King Nechao

and completed under
the Ptolemies,

this prodigious work
stood the test of time

for almost 1 ,000 years,
until it disappeared,

swallowed up by the sands.

- Do you believe one could find
vestiges of this canal?

- Hmm, without any doubt.

of we started excavating
in this area,

we'd unearth marvels that
would reveal to the world

the extraordinary splendour of
the Egyptian civilization.

Yet a better idea would
be to dig another canal.

One that would connect the
Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

Starting from Suez, for example.
What do you think?

- The thing is, General,
my interest is in zoology,

so as far as I'm concerned,
these stories about canals...

- My dear St. Hilaire.

A scholar must be
curious about everything.

I, for instance, had the
Koran translated for me.

- And this has been
translated from English.

- I'm under no illusion.

In Paris, they will say that
Egypt is a political failure

and financial disaster.

I will need you and
your colleagues

to silence my detractors.

Let everybody know that our saga

will have countless effects
upon civilization.

- This will be our
way of thanking you

for this incredible
journey, General.

- The English are calling
on my men to desert

by flooding our lines
with this drivel.

It will have no effect on them.

- I'm not so sure.

The men have had enough.

Most of the time,

we have to force them to obey.

- Have the officers
discipline them again.

That's why they are here.

- The officers, they say that
you torture your soldiers.

And that you will never
be able to seize Egypt.

- I have, Murat.

Egypt is ours, almost ours.

Cairo is a French city.

The Nile Delta
has been pacified,

and all there is left to subdue
is a few Turkish regiments and--

- Turks and Arabs,

supported by the English.

Be realistic, Bonaparte.

You can't go on.

Especially with the
plague on our heels.

- The doctors assure me that
the epidemic can be contained.

- Doctors can do
nothing against fear.

- I can.

[children shouting]

[coughing, groaning]

Let me do this. I need you.

- But General...

I can't do anything
more for you.

I'm dying.

- Precisely.

The first one to walk away will
be considered a deserter,

and will be shot!

Does any one of
you know this man?

- I believe this is
Caroubert, General.

- ls he one of your friends?

- Well, actually, we
come from the same town.

In the Jura, General.

- In that case,
tell him about the Jura.

Let him die
with some happiness.

- Come, Maman.

Let's go in.
It's getting chilly.

- But it's still light
enough to see.

I want to stay until dark.

- You'll wear out your eyes.
And catch your death of cold.

And it still won't bring
him back any sooner.

- What if he doesn't
come back at all?

- Of course he'll come back.

- How?

They say the English have
sunk the French ships.

How can he come
back without ships?

- Come on, come on!

[classical music]

[laughing]

[parrot:] Pourquoi? Pourquoi?

- Did you teach
him to say that?

- No, it's my husband.

He's showering me
with souvenirs.

He's afraid l'll forget him.

- I want to make
you forget him.

[laughs]

I don't think so.
I don't think so, Hippolyte.

- Barras, you're hardly in a
position to criticize Bonaparte.

You are the one
who commissioned him!

- To put down a riot,
not conquer a country.

This Egyptian adventure of his
is costing us a fortune,

and he hasn't made a single
important conquest.

- Conquest? He can't even
hold on to his ships!

Admiral Nelson sank
them like toys.

- His biggest problem

is that the army's being
devastated by the plague.

- All these disasters
are extremely tiresome.

It's going to make him
want to come back.

- His return will be
overshadowed by another.

- You mean,
the return of the King?

- Don't you realize

the government of the
Directoire is doomed?

It's inevitable that Louis XVIII
will rise to the throne.

- Your voice trembles
as though you can't wait!

But you are a member
of the Directoire.

And if it falls--

- of the monarchy is restored,

I've been promised
the title of Duke.

And the governorship
of Bourbon Island.

- Well played, Barras!

- I urge you all to do the same.

Take precautions, my friends,

and guarantee your futures.

Louis XVIll is willing to
promise anything to anyone

who will help him
wear the crown.

- Madame?

- Bad news?

He's returned.

- What?

- He's returned.

- Who?

- Bonaparte!

Bonaparte is in France.

[crowd gasps]

[cheering]

[cheering]

- General Bonaparte,
we will follow you anywhere!

- Listen to them!

Just say the word,

and you'll have 25 million
French citizens behind you.

- Right now, I'm hungry.

[laughs]

- The best thing to eat
here in Lyon is hot sausage.

Two, please.

- Yes, sir.

- What is he doing?

- He's responsible
for my safety.

Every night, he sleeps
lying against my door.

The Sultan thought
he was giving me a slave.

In fact,
he's a guardian angel.

Very good, Roustam.
You can go now.

- Do you hear that?

Is it making
sense to you now?

- ls what making sense?

- The way they cheered you.

And that's nothing compared to
the welcome you'll get in Paris.

Power is a ripe fruit,

and it's yours
for the picking!

- l've come back to give,
not to take, Joseph.

No one can imagine what marvels
I've brought back from Egypt.

- Please, Napoleon.

I am your brother,
not your public.

Let's at least be honest
with each other.

Egypt was a disaster!

- Don't say that.

The discoveries our
scientists have made there,

the knowledge they've gained,

justify all the sacrifices
of the expedition.

- Yes, yes, fine! But there are
urgent matters to deal with.

- The most urgent one
for me is my divorce.

Josephine has barely
written at all.

Just to inform me
she's bought Malmaison.

With my money, of course.

Or rather, with the money
she hopes l'll find.

- She had hardly moved in before
she sent for her lover.

- Captain Hippolyte Charles.

Destroy him.

- That won't end it!
There are others!

Your wife has taken
up again with Barras.

And she keeps
company with Goyer,

president of the Directoire.

Our poor mother.

- Scandalized.

Vindicated.

You will be able to hold
your heads high again.

I'm finished with
that woman. That--

- You can barely bring
yourself to say her name.

- Because it's a curse.

I hate her name!

I hate the sound of her voice!

Her perfume.
Everything. It's over.

Finished!

- That is what
lies ahead of you.

My dear brother,
she has no place in it.

You take care of France,

and l'll take care
of your divorce.

[thunder]

[thunder]

- Good evening, Constant.

- Good evening, Madame.
Madame cannot come in.

The General's orders.

I packed everything
very carefully.

I hope I haven't
forgotten anything.

- You can't leave me
outside, Constant.

It's raining!

- Yes.

- My children,
where are my children?

- Mademoiselle Hortense
is in her room, Madame.

So is Monsieur Eugene.

The General has allowed
them to stay.

- The General has allowed them.

The General has
no right to allow them,

or to refuse them anything.

What a vile man.

Even when I was brought
in front of the court

during the Revolution,

and God knows it, these
people were without pity,

I was allowed to explain myself.

But him, my own
husband, condemns me

without hearing me!

Do you find that
right, Constant?

- Well, no... Not... very.

- Let me in!

- ''It is obvious

''that General Bonaparte's
hasty departure from Egypt

''was to avoid a mass
insurrection of his army.''

[knock on door]

Roustam, see who is there.

They've used anything
they can to discredit me.

Even lies.

- Woman for General.
She want to come in, I say no!

- My shirt, quickly.

[Josephine:] Bonaparte!

Bonaparte! Let me in!

Bonaparte!

[knocking]

Bonaparte!

[sighs]

I know you're there.

Be reasonable.

I want to talk to you.
Open the door!

Did people tell you
something about me?

You know that they're
lies, calumnies!

You know people when
they want to defile someone.

- It's you who
defiled everything!

So go away, Josephine!

I never want to see you again!

- No! Let me in!

What have I done?
Come on, open the door.

I can explain everything.

- Explain what?

Your cooing
with Captain Charles?

Your behaviour is sickening.

It's all over between us.

- No!

- Forever.

- Oh, please, Bonaparte!

I know I can explain everything!

Oh, please!

of you want me to leave,
I will leave.

[sobbing]

- Her perfume.

- What do you
accuse me of?

Going out into society?

Giving parties at the Malmaison?

Yes, I did.

And I did it for you.

Because you want power,
and for that you need allies.

I believe in you, Napoleon!

- Lucien and I need
to talk to you.

Maman has agreed to let
us meet at her house,

and it would be advisable--

- Oh Joseph, you're here!
Good morning.

- But--

But she--

- Let's discuss politics.

- What about your divorce?

- Do you think it's necessary
to close the windows?

As if we were
conspirators plotting?

- I'm sure the house
is being watched.

When a government is at bay,
they'll stop at nothing.

- For God's sake, Joseph.
It's just a family meal.

- This is your house, Maman.
You can stay if you like.

I'd rather my sisters
weren't mixed up in this.

of things go badly,

they'll be able to swear
they knew nothing about it.

- Come on, girls.

- Our mother asked you
to leave the room, Caroline.

- I know what Lucien and
Joseph are going to propose.

You need support. I'm here
to bring you Murat's support.

- Murat?

Who authorized you
to speak for Murat?

- He and I love each other.

[giggling]

- Murat is over 30,
and you're not yet 20.

I don't think our mother
will approve.

I don't think I approve.

- You can state your objections

when Murat comes
to ask you for my hand.

Until then, I entreat
you to accept his help!

- Caroline is right.

We can't refuse any
offer of help.

- Come on, girls.

- The plan is audacious,
Napoleon. But it can work.

We've based it on two factors.

First, the people hate
the current government.

And two, they see
you as a hero.

- You want to overthrow
the Directoire?

- It wouldn't take
much of a push.

- And in its place,
Napoleon Bonaparte?

- You've always kept your
distance from politics.

You have managed
to keep your hands clean!

You are the godsend
the whole country is waiting for!

- France is so weak now.

She won't be able to stand
another revolution.

The royalists
would make the most of it!

- Who said anything
about a revolution?

Everything will be done
perfectly legally!

We just have
to persuade the deputies

to elect a new government,
and get rid of the Directory,

and elect in its place
a new government,

composed of
three irreproachable men.

Sieyes, Roger-Ducos, and you.

- It's possible.

of you were to assemble all
the deputies for a special session,

somewhere isolated

where the army could
bring pressure to bear,

if needed, without triggering
a riot in the city.

- That's perfect.

And with Murat
at the head of the troops,

we can't fail.

- I suggest
Chateau de St. Cloud.

It's far enough from Paris,
and easy to control.

- I agree.

- Can we assume that you
approve of our little project?

- Your little project,

as you call it so discreetly,
my dear Joseph,

is nothing less than
a coup d'etat.

of it fails, we will end
up in prison, at best,

and more likely under the blade.

Are you still so sure
that Murat will follow us?

- I can speak for him
as I do for myself.

He'll only want to
know in what name

he's risking
his liberty and life.

- In what name?

In the name of reality.

Louis XVIll is ready
to enter Paris.

of we delay, the Republic
will be lost,

and with it all the benefits
of the Revolution.

That's reason enough
to risk everything.

I'm counting on you
to control the gates of Paris

on the 18th of Brumaire.

No government official
can be allowed

to enter or leave the city.

I also want your censor
to check everything

that's announced in the press.

The newspapers will only
be allowed to print

what my associates
and I decide on.

- In other words, you're
asking me to support a plot?

- I don't consider
ridding the country

of a bunch of rogues and
swindlers to be a plot.

- Even though I may
not always approve

of the government's policies,
I'm a member of it.

- You'll be a member
of the next one.

You'll be my
minister of police.

- That's generous of you,

but I am already
minister of police.

So if you have no
other arguments...

- I do have one, yes.

I'm sure the royalists
haven't forgotten

how you slaughtered hundreds
of their followers

during the Reign of Terror.

I heard you had them
shot point-blank

after forcing them
to dig their own graves.

- Who is with you?

- Everyone.

Generals such as
Murat and Lefebvre,

and politicians such as
Sieyes, Roger-Ducos,

Talleyrand--

- You've taken Talleyrand
into your confidence?

He betrays everybody.

- No, he won't betray himself.

He understands perfectly well
where his interest lies.

He's expecting a lot
from me, and he's right.

of he doesn't fail me,
I won't fail him.

And that proposition
goes for everyone.

- Very well.

You've made yourself clear.

I'll think it over.

- No, right now, Fouche.

With me,

or against me?

- All right, with you.

But if your plan fails?

- Then, instead of being
executed in the King's name

for barbarous crimes,

you'll be executed by
the Directoire for conspiracy.

I am your only hope.

- What a rotten job,
being a deputy.

Jabbering away for hours,
all locked up.

- How long have
they been in there?

- 20 hours. They've been talking
for more than 20 hours.

Don't you think
it's a bad sign, Sieyes?

- My dear fellow,
politics isn't war.

It takes much longer to
say something meaningless

than to fire a gun.

[all shouting]

[bell rings]

- Back to your seats, gentlemen!

I won't tolerate this
insolence much longer!

[yelling]

- No one will ever be able...

[bell rings]

- We're shut up in here

without being able
to see or hear anything!

- Try to stay calm, General.

- Calm? When the future
of France is at stake?

What is it, Murat?

For God's sake, say something!

Is it over? Have they voted?

- No. Talleyrand
has just arrived.

He wants to see you.

- l've just come
back from the Orangerie.

Things don't seem to be going
exactly as you'd hoped.

- Now, if my brother can't
make those people obey him,

what good is he
to me as the President?

- Sire, he is their
President, not their general.

Deputies cannot be ordered
around as easily as a regiment!

- We'll see about that.
Soldiers!

[shouting]

- l'll sit down if you
agree that Bonaparte...

[booing]

- Listen to me!

Listen to me!

I'm here to serve the Republic!

Gentlemen deputies!

Silence!

Silence!

The Republic is in danger!

- Protect the General!
They want to kill him!

[shouting]

- They-- they tried to stab me!

- We failed. All is lost.

We mustn't stay here!

- They've just declared
you an outlaw!

- And us?

- You don't exist for them.

The only person who counts
in their eyes is my brother.

Are you all right?
You're not wounded?

- What about you?
Did they strike you?

- No, they didn't dare.
I have enough supporters.

I don't know how
it started to unravel.

- Look, President.

What's done is done!

The most important thing now
is to find a safe place!

- You've nothing to fear.
Murat is outside with troops.

- Murat!

Good God, Murat!
I nearly forgot!

- Bonaparte!

What are you going to do?

- I'm going back in there!

I have an army outside!

And me with an army...

- He doesn't have the right!

- Officers and soldiers
of the Republic!

Come, listen! Come, come!

A faction of desperate men,
armed with daggers,

is threatening the Assembly!

They even attempted to
assassinate your General!

- On your horses!

- They dared to accuse Bonaparte
of staging a coup d'etat,

to bring him into power!

A vile lie!

Do you see this blade?

I would plunge it
in my brother's heart

without a moment's hesitation,

if I suspected him
of violating rights.

[cheering]

- Soldiers!

I declare to you that
the representatives of our nation

are in mortal danger!

Consequently, I order you
to invade this assembly.

immediately!

- We know what to do. Come on!

[shouting]

Open the doors!

Citizen representatives!

Your safety is no longer
guaranteed within these walls!

I order you to leave under
the protection of the army!

[booing]

Grenadiers, forward!

Get them out!

Come on!

Get out, get out!

Get out, all of them!

- Do you think your brother

will retain enough deputies
to go ahead with the vote?

- Yes, he has
enough supporters.

Whatever the result is,
it will be perfectly legal.

- The deputies have
dissolved the Directory.

In its place,

they have created an
executive consular commission,

composed of General Bonaparte,

and citizens Sieyes
and Roger-Ducos,

who will bear the titles
of Citizens and Consuls

of the French Republic.

This decree takes
effect immediately.

Officers, present arms to
the Consuls of the Republic!

- Present arms!

- Long live Bonaparte!

[soldiers:] Bonaparte!
Bonaparte!

- Bonaparte!

- Bonaparte! Bonaparte!

- What time is it?

- About 4:00.

- It took longer
than we expected.

- It almost didn't happen.

[both laugh]

- Splendid! Magnificent!

Dazzling!

incomparable!

- Sturdy and resistant, I hope?

- Oh, that suit of clothes
is going to last a lifetime!

- Hmm. l've only been appointed
First Consul for 10 years.

- What a pity there
isn't a bigger mirror,

so you could see how
well it suits you.

- Here's my mirror.

Well, what do you think?

- Oh, but you look...
you look...

- Well, I must be
very well turned out,

for my pretty mirror
to cloud over.

Is you-know-who still here?

- You-know-who is waiting
for you, next room,

in front of the fire.

I think in another life,
he must have been a cat.

- A cat, huh? l'd say a cobra.

- Shh! Bonaparte, he supports
you without hesitation.

- You mean, I support him, which
is only normal for a cripple.

- Shh!

- No, don't say
anything, Talleyrand.

I've already been showered

with all the compliments
you can imagine.

But I have no illusion that
this fine suit of clothes

won't be enough to
reassure our neighbours

that France has finally put
the revolution behind her.

- True, the European courts
fear the strength of our army

less than
the strength of our ideas.

- Therefore,
we must demonstrate

that we are civilized
people once more.

An aristocrat, a real aristocrat

who knows how
to behave insolently,

yet with princely grace,
would give us prestige.

You were the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Directoire.

The First Consul
reappoints you

to that office.

- I suppose I should
feel flattered

that you consider me
to have princely grace.

But I would display more of it

if your choice was based
on my skill at negotiating.

- Negotiating what?

Austria recaptured lately from
France while I was in Egypt.

- And we either accept
the loss of lately, or...

- Or wage war on Austria.

- I usually believe
the worst can be avoided.

- War is not
the worst, Talleyrand.

The worst would be allowing them

to treat France like the
village idiot of Europe.

The one who is slapped
and then says thank you.

What do you know about war?
You've never been to war.

- Alas.

A soldier who can neither attack

nor, more especially,
flee in sufficient haste,

is a liability.

Otherwise, I might have
pursued a military career.

- You? A general?

General Talleyrand?

Perhaps you envy my glory.

You can share it,
it you're loyal to me.

- Sire, I wish only
to serve you.

- You bow as you say that,

so one can't see whether
your eyes support your words.

- Man was given speech
to disguise his thoughts,

and words to disguise his eyes.

Don't trust anything, or anyone.

[officer:] Present arms!

- Monsieur
Pierre-Louis Roederer,

who I have appointed
Councilor of State

because he served me well,
and will continue to do so.

- I'm delighted
to meet you, sir.

- Welcome to the
Tuileries, Madame.

I hope you will
like it here.

- Are you coming?

- Here we are in
the waiting room.

Please....

And here are Queen Marie
Antoinette's apartments.

Not very cheerful,
I'm afraid.

- The price of power.

- I hope they've
changed the sheets.

- Don't be silly.

- It's morbid.

of you must live
in the Tuileries,

can't we take a
different apartment?

This one feels haunted.

- Superstitious nonsense.

Once it's refurnished
to your taste, you'll be happy.

And whenever you need a change,
we can go to Malmaison.

- I need a change right now.
Let's go.

- No, don't be childish.

Maybe tomorrow.

- When we got married,
I could ask you anything.

And you always said
yes right away.

Now it's always
''maybe tomorrow''.

You love me less, Bonaparte.

- I am sorry.

Maybe we should have thought
of redecorating the rooms before--

- She'll get used to it.

It would be a sorry
state of affairs

if my wife were
the one person in France

to contest my authority.

Show me where my study is.

- Please.

- Have an article published
in the newspapers

saying I'm against powdered wigs

coming back into
fashion for men.

It's ludicrous!

Have they finished
an exact account

of what's left
in the state coffers?

- 167,000 francs.

- Scandalous.

I'm sure there's
10 times that amount

in the pockets of each former
member of the Directoire.

This means France is bankrupt.

We will need to bring in several
million francs this year.

- The Minister of Police!

- Ah. Fouche.

Come in, Fouche.

You're not an ordinary minister
anymore. You're my minister.

So I expect from you
a flawless efficiency.

And yet I hear you
dislike ruthless measures.

- How do you define ruthless?

- Arresting, imprisoning.

- When we imprison a man,

it's usually because
he has broken the law.

In order words,
when it's too late.

Personally, l'd rather prevent
him from committing a crime.

- Yet you have to
know to prevent it.

- Yes. Know everything
about everyone.

- Oh, so you claim to keep
watch on the whole of France?

- I have my informers.

This system has saved
your life many times over.

- And you didn't inform me?

- The bombs were
all found in time.

- Bombs. Who planted them?

- The royalists, with England
acting as their banker.

A bomb is more expensive than
a vial of poison, or a dagger.

- So...

this is what politics is like.

- No, this is what hatred is like,

Monsieur le Premier Consul.

Hatred.

- You're not dressed!

But the carriage
is awaiting in the courtyard.

Have you forgotten we're
going to the opera?

- No, but Bonaparte is working.

And when he locks himself
up in his office,

God knows when
he'll reappear.

No, but you go ahead!
Go ahead to the opera.

Ask Murat and Caroline
to chaperone you.

- Thank you very much, but
I don't need any chaperoning.

- But you're only 1 7, Hortense.

And at your age, a girl can
easily have her head turned.

And men you know...

- And what if my head is turned?

- Bonaparte has
other plans for you.

Nothing is settled,
of course, but...

he's wishing for you
to marry his brother, Louis.

- Louis?

But have you ever looked at him?

Or spoken with him?

He's ugly and miserable!

- But my child,

if the First Consul is asking
for you to marry him--

- The First Consul should look
after the affairs of state

and leave me alone!

And what's more,
he should look after you.

- But he loves me, as much as
he loved me the first day we've met.

- Then let's hope that what
everyone is waiting for

will finally happen.

- And what do you mean by that?

- You know very well.

People are surprised
you haven't born him a child.

- Oh.

But I will, soon.

Who knows?
I might be pregnant now.

This morning, I got dizzy.

- Don't fool yourself.
You're not pregnant.

And you may never be.

- But what is the matter
with all of you?

Why is it that you all
think that I'm barren?

You, and your brother Eugene.

I gave you birth, didn't l?

- Forgive me, Maman,
but that was a long time ago.

- 6,000 Frenchmen
fell at Marengo,

and transformed what everyone
predicted as a defeat

into a victory.

Thanks to Marengo, a part of
Italy regained her freedom.

I intend to turn this victory
into a splendid victory,

which is why we must
have a monument

commemorating the battle.

- This calls for
a triumphal arch!

- No, gentlemen. A fountain.

- A fountain?
But it's so ordinary!

There's nothing splendid
about a fountain.

- Paris lacks water.

Paris is dirty.
Paris is dying of thirst.

Every time Parisians draw
water from this fountain,

they will feel a moment
of gratitude

toward the men
who fell at Marengo.

Percil, you'll do the drawing.

And Fortin, you will see
to the sculpture.

[door opens]

I'm in conference, my dear.

- Gentlemen, the First Consul
will see you tomorrow.

Tonight is Christmas Eve.

No one discusses profane
matters on Christmas Eve.

- Just who do you
think you are?

- Your wife.

We've planned
to go to the opera,

and that's what
we're going to do.

- Certainly not. Go on
your own, I have work to do.

- I want us
to be seen together.

Paris is buzzing with rumours
that are very painful for me,

and your presence
at my side will quell them.

- What rumours?

- They say that you reproach
me for not having a child.

And that you intend to get
another woman pregnant,

whom we would pay to give
up the baby at birth.

- Preposterous.

- Come. I'm longing
for some music.

- No, music will do
nothing for me tonight.

- Well then, don't listen.

I will bend close
to your ear,

and whisper
little exciting things.

- You devil!

- Shh! Don't tell anyone.

It's Christmas Eve.

[cheering]

[cheering]

[singing opera]

- Oh, you stubborn animal!

- What are you
trying to do, girl?

- They told me
to move my cart.

There's a procession
coming this way.

- Not anymore.
They've taken a different route.

Nice horse.

- Oh, we're going
by Rue St. Nicaise?

- Fouche wants us to keep
changing our itinerary,

as a security measure.

- Even on Christmas Eve?
It's a holy night!

And anyway, you have
fewer enemies now.

Even the press is unanimously
singing your praises.

- I had to close down
60 newspapers to achieve that.

[cheering]

- What's happening?

- We're just moving
a cart out of the way,

Citizen First Consul.

- It's not my fault.

They told me to go away,
then said not to bother.

How could I know?

- It doesn't matter.
My soldiers will help you.

- What is happening?

- I don't know.

- Hey, you! Move! Move it!

- Bring it around!

- Coming through!

- What's your name?

- Isabelle.

- In Christmas tales,

princesses are often
called Isabelle.

- Oh, I'm not a princess, sir.

- Perhaps not tonight,
but maybe tomorrow.

You must believe in the future.

- Merry Christmas, sir.

- Poor child. What's the point
of filling her head with dreams?

[cheering]

You know she'll never be
anything else than a guttersnipe.

- That's how
you think, my dear.

As for me, I want France
to be a country

where nothing
is impossible for anyone.

[singing opera]

- Ah!

[scream]

- Don't stop!

Drive on, for God's sake!
Drive on!

- What's happened
to the other carriage?

- My daughter!
She was just behind us!

Is she all right?

- Are there any casualties?

- Many dead! It's horrible!

- Hortense!

- What is it, Murat?

- They're safe. They're safe.

You can't stay here!
Soldiers, stay with us!

- Maman!

- Oh!

- I need the girl
who was driving the cart.

- She's there.

- Whoa! Whoa!

- The Providence
was protecting you.

- I didn't appoint Providence

as Minister of Police,
Fouche, but you.

- I will know who
the culprits are within a week.

Until then,
you must show yourself.

Give the people the impression
that you are invulnerable.

The curtain rises on
the opera in 30 minutes.

- l'll be there.

How old do you think she was?

- Hungry children
always look younger.

Gather up
the remains of the horse!

- The poor are begging
for the meat, sir.

- It's not meat!
It's evidence! Go!

My men showed
the sketch of the horse

to every dealer in Paris.

One of them thought
he remembered the man

who he sold it to.

A royalist agitator.

- So you conclude
the crime was signed.

- Without a doubt.

- I have a doubt.

The Royalists claim
to be inspired by God.

They would never have
picked Christmas Eve

to carry out such
a dreadful crime,

and they would never have
sacrificed an innocent child.

- History is filled with crimes
committed in the name of God.

- Why would
the Royalists want me dead?

I've put an end to
the extremes of the Revolution.

Priests are no longer persecuted,

and the emigres
have been pardoned.

No, look for the culprit

among those anarchists and rebels,

those who long for the return
of the Reign of Terror.

The Jacobins.

- The Jacobins are political
opponents, not assassins!

- Oh, really?

But who sent Louis XVI and Marie
Antoinette to the guillotine?

After murdering
the King and Queen,

why should they think
twice about me?

- Louis XVI and
his Austrian woman

were tried and condemned
by the Supreme Tribunal.

Their execution
was perfectly legal.

There is no connection between that
and the brutal attack.

- It's enough, Fouche!

of you don't agree with me,
then go.

I can manage very well without
a Minister of Police.

I'll create my own police
force, and run it myself.

- And how will you
justify my dismissal?

- Justify?

To the people?

Do you really believe
the people are going to miss you?

- The people won't.

But you will.

- Ah! Monsieur Fouche!

We've been looking
for you, sir!

We've had some information

about the assassination
attempt at Rue St. Nicaise!

- I'm no longer in charge of
that case, or any other.

The First Consul

will be dealing with these
matters himself from now on.

- But we've just arrested
the man who bought the horse!

He's called Carbon.
Francois-Joseph Carbon.

- A Jacobin?

- A Royalist.

Aren't you going to
tell the First Consul?

- The First Consul
can go to hell!

When I think that this is
how France has ended up

after the Revolution,

with that puffed-up,
arrogant little man,

it makes me appreciate
the terrorists' point of view.

- Sir, the names of all
the people involved

in the assassination attempt
on the Rue St. Nicaise,

and the confirmation
that they were Royalists.

- Fouche was right.

- As I seem to remember
saying at the time,

his disgrace was unwarranted.

The man who set the bomb
was guillotined this morning.

All the others have been
arrested and interrogated,

and we've discovered
this was just the first step

in a plot to eliminate you

and install the Prince
in Bourbon as ruler of France.

- Which prince?

That fat pig who
calls himself Louis XVIll?

No, he's too old and too
feeble for such an adventure.

- Yes, but why not his
brother, the Count D'Artois?

He fled to England,

and he might have found
money and support there.

- Oh, it's possible.

The English are
always enthusiastic

when it's a question
of getting rid of me.

But D'Artois doesn't
have the spirit.

He's too timid, and so stupid!

- Of course, you're right.

Then I think we must
look for someone younger,

more hot-blooded,

possibly even insane.

Why not the Duke D'Enghien?

- Louis XVI's cousin?

- He meets all the criteria.

He's a Bourbon, he's dashing
enough to please the people,

he's sophisticated enough
to please the nobility.

And the return to royalty
is a sacred crusade for him.

Recently, he's emigrated to
Ettenheim, in the duchy of Bade.

- Which leaves him free
to plot in peace.

The duchy of Bade is
a sovereign state,

and organized under
his protection.

- Yes, but I wouldn't call him
completely unreachable.

Ettenheim is only a few leagues
away from the French border.

- A kidnapping?

It's possible.

But there would be a hell of a
racket in the courts of Europe.

- And what you lose
in foreign affairs,

you make up at home.

Even the most fervent
revolutionaries

would applaud
your decision to be firm

with a henchman of the monarchy.

- Support from such
men leaves me cold.

They've shed too much blood.

They voted for the King's death.

- Yes.

And I wonder,
what would you have done?

- I don't know.

- Of course you know.
The Revolution was irresistible.

You would have done
much the same as I did.

You can't fight a tidal wave,

and you needn't worry about
this business with the Duke Enghien

ending up like
the butchery of Louis XVI.

He shouldn't come
to any harm, necessarily.

But of course, that's up to
you, and only you, to decide.

- Talleyrand!

- Yes, Citizen First Consul?

- Who, in your opinion,

is tactful enough
to arrest Enghien

and bring him back to France?

- What about Monsieur
de Caulaincourt?

- How would you like
to approach this, Monsieur?

- With style and good manners.

We shall knock politely
on the front door.

- And what if
he doesn't open it?

- In that case, I regret...

I shall be obliged to ask
you to batter it down.

Go!

- I'm not saying I don't want
a child, but there is no rush.

I have enough worries with
my brothers and sisters.

Setting them up, arranging
their marriages--

- It would be better

if you didn't get involved
in their marriages.

The match you made
between your brother Louis

and your wife's daughter
is not a success.

- Only because Louis
won't make an effort.

Hortense is absolutely adorable!

- Mmm.

[footsteps]

- My compliments, Madame.

I beg you to forgive
this intrusion, but...

Enghien is in Vincennes.

- How is he?

- The prisoner is calm,

fragile, pale, exhausted.

- And nonetheless
extremely arrogant.

- No. Extremely dignified.

He's a prince of
the House of France.

- Thank you, Caulaincourt.

- Madame. Bon appetit.

- What are you
going to do now?

- It's for
the tribunal to decide.

- It's what Pontius Pilate said.

- Enghien is not Christ.

- I don't care who he is.

But you, Napoleon, must
not become a murderer.

- Move on!

- Roustam. My carriage, quick.

I want to go to...

Oh, never mind. Prepare my bath.

[dog whines]

[thunder]

- For my fiancee.

- I don't need you.
Leave me alone.

[clock ticking]

- Ready!

On my command!

Aim!

Fire!

- I heard a noise.

Haven't you been to bed?

Look at me.

Why don't you look at me?

You've done it.

You've done
the dreadful thing.

Although I begged you not
to, and so did your mother.

Your entire family.

- This affair doesn't concern you.

Or my family.

It's an affair of state.

It concerns
the government of France.

And me.

- You? Yes, you!

You could have pardoned him.

You didn't need anyone!

You only had to say one
word. One little word!

- of he had asked
me to spare him.

But those Bourbons...

are so stupidly proud.

- Proud, yes.

But innocent!

He wasn't even in France
during the attempt on your life.

- His friends were.

And even if they didn't do it in
his name, they did it for him.

- This foul deed will
bring a curse upon us.

Sorrow to you,
and sorrow to me,

because I couldn't stop you.

And sorrow to all who
had a hand in this crime!

- Ah, come closer, Talleyrand.
Come and admire these marvels.

No one will dare say

that my expedition to
Egypt was pointless.

- Or that the Duke of Enghien's
death was an assassination.

- Well. The case is closed.

- For you, perhaps.

But Enghien's execution was
on the agenda for the deputies.

They approve of it,

by a large majority.

All of those who voted
for the death of Louis XVI

consider you one of them now.

They even have a title
to propose for you.

Emperor of the French.

It's not a bad idea, of course.

On one condition.
To avoid any possible confusion,

it must never look like
a disguised return

to the monarchy.

- There will never be a king
in France again, Talleyrand.

I fought, and would
have given my life,

to make France a republic.

- But an Emperor can be elected,

like the Caesars in ancient Rome.

- The Caesars were
elected by the Senate.

I would want all the citizens of
France to approve my election.

- Then let me be
the first citizen of France

to offer my approval.

Sire.

- Sire!

Sire!

- You'll get used
to it very quickly.

- We'll see!

- The results of the plebiscite!

A total victory!

No one could deny
that the French people

want you as their Emperor.

And want a member of your
family to succeed you...

What are you doing?

- It's obvious,
I'm correcting what is not right.

- But it's illegal!
And unnecessary!

I mean, you have 3 million Yeses against 2,500 Nos!

What more do you want?

- It's not only the result
that counts, Lucien!

The distribution
is just as important.

The army's tally
is very disappointing.

Only 130,000.

There, 450,000.

The world will know

that my soldiers came out
in force to support me.

That should make it
harder for the English

to unite other
powers against us.

Now, take that to the Senate.

And tell them that
my figures are the ones

to be officially proclaimed.

- I continue to think
that the truth--

- The truth? What truth?

You still have not
understood that power

is in the appearance of power.

- Absolutely, my dear.

From now on, when you
want to talk to me,

you must address me
as His Imperial Highness.

The grand elector.

- And what about me, your wife?
What am I called?

- Oh, for God's sake, Julie.

You're only the Emperor's
sister-in-law.

It would be the last straw
if you had a title

while we, his own sisters,
aren't even princesses.

- Speak for yourself, Caroline.
I am a princess.

- Well, it's not fair!

It really isn't!
Why her and not us?

- Because Pauline
married Prince Burghs.

I can't help it if
you and Caroline

preferred to marry generals?

- My dear Bonaparte,

I trust you don't see
my marriage to Caroline

as a bad match!

- You are my friend, Murat,

and that's worth all
the titles in the world.

When I give my friendship,
I never take it back.

But a crown can be lost.

But I would be grateful
if you would stop calling me

''my dear Bonaparte''.

Remember to say ''Sire''
when you address me.

And this goes for all of you.

- But it's a family gathering!

- The Imperial family, from now on.

All the princes of Europe
are watching us,

and they can't believe
what they see.

''Those Bonapartes aspire
to the rank of Royal Highness.

''And they are not
even aristocrats!

''They are barely French.''

- We will show them
we are their equals.

- Don't nurse any
illusions, Caroline.

of we want those people
to treat us as equals,

we must behave as they do.

They will mock us
at the tiniest slip.

It doesn't bother me at all,

except that France, and
the honour due to France,

is at stake, through me.

- And I'm sure you
will never change.

Emperor or not,

your white britches will always
be covered with stains.

[all laugh]

I don't know what you
do with your britches.

- He wipes his pen
on them, of course!

[all laugh]

- Let's discuss my coronation.

It will be the 2nd of December,
at Notre-Dame-de-Paris,

with the Pope's blessing.

- The Pope? You want
the Pope to come here?

But you don't know what you're
talking about, Napoleon.

You can go to Rome to see
the Pope, and receive his blessing,

but he will never
come here just for you.

- Yes, he will.
He owes me a lot.

I drew up the concord
that restored peace between

the church and the state.

Without it, there would be
no more religion in France,

and God would be
just another emigre.

- I see you've
planned everything.

Almost everything.

Becoming Emperor also
means founding a dynasty.

How will you do
that with a woman

who hasn't even bothered
to bear you a child?

- I beg you, Lucien.

You're talking about
the mother of my wife!

- What of it? We're not talking
about your dear Hortense.

- That's enough!

Do you think she would
have abandoned me

if I had lost on
the 18th Brumaire?

of l'd been thrown into
prison, or even executed?

No, Lucien.

Josephine would have
never abandoned me.

I've decided that
she will be crowned with me.

[gasps]

- From now on,

Josephine will not only
be your daughter-in-law,

she will be your Empress,
so please take note of it.

- It won't stop me thinking of--

- You will think in silence.

Two paces behind her.

[footsteps]

Eavesdropping?

- I was just passing by, Sire.

I walk very slowly.

- You are minister of my
foreign affairs, Monsieur,

not of my family affairs.

- Yes, of course, but
I couldn't help overhearing, Sire.

I fear your brother
Lucien is correct.

An Emperor without an heir is
in an extremely tenuous position.

A successful attempt on
his life can annihilate everything.

Not just the man, but his work.

Sire, I think you should
take all the time you need.

You will find a delicate
way of explaining it to her.

- Explaining it to
her is not a problem.

I love her.

That is the problem.

[dogs barking]

- The road to Namur.

- Perfect.

The Pope will think we've run
into him totally by chance.

I cannot let him imagine

that I would make
an effort to meet him.

I owe him no more respect than
I do to any petty little king.

- The procession is coming, Sire!

- Gentlemen, remember.
We are out here hunting wolves.

[Murat laughs]

Excuse this dreadful
mud, Holy Father,

but it's been raining
so much lately.

- We've always wondered if
the Pope, like his divine master,

could walk on the water.

I cannot, evidently.

But I do have other powers.

- Such as crowning me Emperor.

- Yes, and also...

marrying you.

- Marrying me? But I am married.

- During our long
and tedious journey,

one of my cardinals told me
that you and the future Empress

have not been
united before God.

- Well, that may be true,

but our civil marriage
is no less valid.

- To me, it is meaningless!

But rest assured,

I would be delighted to
bless your union before God.

- I have no intention of getting
married a second time.

- Well, unfortunately,
I cannot crown a man Emperor

who is living in a state of sin.

- Very well.

But a discreet ceremony,
without unnecessary witnesses.

- When one has the Pope
as a witness, Sire,

no one else is necessary.

- Please, let me help you.

Take my hand.

- Your shoulder?
- Yes.

- Push.

- Great.

- Harder!

- Good, very good.

Au revoir.

- I'm having the cathedral
entirely redecorated.

My idea is to transform
Notre-Dame into a Greco-Roman temple.

- That is to say, pagan?

- That is to say spectacular.

You have depicted me as smaller
than Monsieur Talleyrand.

- Well, Sire, I was merely
respecting nature's proportions.

- A man's scale is
determined by his destiny,

not by nature, Monsieur.

- Of course, Sire.

- So, you will stand here.

- And you will be over there?

I fear my arm will
not be long enough.

- For what?

- To put
the crown on your head.

- It will not be necessary.

I intend to crown myself.

- Then why am I here?

- To bless my reign.

- Who exactly are you asking
to bless your reign, Sire?

Almighty God,

or his humble deputy
on Earth, the Pope?

- Humble?

Is that the word you use

to describe the thunder
of organ music,

clouds of incense,
altars full of flowers,

robes trimmed with gold?

- Sire, you confuse
God with religion.

- On the contrary,
I separate them.

On the one hand,
a theory: God.

On the other,
a certitude: religion.

It gives human
society a framework.

People would have no reference
points without religion.

We saw the results of that
when, during the Revolution,

the churches were looted
and the priests guillotined.

The country toppled
into anarchy,

the chaos and madness
of the reign of terror.

You can do without God,
but not without religion.

- Do without God?

Can you live without faith
in the immortality of your soul?

Without belief
in the everlasting life?

- of you had ever been
on a battlefield,

you would not believe
in God either.

- But I spend all my days

and all my nights
on a battlefield, Sire!

The whole world is a battlefield!

And every man who suffers
is a terrible defeat for me.

Place the crown on your own brow
if that is what you wish.

I will pray it does not become
too heavy for you to bear.

- Have you ever
regretted being Pope?

- It terrifies me, Sire.

Every day that God gives.

[church bells]

- You may leave us.

- My God, you're beautiful!

Not a day over 25.

- It's make-up.

A painter invented it,
and helped me put it on,

working highlights and shadows,

as if I were a masterpiece.

- You are.

[Laughs]

- Your masterpiece, then.

A masterpiece of your love.

May I have your
permission to say that?

- Do you doubt it?

- Not when you look
at me like that.

Not when we're alone,
just the two of us.

It's the other people
who frighten me,

and spoil everything.

The people I'm giving
every excuse to hate me.

- The trick is not to see them.

Keep your eyes on me.

- But I won't be able to
at the most important moment,

when I lower my head.

- Then remember that my eyes
will always be on you.

Ah, you've captured
the Pope perfectly.

He looks as if he'd
been made to sit for you

and forbidden to move.

How bored he seems, poor fellow!

- Ha! All he could see
from his position

was the back of your coat!

- Where is my mother?

- Well, nowhere, Sire.

Since your dear mother preferred

not to be present
at the ceremony, l--

- Because she couldn't
bear the idea

of seeing Josephine glorified.
A catfight.

But history will
never understand

why she was absent
at such a vital moment.

Here, maybe.
Paint her right here.

Make her easy to see.

Give her a beautiful dress
and see that she looks radiant.

- Sire, I don't know if your
dear mother would appreciate--

- She'll be furious.

She's very stubborn, like
everyone else in the family.

But with time,

she will be grateful
that I saved her

from appearing so petty.

Very well, David.

It's going to be beautiful.

When do you think it's
going to be finished?

- Well, Sire, it takes time,
you know. Two years, maybe three?

- Ha! Two years?

Soon, this empty sea
will be covered

with ships full of men,
horses and cannons.

Head west!

of God grants me
favourable winds,

- It's not just
a question of winds.

The English fleet is out to sea,
and our landing boats aren't--

I'll be in England
in six hours time.

- No, Admiral Villeneuve
will be here soon.

He's sailing from
Spain with 7 4 warships.

The English have barely 50.

These masts won't
take long to sail.

- We may have God on our side,
but the English have Nelson.

- Nelson, Nelson.
What is this Nelson?

A little man perched
on a lump of wood

that's called a boat.

Well, Murat, boats can be sunk!

[drums]

- Convicted of spying for England,

they are condemned to
be shot by firing squad!

Soldiers, present arms!

Aim! Fire!

- of blood must be shed,
it's time it was English blood!

The population of Bologna is--

- What has the population
of Bologna got to say?

I've had 200,000 men
stationed at the city gates

for over a year.

All the wine merchants and
whores must have made a fortune.

- True.

The army stinks of wine and ass.

- Don't worry, Murat. It will
soon be stinking of gunpowder.

- Sire, perhaps you can put
your maps of England away

for the time being.

- Are you bringing news
of Admiral Villeneuve?

- I am, Sire.

Monsieur de Villeneuve
has judged his squadrons

too vulnerable, and
his sailors too ill-prepared,

to face Admiral Nelson.

He prefers to wait, Sire.

- Hiding behind a rock
like a frightened child.

Coward! Idiot!

Does he realize what he's done?

Without his ships, I'm stranded
here like a legless cripple!

- Perhaps it's best if we're
not crossing the Channel,

because the English have also
convinced both the Russians

and the Austrians
to attack us from the East,

but while our army
is occupied here in the West.

A sound strategy,
if rather English.

- The English forget that
my strength is speed.

In 20 days, I will be in
the heart of Germany.

Murat, a change of plan.
Order the bugle to sound the call.

We will leave at once.
Thirty miles a day.

Five-minute pause every hour.

I want drummers
at the head and tail,

and drumming without a break
to fire the men with courage.

- They won't lack courage
if you're with them!

- I will not be with them,
I'll be at the opera.

At theatre, at balls,
on hunting trips.

I must put them off the scent!

of I'm sitting in Paris,

the enemy won't imagine that
my army is racing to meet them.

I know, gentlemen.

No one has ever seen 200,000 men
with all their equipment

accomplish such a feat.
That is the key to our victory.

It's because it seems impossible
that we are going to do it.

And that's why from now on,

the army will be known
as the Grand Army.

It's here the game will be played.

Once Austria and
Russia are crushed,

along with Prussia, should
she be tempted to join in the game,

I will rule Europe.

And England can rot in her lair.

You're in luck, Fouche.

Returning to politics just
as things are going well.

- Apart from one detail, Sire.

The state coffers are empty.

- We shall fill them.

Winning the war means
making a fortune.

- Before we can win it, Sire,
we must declare it.

Your army is ready,
but there's been no battle.

- Fine. We will attack. We have
avoided suspicion long enough.

I'm joining the troops.

- Ow!

- l've delivered
you from an enemy.

- A scout. The main army
will be here soon.

- Don't be afraid.
We'll face it together.

- Together? I will be
old long before you.

- I may be dead before you.

- Shh...

- I have a war to win.
And I'm needed.

So get up, Josephine.
We are leaving now!

- We?

- Yes. For Strasbourg.

When the men see
you traveling with us,

they will think that the war
won't be too long and brutal.

It's very important
for their morale.

- You calculate everything.

- I try.

- Have you ever made
love in a coach,

driving through the night?

[Marching drum]

You poor thing, you're drenched!

- Roustam will prepare
a hot bath for me,

later on at the camp.

You know that cures
me of everything.

- I hope of not being
separated from me.

- I want you to write to me,
once a day at least.

Twice would be better.
Now, listen carefully.

of anything should happen to me,
you will be regent, until--

- Until your son will be
of age to succeed you.

- Hmm? My son?

- You took me with
such passion last night,

I wouldn't be surprised

if you've given me
a beautiful child.

- of anything happens to me,

I will be succeeded by Hortense
and Louis' son, a Bonaparte.

You see, l've planned it all.

- Plan to come back to me.
I can't live without you!

[Marching drum]

- Sire! A place to sleep
here, very bad everywhere.

This house, the best!

- It will do! Prepare
my bath, I'm frozen!

- It will be a while before you
can warm your toes, Sire.

Your tub is far behind us,
stuck with the rest of the wagons.

- Not to worry, Sire.

Roustam fix something
for Majesty.

- Good.

[Thunder]

[Water splashing]

- Brrr! I never felt
so cold in my life.

What is this, exactly?

- Sire, it's for pigs.
But Roustam washed it before.

- The Emperor of the French,
in a pig trough. Ha!

On the day of the coronation,

as we were walking into
the cathedral, I said to Joseph,

if our father could see us now.

Well, if my brothers
could see me tonight...

[door closes]

- Have a look!

Eggs. Beautiful eggs.

Ah! This is all I could
find. Not bad, huh?

- Not too bad.

- I tried to catch the hen for you,
but she didn't care to be caught.

And while I was chasing her,
I slipped in the mud.

Terribly sorry about the smell.

- Oh, yes.
You do smell disgusting!

But we will miss
the stink of manure

when we smell
the stench of death.

So give your eggs to Roustam.
He will make us a fine omelette.

And get in the water.
It's still hot!

Oh!

Brrr!

I'm still just as cold.

- Do you have a fever?

- No, it's not that.

It's more like if
I had drunk too much.

Everything is going round.

The walls are spinning.

I'm choking!

Please help!

- Napoleon!

- His Majesty needs doctor.

- Do you have a fever?

- I feel better now, Roustam.

of you'll kindly stop
ripping off my skin.

- No, no.

Don't get up until
we know what's wrong.

I've sent for the army surgeon.
He's going to examine you.

Perhaps bleeding would be--

- Oh, bleeding, never!

I only shed blood
when I'm on the battlefield.

Well, Roustam.
Where is our omelette?

- Oh, you're hungry.
It's a sign you're better.

- Wait 'til you see me sucking
the marrow from Austria's bones

and grinding Russia into a pate.

I shall give the English good reason
to call me Bonny the Ogre.

Why, gentlemen! Let this be
quite clear. I'm not ill.

I didn't feel faint.

of any one of you should make
the slightest reference

to this passing weakness,

I shall consider
he has betrayed me.

And I only know one
way to punish traitors.

- Yes, with a dozen bullets.

- Plus my contempt.

I will be the first
to take position.

I want to force the Austrians
and the Russians

to fight where I decide.

- We will be on
high ground, of course.

- That's you, Caulaincourt.

Wanting to look down on people
because you're a Marquis.

- Sire, all the
military handbooks agree

that the most favourable position
for a battle is on high ground!

- The authors of those handbooks
are not where we are today.

By the way, where are we?

- Austerlitz, Sire.

- Well, gentlemen,
Austerlitz will prove

Caulaincourt's beloved
handbooks wrong.

We will give the high ground
to our opponents this time.

I will let them occupy
the plateau of Protozoon.

- So they can
swoop down on us!

- No, so they think
they can swoop down on us.

The road to Vienna, my friends.
We control it.

So let's try to think from
the enemy's point of view.

In your opinion,

what will he concentrate
his forces on above all?

- Taking back the road,

and cutting off our
line of communication.

- Quite right.

- Hmm! Just let them try.

We'll stop them in their tracks.

We'll stop them before
they even make any tracks!

- Now I stop you, Murat.

We are going to pretend that
we are abandoning the road.

As though we are terrified
by the force of the enemy's fire,

we will turn back and retreat.

- Thus encouraging
the enemy to advance.

- That's when he will
make his mistake.

Because to advance,

he will have to withdraw
some of his troops

from the plateau of Protozoon.

And our right wing will be waiting
at the foot of the plateau.

They will start by retreating.

- Retreating again?

- Just enough for the enemy
to fall into the trap,

as it is a trap.

When we feel that
our opponents are confident,

we will stop retreating.

Bernadotte and Soult
will attack the plateau of Protozoon,

while Lannes and you, Murat,

will take the lot
of them from the rear.

- It sounds so simple.

- It is simple.

That's why they won't
see it coming.

- Horrible mist, Sire.

- No, no, Caulaincourt.
It's a blessed mist!

It's stopped the Austrians
and the Russians

spotting our positions,

and seeing our regiments
assembled on the plains.

Davout! Take advantage of it,

and get closer to
Koutosov's main army.

- Very well, Sire!

- What about me, Sire?

Give me ten minutes and
I'll take the plateau of Protozoon.

- Yes indeed, Soult.
I'm counting on it.

Only wait for the mist to lift.

The sun is going to appear.
I can feel it is very near.

We understand
each other, the sun and l.

- It will be back, the sun?

- Yes. The mist was for the trap.

The sun will be for victory.

Its light will strip away
the enemy's arrogance

when it reveals
how close we are.

[cheering]

- The sun, Sire.
They're cheering the sun.

They see it as a good sign.

- So do l.

Gentlemen!
The Grand Army will attack.

And music playing at the head.

We have no more need
to hide now. Soult!

- Ready to lead the charge, Sire.

- It's always so
beautiful at the beginning.

Your turn, Lannes!

Sweep across the plain
with your 5th battalion.

Murat will be just behind you!

- Argh!

- Argh!

- Argh!

- Argh!

- All that in one day, Sire?

- In a few hours, yes.

20,000 of their men dead,

between 6,000 and 8,000 of ours.

- Sire, I think for one day, l--

- Seen enough?

No, Talleyrand, not yet.

No, open your eyes.

Look, listen, smell,

until nausea overcomes you,

because you're going
to negotiate peace.

And I want you to know
what it has cost.

[military drumming]

- Do you never come down
from your horse, Sire?

- l've been known
to sleep in the saddle.

I think l've done just about
everything a man can do

on a horse's back.

Except make love.
But that's still a possibility.

- And what will you
demand from them?

- I can demand anything?

- Anything. You're the master.

- Good.

Then I demand peace.

- Peace?

That's all you want,
how magnanimous.

Your modesty will certainly come
as a very pleasant surprise

to both the Emperor of Austria
and the Czar Alexander.

- That's all for the main part.

As for the details, Austria will
give back the Tyrol and Venice.

I want the Tyrol for
a strategic position,

and Venice for her treasures.

I want to transfer
that remarkable quadriga

on the Place St. Marc to Paris.

I'm sure that
Eugene de Beauharnais

won't refuse that to me.

I've made Josephine's
son Viceroy of Italy.

Venice is for Eugene now,
and the quadriga too.

I shall crown my brother
Joseph, King of Naples,

Louis and my beloved
Hortense will rule Holland,

and I shall give
Westphalia to Jerome.

And there will be no more war,

because the whole of Europe will
be irrigated by my own blood.

- Hmm.

- You have something to say?

- I have nothing to say,

but certain royal
families may, unless--

- Unless nothing!

No one questions my decisions.

- But I'm not
questioning them, Sire,

I'm merely making a suggestion

which could serve to reassure
the European courts.

For instance, you could,
Your Majesty,

speaking hypothetically of course,

repudiate the Empress Josephine,

on the grounds that she has
yet to give you an heir,

and marry the Arch-Duchess
of Austria.

- Cast Josephine aside
for Marie-Louise?

- Yes.

- of this is your idea,
let me tell you

it's extraordinarily stupid.

- But Your Majesty,

I have the highest respect
for Empress Josephine.

But creating a bond
as strong as a marriage

with the House of Austria--

- Now l've made
war with Austria,

you want me to make love to her?

But to make love, Monsieur
Talleyrand, you have to love.

- Love? Sire, what's called
for here is making a child!

- With that fat, pink ham,

who no doubt speaks French
with a terrible accent?

- Your Majesty, the whole of Europe
finds Marie-Louise

extremely attractive,

and if you should require
some proof of that...

I'm certainly not insisting.

- France has already
had an Austrian woman.

Marie-Antoinette.

You can't build the future
on bad memories.

- It's me, Sire.
Eleanor Denial.

I'm sorry I'm so late.

- Don't worry.
I told Josephine I was working.

And your--

Your lateness has turned
my lie into a white lie.

I've had time to scribble
a few thoughts on that map.

- Really?

Where's Trafalgar?

- Trafalgar never existed.

Do you realize,
Mademoiselle Denial,

that you're looking
at a state secret?

And I could have you
arrested for that, my angel.

[giggles]

- You'd only be
punishing yourself.

Unless you came to make
love to me in my cell.

- It would be easier
to have privacy.

It's ironic.

They are pushing me
to repudiate my wife,

so I can fertilize an alliance.

And they would call me
a treacherous husband

if they caught me
caressing a little maid.

[Laughs]

- Not a little maid.

Lady-in-waiting and reader
to Your Imperial Majesty.

- Oh, sorry.

[Laughs]

[giggling]

- They're Josephine's.

- No.

[She laughs]

They're beautiful in your skin.

- Thank you.

- Tell me,
it doesn't bother you,

sitting at my wife's knee,
reading to her,

knowing that you will be coming
to my bed the same night?

- You would have had
a mistress anyway.

You enjoy love too much, Sire.

You enjoy it even more
when there's a risk involved.

- Hmm. You're sure?

[creaking]

- Josephine coming back
from the theatre.

- Why didn't she come in?

- Because
she's 20 years older than you,

and much too intelligent

to leave herself
open to comparisons.

You play dreadfully today.

- Would you rather
I let Mademoiselle Denial

take my place?

Oh. Perhaps she doesn't play chess.

She can't be good
at everything, can she?

- You should know better than me.

Because Eleanore Denuelle is one
of your ladies-in-waiting.

- Oh!

And one of your mistresses.

- Just gossip.

- She has a way of talking
about you that gives it away.

Not only is she your mistress,
she's in love with you.

- Ha!

Supposing that's true?

The only thing
that would matter to you

is wether I'm in love with her.

- Ah. Good question.

What's the answer?

She excites you,

but you don't love her.

Blah, blah, blah, yeah.

- You see, you have
nothing to fear.

Your turn.

- I'm not afraid
of Eleanore Denuelle.

No more than any
of these other little...

that you've taken to bed,

and you go on taking to bed.

The only thing I fear

is that you'll love
me less and less,

until the day comes
when you don't love me at all.

- That will never happen.

- Anything can happen, my friend.

Proof?

Check.

- Unless I sacrifice
my queen, in which case--

- Oh, I would be checkmated.

- Hmm.

- Let's start over.

This game isn't going
well for either of us.

- Very good sidewalk, Sire.
Very good.

Very good.

That horse was destined
for Your Majesty.

of the Queen of Prussia
could see you now

she would have to eat her words.

- What did the Queen
of Prussia say?

- That woman, Sire,
or rather that harpy,

has been telling anyone
who is willing to listen

that Little Monsieur Bonaparte,
those were her very words,

is just a monster from the bog.

- What do you think of her?
Attractive?

- Oh, no. No, Sire, no.

My God, she has a goitre.

- Good God, poor thing.

- Sire, that woman doesn't
deserve your pity.

She is a Valkyrie.

She rode across Berlin

at the head of
a regiment of dragoons

and swore she would lead
them all the way to Paris.

And added that swords
were unnecessary

for defeating the French.

Clubs would suffice.

- Ah. I am a monster,
leading a race of dogs.

I was quite right
to send you there

as our ambassador, Caulaincourt.

- Thank you, Sire.

- I'm starting to get an idea

of Prussia's intentions
toward France.

- What I find quite
extraordinary, Sire,

is the serenity with which
Your Majesty listens to my report.

- My serenity comes from the fact

that I have 150,000 men ready
to die for me, Caulaincourt,

with whom I can subjugate,
crush, or destroy anyone I like.

And not only can,

but will.

[horse neighing]

There goes your friend.

- My friend, Sire?
What do you mean?

- The Queen of Prussia.

Obviously not enjoying
war any longer.

Women are so fickle.

[Shouting]

What time is it?

- Nearly midday, Sire.

- Two hours from now,

Iena, which was only
the name of a small town,

will become the name
of a great victory.

- Since the battle in lena
was such a great victory,

what's keeping
the Emperor there?

I mean, you came back,
didn't you?

- I fear I'm not much use
on the battlefield, Madame.

- Battlefield?

The war goes on?

- Now that the Emperor
has defeated the Prussians,

he has decided to wipe
out the Russian army,

which he sees as a threat
to the peace of Europe,

so he has set out after
them through Poland.

- Poland?

I hear Polish women
are very beautiful.

- Hmm.

- The Emperor must be
far too busy to think of me,

but has he forgotten France?

- Hardly.

But perhaps his France exists
not only in his memories,

but in his dreams.

Every day he sends designs
for new monuments,

parks, halls, markets...

An exhibition
for manufactured goods,

and of course his preferred
creation, the Civil Code,

which will reform relations
between the French people,

with respect to daily life,
inheritances,

marriage contracts--

- Divorces?

- Yes. Divorces, too.

- Very well.

Since you seem to be saying

my husband won't be
back for Christmas,

I shall join him in Poland.

- I shouldn't think that would
be a terribly good idea, Madame.

And if you returned
from that journey

sadder than when you departed,

you'll have only
yourself to blame.

- The man I love is there.

- It takes two to love.

- What are you insinuating?

- insinuating, Madame?

Strange, isn't it?

People always accuse
me of wearing a mask

to conceal my thoughts.

And yet the one time
I'm completely candid,

you appear not
to have understood.

But then, perhaps it's
you who's wearing the mask.

No?

- This will bring her
to her senses. Read it.

- We must make this known.

- To her?
- No. To him.

As quickly as possible.

[bleating]

- Hurry up.

Sorry, Sire.

Push, push it!
Come on, push it harder!

- For God's sake, Caulaincourt!
You sound like a midwife.

- l've found you at last, Sire!

I've come from Paris
to give you this.

- Always terrible news with you.

What have you uncovered
this time?

Another conspiracy
to assassinate me?

Well...

Caulaincourt!
- Yes, Sire.

- Read it.

- Bonjour, Monsieur.

''The Minister of Police wishes to
inform Your Imperial Majesty

''that the 13th December 1806,
at 29 Rue de la Victoria--''

- Rue de la Victoria, it's perfect!

[Laughs]

- ''A young woman named Louise
Catherine Eleanore Denuelle

''gave birth to a child
of the masculine sex,

father unknown.''

- Come now, Caulaincourt!

Don't pretend to be more
stupid than you really are!

You don't understand?

Read that last line again.

- ''Gave birth to a child of the
masculine sex, father unknown.''

Father unknown means--

- The Emperor! Yes, Caulaincourt!

His Majesty has a child!

- A son, Caulaincourt.

I have a son!

- Sire, I am delighted
to be the first

to offer Your Majesty
my heartfelt congratulations.

- Thank you, Caulaincourt,
thank you. And thank you to Eleanore!

Marvellous, miraculous,
little Eleanore!

Thanks to whom I'm a father!

- Sire, Sire!

[cheering]

[cheering]

- If you'll allow me, Sire,
I will speed things up.

- I beg you, Monsieur, help me!
I must see the Emperor.

- That's impossible!
Absolutely impossible.

- Do you permit
one of your ruffians

to insult Countess
Marie Walewska, sir?

- Yes.

- Did you say Countess?

Sire!

Welcome, Sire.

A thousand times welcome.

Our Polish soil awaits
you to rise up and--

and--

- And what?

[giggles]

- I don't know anymore.

I prepared so many
things to say, but...

now that I see you,

I am lost for words.

- So am l, Mademoiselle.

So am l.

Which means we shall have
to see each other again,

once we have both
found the words we need.

Would you like that?

- Thank you, Monsieur.

- I'm sorry about that, sir, it's--

- What's her name?

- Oh, she's called, uh, Countess...

Countess... what did she say?

Oh, these Polish
names are impossible.

- I want to know.

Find out her name. And find her.

- Yes, of course, Sire.

[man:] His Excellency
Mr. Jerzy Torpovsky and Madame.

Count and Countess
Henrik Dabrovnik.

Baron and Baroness Slodorowski.

- Ah well, Sire.

I think Your Majesty
has met everyone in Poland

worthy of being
introduced to you.

- No, no. Someone is missing.

- No, I don't think so.

- Count and Countess
Anathase Walewski.

- There. No one's missing now.

When such an old man
marries such a young wife,

he should long
to cover her with jewels,

so she will forgive him.

I'll see if something
can be done about it.

- Sire, that's not what
I want from Your Majesty.

My country no longer exists.

Prussia, Austria and Russia
have dismembered it.

Return Poland to me.

[music]

- Leon, Sire.

- What?

- Your son. Mademoiselle
Denuelle has called him Leon.

- Half of Napoleon.

Which is what he is.

- Seven pounds at birth.

A big boy.

You know how efficient
your police are, Sire.

We know everything.

- Make him a Count, with
a yearly income of 25,000 francs.

Have you something to write with?

- It's not necessary.

I will remember, 25,000 francs
and the title of Count.

- I don't mean that.
A note for Countess Walewska.

''l see only you.

''l admire only you.

''l desire only you.

''And answer quickly,
to calm the ardour of...''

Don't bother to sign it.

She will know who wrote it.

Arrange for her to find it
the moment she arrives home.

Order my carriage.

- But the ball, Sire.

- What's the point?
Since she's not dancing.

- Will you dance with me, Madame?

- If you don't ask me
for anything in return.

- Madame.

May l, Count Walewski?

On second thought,

I do have something to ask you.

- Can you refrain, sir?

- Sire. Sire.

- Not now!

- She is here.
- Who? She?

- Countess Walewska.

- Here?
- Yes.

- Here?
- In your bedroom.

Was I wrong to convince
her to come here?

- Gently, Sire.

Come to me as a man,
not a conqueror.

- Why are you afraid, Madame?

- It's of no importance.
- Yes it is, for me.

Are you not here
of your own free will?

Monsieur de Caulaincourt
can be extremely persuasive,

but he would never
have forced you.

He's a Marquis.

- Other people have advised me

to use this opportunity
to perhaps...

move Your Majesty.

Prince Poniatowski.

Even my own husband.

All of Poland is throwing
me into your arms, Sire.

- Don't be afraid, Madame.
You're not yet in my arms.

The nearer I come to you,
the more you back away.

- My back is almost to the wall.

- And what are you afraid
will happen then?

- They say...

you have no compunction
about taking what you want.

- Nothing will happen against
your will, I promise you.

Goodbye, Countess.

- Sire.

Return Poland to us
as a sovereign country.

- ls that what you've
come to ask me?

To give Poland back her King?

I cannot commit myself.

The whole of Europe
wants to bleed me dry.

But I can promise this.

I swear that...

just as I will never
forget this moment,

I will never forget
what brought you here.

Give me a little time.

If I see that the Poles
are worthy of being a nation--

- Of course they are.

Look at me.

Judge them by me,
I am one of them.

- impetuous. Passionate.

Running toward me
like a mad thing,

at the risk of being
crushed by the crowd,

and then refusing
to see me again?

If Poland is anything like you,

she must be
a fantastic little country.

- What must we do
to make you love

this fantastic little country?

- Let yourself be loved.

[knocking on door]

[knocking]

[knocking]

- Good morning, Sire.
I hope you had a good night.

Unfortunately, I have received
some news that is not so good.

From Marshall Bernadotte.

His men are starving.

His horses have nothing to eat
but the bark from the trees.

His cannons are stuck
in the mud. It's--

- So he's retreating.

Let's not confuse things.

Send a dispatch writer
immediately to Bernadotte.

He must not try to resist.

On the contrary, he must
continue retreating,

in the way that drove
the Russians toward us.

Harness up my coach,
I'm leaving for the front.

Where are the Russians, exactly?

- Outside a town called Eylau.

- You're leaving?

- I will come back.

- ''l will come back''?

You must have said
that so many times.

- l've always come back.

- But not always
to the same address.

[both chuckle]

- Would you feel more
reassured if I married you?

- Don't be cruel.

We both know that cannot be.

You're already married,
and so am l.

The only thing
you can marry here is--

- Your cause. The Polish cause.

- That was not
in my mind last night.

Not for a moment.

Last night, you were my country.

- Fire!

- Left! Left, right, left!

[shouting]

[shouting]

- Those fellows
don't lack courage.

- Sire, our 14th line
has been wiped out.

Augerau is badly wounded.
He lost 5,000 men in 20 minutes.

- Any news of Marshall Ney?

- We don't know
where he is, Sire.

I've sent out scouts to meet
him, but none have come back.

- Check again.

- We must move from here.
While there's still time.

- Out of the question.

Are you going to let
those men devour us?

- Ya! Ya!

- If Ney and his men
are not here by ten o'clock tonight,

I shall have no
choice but to retreat.

Rocher and Pertier will
form the rear guard.

Let them know that
I'm counting on them

to stop the Russians
if they follow us.

- Very good, Sire.
But I wonder if--

- It is wise to wait
until ten o'clock tonight?

Is that what you
are too timid to say?

I haven't lost yet.

- Gentlemen!
The Emperor is watching us!

We have the honour
of showing him what we can do!

Swords out!

Charge!

[shouting]

- Will that do it?

- No.

But it's magnificent.

I haven't lost yet.

[shouting]

[horse neighing]

- Argh!

Sire! A Prussian column
has just attacked devout.

Prussians!

What are they doing here?

Didn't I teach them a lesson at
Jena? Where is Marshall Ney?

Still no news, sire.

Send the guard into combat.
Your guard, sire?

I know it's
the first time. Carry on.

Very good, sire.

Troops, bayonets!

Forward, march!

Cease fire! Grenadiers,
pick up arms!

Hold that fire!
Only with bayonets!

Sire, Marshall Ney
and his regiments

have made contact
with the enemy!

It always comes down
to a bit of luck in the end.

What's he writing?

Probably the report
of the battle,

as he wants it published
in Paris' newspapers.

The emperor takes charge
of everything around him.

Including the facts.

Is the separation
as difficult for you

as it is for me, my sweet Marie?

This sad village called Eylau

is haunted by the dead
and the wounded.

It's a victory...

With a taste of defeat.

Which is why, Marie, I take
refuge tonight thinking of you.

To let a bit of tenderness

exist in this world
of suffering and death.

This sad village called Eylau

is haunted by
the dead and wounded.

It's a victory,
with a taste of defeat.

Which is why, Marie, I take
refuge tonight thinking of you.

To let a bit of tenderness

exist in this world of
suffering and death.

See that, Caulaincourt?

The czar of all
the Russians in all his splendour.

Dazzling.

When one is defeated, sire,

one has the choice of
covering oneself with ashes,

or furbelows.

He has chosen furbelows.

As you must know,
sire, I am like you.

I despise the English
more than I can say.

In that case, sire,
we have made peace.

I've commissioned
this painting for you,

determined that you
should have a souvenir

of our discussion
in the middle of the Niemen.

When the emperor of France
and the czar of Russia met

to offer one another peace.

Do you really think France
has offered you peace?

I would say
she has imposed it on you.

Ha! The French have
such a gift for nuance.

It's more than a nuance, sire.

You know very well that if
you had not accepted my conditions,

I would have blown
your Austrian and Hungarian allies

off the face of the earth,

and laid waste
to your own empire.

And such cruel terminology.

I'm a conqueror, not a lyricist.

Well, it's of no consequence.

What matters is
that we have made peace.

An honourable peace
that will last.

Hmm, it will last as long
as we respect our agreements.

Everything to the east
of the Vistula is yours,

but everything
to the west is mine.

There's only one problem.

That annoying little river
runs through Poland.

And Poland can never be French.

She won't be Russian,
I can assure you of that.

No, there is only one solution.

An independent, sovereign Poland.

A Polish Poland, back
to back with holy Russia?

Yes.

They'd be a constant threat.
No. Poland stays as she is.

But she isn't anything.
Exactly.

I'll make you an offer:

Drop your idea of
resurrecting Poland,

and I shall persuade the English

to stop setting
Europe against you.

Interesting.

I hate the way the English
preach to the whole world.

If there's one nation that has
a right to preach, it is France.

The revolution was a great step
toward the freedom of mankind.

Including freedom
for Russia's 10 million serfs?

Sire, you can't reform everything.

Perhaps.

Not all at once.

I waited for
3 days and 3 nights.

And then it was over.

Nothing could be done?

What can be done for diphtheria?

My sweet little boy died

in a horrible tormented fear.

I loved your son, Hortense.

I loved him as much as
if it had been my own.

Your dear Charles Napol�on
was of my blood,

and he would have
succeeded me if...

It is not your heir who died.

It is my child.

You say you loved him.

So forget your reign for
a moment, and weep with me!

Weep? Him?

He has wallowed
in death for so long

that it stirs no feelings at all.

He knew the stench of corpses

before he even smelled a woman.

You're mean!

You're stupid, and...

Stop it, stop! Both of you!

I forbid you to use my dead
child to destroy each other!

She's right.

She's right, but what
you said was unfair.

You have no idea
what that war was like.

And the hell I've returned from.

Hell?

With a bit of paradise, too.

Everyone says
that your Polish wife,

yes, that's what
they call her here,

has the face of an angel.

Countess Walewska,
if you are referring to her,

is in no way my wife.

But there is nothing
to prevent it, is there?

No.

If you had the courage
to tell me what you want,

what sort of sacrifice
you expect from me.

Divorce?

Renouncement?

My suicide?

Well, Monsieur?

You told my footman the emperor
has sent you to see my...

My son, yes.

Sire!

It's you, finally!

May I?

Yes, of course.

I've never held such
a small child in my arms.

Hortense would never
let me carry her son.

She was afraid I would drop him.

This one is yours.

You can hold him
as much as you want.

He's...

He's quite handsome, isn't he?

Of course he's handsome.

People don't dare say
he looks like you, but...

What people?

I hope you don't show
him to everyone.

It is our secret.

I'll take him, sire.

It's not comfortable for you.

Also, he's not yet housebroken,
and I wouldn't want...

No, no.

I'll keep him with me for a bit.

He must get used to you.

Now that you're back,

you'll be able to come
visit us as often as...

No, this is our last
meeting, �l�onore.

But why? What have I done?

You have only been good for me.

You cannot imagine
how happy I was

to hear that you
had borne me a child.

Don't worry,

you will not want for anything.

I will look after both of you.

But from a distance.

From a distance?

Because you are the emperor,
and he is your bastard?

No. Don't call him that.

He is my son.

For me, he's my son.
So take him.

And forgive me.

Will you miss him, at least?

Pick up the bodies.

Look at this one.
Isn't that pretty?

Hmm?

Yes.

Oh, look.

Ah, it smells so good.

Look at those!

What? What happened!

Did you hurt yourself?

I have a confession to make.

Yes?

I slipped on purpose,

to see if you would
take me in your arms

like you did once upon a time.

It's good to be in your arms.

Mmm...

Thank you for
this little adventure.

Don't rejoice too quickly.

Those two Spanish fools

I'm forcing you to dine
with tonight are really...

I'm prepared for the worst.

It seems that the king is
a spineless jellyfish,

and the son a disgusting pig.

A pig and jellyfish.
What a menu!

Since you're so nice,

I'm going to tell you
some wonderful news.

No, let me guess.

Your dressmaker has run
out of ribbons and silk,

and you're going to make
do with the 6,000 dresses

you already own.

No, it's serious.

It concerns your succession.

Napol�on, you're going
to have an heir.

You're pregnant?

No, not me. Hortense.

Hortense is pregnant again.

And if it's going to be a boy,

they're going to call
him Louis-napol�on.

Doesn't it sound wonderful?

Louis-napol�on,
emperor of the French.

Possibly emperor.

Emperor as a last resort.

Emperor if I have
no direct descendants.

Direct descendants.
But you know that we can't.

It's you who can't, Jos�phine.

You're shivering.

It's getting cold.

I simply ask
that an expedition force

be allowed to pass through
Spain on its way to Portugal.

It's intolerable of Lisbon
to receive the English fleet,

although I ordered a blockade
on all the ports in Europe.

Sire, these devilish Portuguese.

They've always
had trading in their blood.

No. The English are unloading
regiments and cannons,

not merchandise.

So they can march
up to the Pyr�n�es

and threaten France
from the south!

Is the empress not hungry?

She's slightly unwell.

She doesn't know
what she's missing.

If you set me on
the throne of Spain, sire,

I will make it my sacred duty

to help your French army across.

What a pig you are!

Did you hear that, sire?

Stuffing himself with food
is not enough for my son.

He intends to gobble up
my kingdom!

That's enough!

Your family quarrels are pathetic

and unworthy of
the princes you claim to be!

Excuse me, sire.

A dispatch from Madrid.

Marshall Murat's headquarters,
dated the 2nd of may.

Our troops stationed in Madrid
have been attacked by rioters.

Many grenadiers have
had their throats cut.

The most cowardly fashion.

Murat had to order his men
to fire on the aggressors.

Madrid is a sea
of blood and flames.

Mmm! He is the king!

Madrid is his responsibility!

If there are rebels,
they must be his!

No, that's a lie!

Bandits he's rallied
to steal my throne!

That's enough!

The blood of my men
has been spilled, not yours.

Look at me, both of you!
I've made my decision.

King Charles,

you have until tomorrow
to sign your abdication.

You are only a puppet king.

The real power in Spain
lies with the inquisition.

I always said

you were not fit to reign!

Your father may not be
fit, prince Ferdinand.

But I'll never let you wear

the crown that I'm
removing from his head.

So get out now, both of you!
Get out of my sight!

Now!

You are a bloody maniac!

I don't want to
stay anymore here!

That's your fault.
Everything is your fault!

Ferdinand, you owe me respect!

I don't take
heed of your advice.

I told you several times
not to behave like that!

One day I will be
the king of Spain!

Are you sure about Spain?

It's not just
an army we'll be fighting.

We'll have to fight
the whole population.

Men, women, and even children.

Go to hell with them.

What I need is to find
someone to put on their throne.

I shall give it to Joseph.

Your brother's
already king of Naples.

Then we'll find
someone else for Naples.

Let me through!
Dispatch for the emperor!

You see,

it still breaks in the same place.

Men defy death for the right
to wear the L�gion d'honneur.

We owe them something
better than these trinkets!

Make a model and let me see it.

Leave us alone, gentlemen.

I beg your pardon, sire,

but a messenger from
Spain has just arrived,

with a confidential dispatch.

And you've read it, of course?

Uh, it's...

Well, sire, it seemed
very urgent, so...

You opened it, to save time.

And time is very
precious to me now, so...

Well, tell me.
What does it say?

Terrible news, sire.

Madrid has fallen.

General Dupont has
surrendered to the rebels,

with his 20,000 men,

all his cannons and flags.

Coward!

Has he no honour?
And my brother?

Well, sire, king Joseph,
well, he...

What? Tell me! What?

He has left Madrid.

Left Madrid?

Are you telling me
that my brother has run away?

Alas.

A Bonaparte fleeing from danger.

What cowardice.

What treachery!

Good god, Caulaincourt.
I've been so wrong!

I should have put Murat
on the throne of Spain.

Better an ambitious
man than a coward.

And the whole world will know.

They know, sire.
Everyone?

St. Petersburg is the only
place that doesn't know.

It's too far away
for the news to have travelled.

I will send Caulaincourt to Russia.

He must get there before
the czar finds out

what happened in Spain.

We must not give Alexander
the slightest reason

to doubt my strength!

We must make the czar
believe that I had foreseen it all,

and I want to discuss it with him.

If the south goes up in flames,

we must do all we can to prevent
the fire reaching the east.

I must not let myself
be torn in two!

Erfurt. Halfway between
France and Russia.

That's where
Caulaincourt must arrange

my meeting with the czar.

Since the emperor of Russia
claims he's our friend,

let him prove it by keeping
the Austrians and Prussians quiet

while my army is busy in Spain!

Don't worry, sire.

I'll draw up a most
excellent little treaty.

As for those Spanish barbarians,

I will send
Marshall Ney to Madrid

with orders to crush the rebellion!

Using which troops, sire?

The best we have,
our regiment from Germany.

But that could seriously weaken
our positions in the east!

I know, it is not
the wisest strategy.

But it would be
even more dangerous

to let all of Europe believe
that a gang of terrorists

can humiliate the French
army, and get away with it!

I don't trust Talleyrand, sire.
Forget him! He's asleep!

Yeah, but we never know

if anything
is genuine with him, sire.

But we can be
certain of one thing:

He had a long conversation
with Prince von Metternich.

What of it?
He's minister of foreign affairs.

It's perfectly normal for him
to talk to the Austrian ambassador.

I managed to overhear
what Metternich said to him.

I wrote it here. Look.

"I suppose you will be
at the meeting in erfurt.

"Many people think that you are
the only sensible man in France.

"So do not disappoint them,
my dear Talleyrand."

Just a few words.

But their meaning is clear, sire.

To not disappoint the czar,

Talleyrand would have
to disappoint you.

Talleyrand's reply
is what matters.

But he did not reply, sire.
He simply smiled.

You know that strange
little smile of his?

At last!

How wonderful to see him again!

Alexander!

You look well!

My dear friend,
may I present Monsieur Talleyrand.

Your humble servant.

I know him very well, sire.

And I'm certain that
his tact and moderation

will serve us well
in our little negotiations.

Negotiations?

Who said anything
about negotiations?

One negotiates when one doesn't
share the same point of view,

but we already agree about
everything, do we not?

Shall we ride to erfurt?
Together, just you and I?

I have some fine Russian horses.

Come!

I know how much you enjoy
breaking free of protocol.

Splendid!

Well, marquis?

How is this little
mission of ours going?

You've prepared the ground
successfully, I hope?

Well, I've been
preparing balls, concerts,

banquets, hunting parties,

firework displays.

The emperor wants
to dazzle the czar

with a display of his power.

His majesty says nothing
helps negotiations more,

especially with a man
as civilized as Alexander.

Yes, well,
the sovereign of Russia

may very well be civilized,
but his people are not.

In France, of course,
it's the other way round.

He does not like Italian music?

He prefers military music.

Military. Really.

Uh, the emperor
is rather tired, too.

Of the festivities?

I'm afraid.

They were his idea.
What can I say?

Like everything else.

Leave us.

They are playing with us,
Talleyrand.

We've been here an entire week,

and all we've done
is amuse ourselves.

Of you can call listening

to that Paganini
character amusement.

Alexander avoids
all mention of politics.

Can't he see I need him?

I think that's precisely
why he's being so evasive, sire.

I'm going to bring
him back to reality.

Finita la comedia.

How is that treaty
of yours coming along?

I've been meaning to show
it to you, your majesty.

Where does it say

that Russia must bring pressure
to bear on Austria and Prussia?

That's why we came here.

I didn't include it, sire,

because the czar
would never sign it.

He hasn't the slightest intention

of dissuading
the Austrians and Prussians

from mobilizing troops against us.

How do you know
what's on his mind?

I'm closer to Alexander
than you are.

He's like a brother to me now.

Cain was a brother to Abel, sire.

Wherever you look,
you see treason.

But you betray France's interest

by daring to propose
such a treaty!

It's meaningless rubbish,
and that's what I do with rubbish!

Very well, sire.
I'll review the matter.

No. No, I've lost
my faith in you.

From now on, I will deal
directly with the czar.

One on one.

Very well, sire.

I had it made especially
for you. Isn't it magnificent?

Splendid arm.

But if the Austrians are in fact
ready to mobilize 400,000 men,

this rifle won't
be enough to stop them.

Ha!

It's just for hunting rabbits on
the slopes of the Th�ringer Wald.

The countryside there is
breathtaking! Well, you'll see.

Now, I suggest that
we leave at dawn.

No, no, Alexander.

I shall be leaving for Paris.

But before I leave, I want to know.
Know what?

Of you intend to keep the promise
you made in Tilsit.

I'm a man of my word.

I knew you were a friend.

I have not forgotten

that you asked me
to mediate with England.

And I shall respect
that commitment.

What about Austria and Prussia?

I don't recall
anything about that.

You don't recall?
You, the czar of all the Russians,

you expect me to believe

that you've forgotten a promise

on which depends
the future of Europe?

No, Alexander, not to me.
Not that.

Not from you.

Let us say that I do remember,

but that I have reached
the same conclusion

as Monsieur de Talleyrand.
That to maintain peace in Europe,

there must be a balance of power.

Therefore, it is in
everyone's interest

to allow Austria to re-arm.

But forget Talleyrand!

And speak for yourself.

Will you or will
you not intervene

to send the Austrians
back to their barracks,

so I can finish my business
with Spain in peace?

I'm delighted that
your majesty is not as tired

as Monsieur de Caulaincourt
claimed yesterday.

Anger will not serve
you well with me.

Nearly cost me a new hat.

But I finally have my answer:
He will not help us.

Austria and Prussia
are going to attack.

That's extremely worrying, sire,

as a messenger just arrived
with news from Madrid.

General Junot was
forced to surrender.

Why do things always
go so badly in Spain?

Because you are not there, sire.

That's going to change.
I'm leaving for Madrid.

If napol�on was still
alive, we would know it.

He has never been
able to spend an hour

without sending dozens
of letters all over the place.

And for the last few days,

there has been only silence.

His letters might
have been intercepted.

The Spanish have been
known to slit the throats

of anyone in a French uniform.

And you, madame?
What do you think?

Like you, Monsieur Fouch�,
I fear the worst.

You know what's going to happen

if we let events overtake us?

The return of the monarchy?

I can well understand
why that unsettles you, Fouch�.

Louis XVIII might make you
pay dearly for your zeal

during the reign of terror.

You're quite wrong.

Any fears I may have
are for France.

Well...

We must prepare
the emperor's succession.

I am convinced that my husband

would easily win
the French people's approval.

I agree. What remains
to be seen, of course,

is what your husband
is going to think about this.

Murat will think what I think.

Ah.

All we need is you now,
Talleyrand,

to complete the party.

The conspiracy, you mean?

Or, in a word, the treason.

Treason?
Where do you see treason?

The emperor
has always designated

the son of Louis and
Hortense as his successor.

But the child isn't
even 6 months old!

Nevertheless,
making arrangements

to contradict the emperor's
wishes is called treason.

A somewhat delicate matter.

Who will reproach us
if napol�on does not return, hmm?

Jos�phine? Hmm!

Jos�phine doesn't count.

Of we let her keep Malmaison
and give her some money,

she'll be eating out of our hands.

That's a fascinating topic.

And what if
the emperor does come back?

That would be a miracle.

I would have a Te Deum sung
in the Notre-dame-de-Paris.

What an excellent
sister you are, madame.

The emperor may very well be
surrounded by enemies in Europe,

but in France he is surrounded
by his wonderful family.

So loving,

so united.

It's me!
Why are you hiding your face?

Does your conscience stop
you from looking at me?

My conscience? Why?

Because of what's
been happening here,

while I was in Spain!

What has been happening?

Do you take me
for a fool, jos�phine?

Do you take me for a fool?

You betrayed me with other men,

and now you just betray me!

Concealing what you know
is betrayal!

I don't know
what you're talking about.

I swear, I don't know
what you're talking about!

Maybe you didn't play
a part in the betrayal.

But I blame you
for not informing me!

A betrayal?

They're all in it.
Who betrayed you?

Fouch�, Talleyrand.
Even Murat!

Murat? But Murat and Caroline
don't even talk to me!

Caroline hates me!

And what about those two traitors?
Fouch� and Talleyrand?

But they are the same!

They despise me too much to get
me involved in their plots.

No one knew where you were,

what might have become of you.

They said the war was monstrous.

The wounded men who came home

had no words to describe
what they had seen.

Everyone believed
that you were dead.

And I was here alone,

waiting for them to come
and tell me that I was finished.

Waiting for them
to throw me out.

What will become
of me without you?

Who will I be without you?

Forgive me.

Forgive me.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Remain on your feet, Talleyrand.
Like the accused before his judge!

Accused?

Me?

My god, sire, accused of what?

Taking part in a coup d'etat,
based on the shameful pretext

that the Spanish expedition
was a disaster,

and there was no chance
of my returning alive.

As a matter of fact, sire,

I never doubted I would
see you again.

I took Burgos...

Madrid...

And I drove the English
out of the Spanish peninsula.

Hardly a disaster, Talleyrand.

Where I come from,
we call that a victory.

A precarious victory, sire.

Half your army is still in Spain,
enforcing a tentative peace.

The moment they leave...

I have no intention
of pulling them out.

And that's
precisely the problem.

There is a coalition
being formed against us,

including the Austrians,
possibly the Russians...

That's your fault.

You poisoned my relationship
with Vienna, the czar,

and everyone else.

And you pushed me
to intervene in Spain!

I advised action,
sire, not obstinacy.

Oh, you were right
and I was wrong?

I didn't say you were wrong.
Misguided, perhaps.

What was the price
of your betrayal?

What is the fee
for a man in your position?

Now you cast
aspersions on my honour?

Honour?

You?

You have no honour.
You're a scoundrel.

Sire, when a point
is exaggerated,

it becomes meaningless.

That's what you have
just become: Meaningless.

I invalidate your office
of grand Chamberlain,

and the 40,000 francs
that go with it.

Very well.

Of course, it's completely unjust,

but I will submit
to your majesty's will,

and I shall continue to be
a faithful servant of your majesty

until the day I die.

And Fouch�?

What about Fouch�?

Well, obviously I have
no wish to condemn anyone else,

but I do find it quite surprising

that after I have received
this type of treatment, Fouch� is...

If I had plans to punish Fouch�,

you've just made me
change my mind.

Talleyrand!

You are shit.

Shit in a silk stocking.

So?

It's a pity that
such a great man

should have such bad manners.

Why?

Did you find him very angry?

Fortunately, I was able to
convince him to forgive you.

It's quite all right,
you don't have to thank me.

You know you can
always count on me.

Why are we here?

He won't come.

Oh, yes.
My brother will come.

Giving thanks
to god for his bounty

is an excellent way of
making people believe

the Spanish campaign
wasn't such a disaster.

What the hell am I
going to say to him?

Nothing!

Smile. You're irresistible
when you smile.

Do you know why
your husband is here

instead of being locked up
in a fortress?

Because you're my sister.

What a triumph tonight.

You know that people didn't
applaud because they're worried!

Whose fault is that?

Even in my own family,
there are defeatists.

And worse.

I'd be lying if
I said she wasn't pretty.

Pretty, not exact.

Attractive.

Although there is a touch
of the farmyard about her.

Jos�phine, that young
woman is the countess...

Walewska, I know.

A pole might cover
her face with powder,

but the rowdy complexion
gives them away at the end.

Not to mention the hat.

Sire! From Marshall Berthier.

To Murat. My escort and
my carriage immediately.

Yes, sire.

Austrian troops
have crossed Linz. It's war.

We're leaving, gentlemen.

Sire!

I saw you leaving
before everyone.

I ran out, I thought,
we can take my carriage

and go to my house.
It's more discreet.

Too late, my angel.
I'm going to war.

I didn't ask for it,
but I must defend myself.

I will leave Paris before dawn.

But it's still early.
That leaves us a little time.

When you stop wanting me,

you can still remind me that you
have hundreds of things to do,

thousands of letters to write.

But only one Marie.

You! You haven't seen me.

Yes, sire.

Hold your ground!

Hold your ground!

Come on!

Bayonets!

Fire!

Argh!

Everyone will die!

Come on! Come on!

Fire!

Forward!

Argh!

It's nothing! Nothing!

Sire! The engineers
have rebuilt the bridge!

All the men and ammunition
to the left bank!

Move fast!
The battle isn't lost.

Ah!

Sire!

Take shelter, sire!

If you don't, your grenadiers
will stop fighting!

I will confront
the enemy at Wagram again.

There is a fine plain
there, very fine plain.

We will cross the Danube.

I am sure Wagram will be
the site of our victory!

Move aside!

Make way for the emperor!

Move aside!

Lannes!

No!

Lannes! Can you see me?

Step away, sire.
Do you recognize me?

We must amputate.

Amputate!
That is Marshall lannes!

Which is why
I'm cutting off his leg!

With anyone less, I'd put
a bullet through his head.

It's you?

I hoped you'd come.

I was waiting
to see you before I go.

Go?

Where do you think you're going
without any legs, you damn fool?

To hell.

That's where people go when
they've done what I've done.

The slaughter.

The horrors.

You will know
what hell is like, too.

When you end up alone,

after you've sent all
your friends to their death.

They will abandon you.

They can't go on, you know?

No one dares tell you this,

but I do.

I'm...

I'm here because of you...

And even though I'm dying,

it doesn't stop me
from loving you.

So stop this war.

Put an end to this madness.

Put an end to this madn...

Marbot?

The body of Marshall lannes
is to be embalmed.

His remains will be carried
back to Paris in a coach,

escorted by a platoon of honour.

I don't know those jewels.

You mean you don't
recognize them!

I used to wear them
when we got married.

Not so very long ago.
Thirteen years.

I only looked at your eyes then.

And now?

I'm afraid I have
to look at the future.

Which means?

I've just come through a battle

that showed me
how dangerous it is

when I can only send
half my forces into combat.

Wagram is a victory.

But I nearly lost
everything at Essling.

The war in the east could
start up again, any day now.

And what would happen
with half my army stuck in Spain?

Am I supposed
to know the answer?

You are the answer.

A part of the answer.

I need a long period
of peace in the east.

And our only chance for peace

is a marriage contract
between France and Austria.

You mean between you and
the arch-duchess Marie-Louise?

The prospect disgusts me.

But I must sacrifice everything to...

You don't need to justify yourself.

I knew this would
happen one day.

And she's young, isn't she?

She can give you
the child you always dream of.

The proper heir at last.

But all the same,
you certainly have changed.

After doing all you could

to destroy
the monarchies of Europe,

now you're going to bed a crown.

This is not about bedding,
jos�phine.

It's for reasons of state.

Don't cry, please.

It's not worthy of you.

It's not worthy of us.

I'm not crying.

Only little girls cry,

and I haven't been a little
girl in a long time.

Which is why you're
getting rid of me.

Because I'm an old woman.

You no longer love me, napol�on.

That's the truth of it.

The only truth.

You don't love me!

Stop play-acting!

Come on, get up!
Someone might come in.

Present arms!

Sire, his excellency
prince de Metternich,

the Austrian ambassador,
asks to be received.

I will receive him.

Good god, what's that?

A scarecrow, sire.

Dressed up in
an Austrian uniform?

If Marie-Louise sees that,

we'll have a diplomatic
incident on our hands.

Yes, of course.

It's been hard enough as it is
to persuade the emperor Francis

that we are ready to love
his Austrian daughter,

when it's barely 15 years

since Marie Antoinette
was guillotined.

Il momento Della verit�

that's right.

The paintings are signed
by Redout� and Dubois.

This is the reception room
for your ladies-in-waiting.

It's wonderful.

And over there, you have
your imperial bedroom.

Exquisite!

Their majesties will have
a rest for a little while.

I should warn your majesty, no.

No?

What do you mean, no?

No! Not before I'm your wife.

You are my wife!
I married you by proxy.

Our marriage
is meaningless for me

until it's been blessed by god.

Caulaincourt?

I need a man of god.
A man of god? You, sire?

Whatever for?

Uh, can you find one
or can't you?

Well... I ran into
an old cardinal.

Cardinal? She'll love it.

They are sending us a cardinal.

Yes, I heard.

Then, we shall wait until
his eminence arrives.

Oh! It won't be long.

Caulaincourt is very efficient,
like all the men who serve me.

Most of them were
mere nobodies before.

I seem to have a gift
for helping people raise themselves.

Well, I started off
rather highly placed.

Do you think you can
raise me even higher?

Yes.

I can raise you to happiness.

Ik liebe dik.

No.

No?

Ich liebe dich.

Ich liebe dich.

Push. Push, your majesty.

Doctor!

Oh, no, no. Not now.

Your mother willed this on her.

My mother?

Yes. I always suspected
she was a bit of a witch.

For god's sake, Corvisart!

There must be something
you can do!

Sire, we've done
everything in our power.

But the empress has been
in unbearable torment

for nearly 12 hours.

And she's getting weaker!

I'm obliged now to ask
you that we must choose...

Choose?

Mother or the child.

Her.

Have I understood rightly, sire?

You condemn the child?

My wife has the right to live.

Of course!

But, when tragic
circumstances demand it,

it's customary for sovereigns...

If the empress loses
this child, she'll have others.

She's young, she's so young.
And full of life.

Very well, sire.

It was a boy.

My wife?

Spent. But she will live.

Thank you, doctor.

You'll be fine now.

You'll be fine.

My god! He's alive!

Linen! Linen!

Sire!

Aide-de-camp!

Fire the Cannon, Monsieur!

One hundred and one shots, please,
to salute the birth of my son.

At your orders, sire.

The first thing I did, madame,

was send word asking you
to delay your visit,

because something extraordinary
has happened tonight.

I know.

I heard the Cannon.

I can still hear it, it's endless.

On hundred and one shots.

A son. Can you believe it?

Here's another son of yours.

Alexander, isn't it?

You wrote to me about him.

Charming child, so fair, so...

So Polish.

Never mind, sire.

I didn't come
to beg you as a mother,

but as a patriot.

Countess Walewska,
in the name of all her people.

You must listen to me, napol�on.

Even though your heart
is elsewhere tonight.

The Russian czar has
gathered over 300,000 men

on the border of
the grand duchy of Warsaw.

Although, as you may recall,

you guaranteed our integrity
in the name of France.

I'm aware of the situation.

I appoint ministers
to keep me informed.

Then you must have decided
what your answer will be

to this provocation.

Provocation?

Is that really the right word?

No, threat is more accurate.

For us poles, a deadly threat.

For you.

For the birth of your son.

Don't you want
to see what I've given you?

Well?

It's beautiful.

But it doesn't
answer my question.

I will not leave here until you...

Countess.

Sire, there's a huge crowd
out front of the palace.

The people are asking
for your majesty to show himself.

Sire, all these good
people are so happy!

You cannot refuse them
this extra joy, please.

Sire.

Would you choose between
Poland, who implores you,

and Russia, who defies you?

I'll let you know my answer.

War with Russia, for Poland.

Sheer folly.

I'm afraid you've chosen
the wrong day, madame.

He won't let us become Russian.

Madame...

This night
has changed the emperor.

He is now another man.

I know this man.

He will help us.

The emperor, your highness.
It's the emperor.

Oh, no!

Quick, give me
some water, quick! Here.

You should have let me know.

Don't touch me!
And don't look at me, I forbid you!

I am dirty, my hair is a mess,
I'm dressed like a peasant...

You could even
say a poor peasant.

You're up to your eyes in debts.

I've had to pay another
bunch of angry tradesmen.

I grant you a pension
of five million francs a year.

What do you do with
the money, jos�phine?

I spend it!
Anyway, it isn't your money!

No, it's the state's!

You bailed me out so many times,

you should be used to it by now.

But that's not why you
look so serious today.

What have you really
come to talk to me about?

War.

It seems inevitable.

The czar is threatening
Poland in an intolerable way.

Oh, our dear Walewska
has finally succeeded!

She couldn't have
you for a husband,

so she will have
you as her champion.

Oh, that's not enough
to push me into a war

that could be the most terrible
one the world has ever known.

And if I attack Russia,
it won't only be for Poland.

But Russian ports are still
welcoming English ships.

And I can't allow that.

Poland, Russia and England.
You're making me dizzy!

I'm so far from all of that now.

But who am I that you
should come for me to advise?

An intelligent,
perceptive woman.

Do you really think so?

If I didn't, I would be with
my marshals, not here with you.

Let me tempt you
with some hot chocolate.

I didn't think you
look any fatter!

Listen to me.

Listen to your old friend.

Do not go to Russia.

You're at the height
of your glory.

From Portugal to Poland,
almost all Europe is yours.

You rule over the destiny
of over 60 million men.

You have a wife you love,

who has given you the heir
you so longed for.

Precisely.

What if I can leave
him even more?

What if my son...

Becomes emperor of Europe
when he succeeds me?

Napol�on, be sensible.

Watching your son grow up

will give you more happiness
than an empire.

Do not go to Russia.

I have had dreams about you.

Bad dreams.

I'm creole, remember.

And where I come from,
we believe in such omens.

Do not go to Russia.

I thought this marriage was
supposed to guarantee peace.

I should have married
an English woman.

London is pushing the czar
to provoke me, I'm sure of it.

Your garden is looking
very beautiful.

Especially for April.

It's dead.

Nothing's moving.

How eerie.

There seems to be here
no one to defend Moscow.

The czar
has abandoned the city to us.

Makes me uneasy.

Let's go down there, gentlemen.

Search the place!

They can't
have left very long ago.

What if it's a trap?

You're right to be
suspicious, Murat,

but Russians are warriors,

not murderers who lie
and wait in the dark.

Funny sort of warriors.

They've been fleeing ahead
of us for three months!

We beat them
at Borodino, though.

I don't believe they are
retreating out of panic.

I suspect
it's for tactical reasons.

A tactic that gets them nowhere.

Other than abandoning
their towns to us, one after another.

How Europe will tremble

when they know
we've taken Moscow!

We haven't taken
Russia until we take the czar.

And the czar is in St. Petersburg.

Then, we'll go to St. Petersburg!

We'll load up all
the provisions we can find here,

food and ammunition,
and onwards!

We've looked everywhere, sire.

The place is full
of food supplies,

but there's not
a soul to be seen.

Very well.

Gentlemen. It's extremely
cold in the Kremlin.

Let's see if we can find
a way to warm it up a bit.

This is what the czar
of all the Russians sleeps in?

No wonder he refuses
to fight like a man.

Set up my camp bed and my
table here, beside this...

This cherry cake.

And I want to get rid of
these things as well.

Sire!

Sire, all the main buildings
have been stuffed with fuses,

firebrands and rags,

and soaked with sulphur and tar!

All it took was a few men

prepared to
sacrifice themselves,

and whoof!

All the fire pumps
have been sabotaged.

In two or three days' time, Moscow
will be a pile of ashes.

[blowing wind]

- Ah!

- Ah!

[grunts]

- It's us, Sire!

And it's you!
You're here at last.

[gurgling]

- Ah, gentlemen.

The King of Rome's first charge,

and as you see,
he's chosen to attack the heights

like I did in Austerlitz.

- Alas, Sire,
Austerlitz is far away.

The defeat of our armies--

- Not a defeat. A retreat.

- Certainly, Sire.

But thousands of our men
are still in Russia.

Without you there,
what can they do?

- I came back because
the affairs of France demanded it,

but I have Murat at the head
of our troops and I know him.

He will save all
that can be saved.

The men he brings home
will stay home forever.

As it is nearly Christmas,

I have decided to give a present
to all the French people,

and most of all
to you, my dearest.

The wars are over.

I declare peace to the world.

[gasping]

- Bravo, Sire! Bravo!

[soldier:] Company!

Present arms!

- This way, please.

The fact that the people of Paris

adore their beloved
Empress more each day

is a great joy for us all.

- That's not what
she says in her letters.

- No? Oh, her natural
discretion, I expect.

Your Excellency would
agree that it's tactless

for a woman to acknowledge
that she is irresistible.

- Humility is hardly
a prominent virtue

in a Princess
of the House of Austria.

Wouldn't you agree?

- Let us not forget
that the Empress Marie-Louise

has become completely French,

like most of Europe.

- Only France is French,
Monsieur de Caulaincourt.

The other countries
are French by force.

So it's temporary.

- Come now, Metternich!

[clicks heels]

No need for rituals.

The Austrian ambassador
is at home here.

But first of all, tell me
how dear old Francois is.

- His Majesty the Emperor
of Austria is very well.

And you, Sire?

- I couldn't be better,
ever since I declared

peace to the world.

- An admirable phrase, Sire.

- I'm glad you like it.
It's not just a phrase.

- In that case, Sire,

you are bound
to accept the conditions

that Emperor Francois
has asked me to relay to you.

- Conditions?
- Yes.

What we expect
in exchange for this peace

that France has asked for.

- Perhaps I have been
unclear, Metternich.

I'm not asking for peace,
I'm making it.

In fact, I'm imposing it.

- I'm afraid France
is in no position to impose

anything at all, Sire.

Everyone is aware
that you have lost

most of your troops in Russia.

- You dare order me
to give up my conquest?

And to restore
the old boundaries?

So hundreds of
thousands of Frenchmen

will have suffered and
died for nothing?

You're insane.
Your Emperor is insane!

- Your Majesty is free
to do as he pleases, of course.

- Oh, thank you so much.

- But if France
refuses to subscribe

to the conditions we propose...

Austria unfortunately
will be obliged

to declare war on France.

- Austria declare war on me?
On me?

It can't be.

Have you forgotten
whom l've married?

Come over here,
Let me show you something.

[cheering]

It only took me three months
to build up the Grand Army again.

This is one of my new regiments.

[cheering]

- Your new toy soldiers, you mean.

They are children, Sire.

- You're wrong to disparage them.

They are called the Marie-Louise,
named after my wife.

Because of her, my son
has Austrian blood in his veins,

so if your Emperor
declares me war,

he will be rising up against
his own daughter and grandson.

- Rest assured that Emperor
Francois has not forgotten

that he gave you his daughter
as Empress of France.

But he can and will act solely
in the interests of his people.

[cheering]

- It's not in Austria's
interests to attack France.

Prussia, Russia and England
are using you, and that's a fact.

I married Marie-Louise for peace,

and obviously l've been betrayed.
It is not surprising.

French people have
thought all along

that they were getting
another Marie Antoinette.

- I was told they had
come to love her.

- You were misinformed.

Nobody loves her.
No one except me.

Take this answer
back to your master:

of Austria dares
to declare war on me,

I will reduce Vienna to rubble.

I swear it.

- Then you are lost, Sire.

You are lost.

[crumpling paper]

[singing in German]

[man:] Fire!

Company, pull back!

[men shouting]

- So you're deserting!

- Sire, I know you
do not mean that.

Marshall Murat was
informing Your Majesty

that he's going to his kingdom
of Naples for reinforcements!

- His kingdom?
I made you king.

of I fall, you fall.

And I don't believe a word about
your damned reinforcements!

You have negotiated
your departure with the Austrians.

- What are you implying?

- I'm not implying,
I'm saying it to your face.

Murat, there is only one way,

just one, for you
to convince me of your loyalty.

Come back from
Naples with troops

who are ready to give
their lives for me.

- Sire,

I do have to take my leave.

This wound of mine--

- Your wound?

Yesterday, you said
it was a mere scratch.

I won't hold you back!

Well, gentlemen!

Any more candidates for desertion?

No one is indispensable
to me, you know!

- Sire, Sire. We love you.

Those who must go leave
with broken hearts.

For those who stay,
we only ask you

for one thing: the truth.

We have lost the war, haven't we?

- Lost the war? Because
the enemy has a few more troops?

I have my reserves, easily
enough for a counter-attack.

[murmuring]

What was that? General!
What did you say?

- He was saying, Sire,
a counter-attack is impossible.

We can barely hold on
to our positions as it is.

Perhaps an orderly retreat,
to defend France--

- France?

Fight on our own soil?

- France must be defended, Sire.

She is in mortal danger.

[chickens clucking]

- Go away!

I have nothing to give you.

I've got nothing
left but my hens!

And if you take them--

- You can keep your hens.

We need horses,
two or three will do.

- You've got horses!
They're right under your asses!

- We need farm horses

to pull our cannons
out of the mud.

And if you have any sons
to lend us a hand...

- I had two sons.

But that monster Napoleon
got them both killed!

I will make him suffer for it,

if I have to follow him to hell!

- Sire! We're wasting time.

- Sire?

He called you Sire?

You're...

- The monster.

- No! Leave her.

What were your sons called?

- The oldest was Gervais.

The little one, Clement.

He wasn't even 16.

- Gervais and Clement.

We cannot let them
die for nothing.

- They died for you.
But you're nothing!

You're less than that pile of dung!

- You have a right to refuse.

But if you lend us your horses,

to pull out
our cannons of the mud,

their shells
will avenge your boys.

- What's the use?

The enemy is all over France.

Everyone says we're finished.

- No, no.

We're never finished. Never!

All France is fighting
against the enemy.

Your sons gave their life
so this country might survive.

I'm giving my life for it.

And you cannot give up a horse?

- One of you come
to the stables with me.

[bell tolling]

[bell ringing]

[grunts]

- Madame, it's Joseph!

The Emperor's brother!

Open the door, please!

- You've had news
of His Majesty?

- Yes. Well, no.

It's all terribly confusing.

But you must leave
Paris right away.

- What?

- The enemy is
at the gates of the city.

All of them! The Russians,
the Austrians, the Prussians!

Please! Take the child and flee!

- Flee? of I leave,
the population will think

they have been abandoned!

And their despair
will cause more damage

than the enemy's cannons.

I swore to wait here
for Napoleon to return.

Otherwise, the Empire will be lost!

- Madame, it's an order
from the Emperor,

dated the 8th of February 1814.

''of the enemies
march in Paris

''with troops that
cannot be resisted--''

which is the present
situation, Madame--

''then send my wife and child away.

''l would rather know that my son
was drowned in the Seine

''than in the hands
of France's enemies.''

You recognize
His Majesty's writing?

- Yes, but not his mind.

Napoleon cannot want
his son's death.

- Only as a last resort,
if escape is impossible!

But it will be possible!

I've arranged everything
for your departure.

- What about him? Where's he?

At the head of his armies,
l suppose.

[scoffs]

- His armies.
What's left of them.

- Go! Find the little King of Rome.

Get him ready for a journey.

Where have you arranged
for me to go?

- To Blois,
on the banks of the Loire.

- Very well. But I warn you,
I shall not stay there.

I shall join the Emperor
wherever he is.

He cannot bear to be
parted from his son for long.

And you, Monsieur,
can I count on you

to assure the defence of Paris
till the bitter end?

- I hope you do not doubt
my courage, Madame.

[thunder clap]

- We need the horses.
It is very urgent...

- l've already told you,
I have none to give you.

- Please, Sire.
I don't want to force you.

[discussion continues
in distance]

- You can have them.

- OK. Thanks.

They have agreed
to give us fresh horses!

We can be in Paris
in an hour.

- They are not shouting
''Long live the Emperor.''

It's the first time.

- Well, Sire...

- General Beliard?
What are you doing here?

- Marshall Marmont's orders, Sire.

I have come to find
housing for the troops

who will evacuate the capital.

- Evacuate the capital?

Are you mad, General?

My brother Joseph is in charge
of the defence of Paris!

- He has signed the surrender,

and has given the order
to withdraw the troops.

- Even the army has given up.

But the people of Paris
have never let me down!

I will call them to take up arms,

and drive out the enemy.
The Battle of Paris!

- There will be
no Battle of Paris, Sire.

It's too late. It's over.

They've signed the surrender,

and Your Majesty
is honour-bound to respect it.

France has given her word, Sire.

[clock ticking]

- Even my bodyguard deserts me.

[door closing]

- Sire?

The Cossacks have entered Paris.

The people will agree to any
treason to protect the city.

They even applauded
the Allies' decree

demanding your abdication...

abdication, under these conditions.

[laughs]

- I don't need to read it

to know the conditions
are unacceptable.

- Unappealing, perhaps,
Sire, but unacceptable...

is a word that is no longer
in our vocabulary.

You have to leave France.

But they are granting you
sovereignty of the Isle of Elba.

It's off the coast of Italy.

- I know the place. It's a pebble.

Napoleon, king of a pebble.
Grotesque!

- Sire! There's a Polish lady who--

- Countess Walewska.

I gave everyone else so much,
and they all abandoned me.

And I refused her the one thing
she desired the most,

the sovereignty of
her beloved Poland,

and yet she has come.

- Shall I bring her in,
Your Majesty?

- Yes.

No!

No, I can't see her.

Tell her to go away.

of they hear I have received her,

they could use it as an excuse

to stop me seeing Marie-Louise
and my son again.

My conquerors are very petty,
Caulaincourt.

Marie will understand.

I'm sure she will.

I'm sure she will.

- What has been decreed for him?

- Exile.

- Forever?

- It's out of his hands, Madame.

But one can hardly imagine
the Emperor's agreeing

to be a phantom king for long.

They were allowing him

to assemble a royal court...
of sorts.

- Does that mean
I'd be able to visit him?

- Oh, yes.

Perhaps not right away, of course.

But...

Madame...

the Emperor, he...

he...

Madame, the Emperor loves y--

- He loves me.

Give this to the Emperor.

Explain that it's not because
I'm angry with him,

but because he might need it.

I know his enemies.
They are mine too.

They will strip him of everything,
introduce him to nothing.

- Madame.
[clicks heels]

[clock ticking]

[Napoleon:]
My sweet Marie-Louise.

I love you more
than anything in the world.

Know that my misfortunes
trouble me

only because
they make you suffer.

Kiss your son for me.

Farewell, dear Marie-Louise.

I am yours.

[Napoleon groaning]

- Your Majesty?

[coughing]

Your Majesty-- oh my God!

Your Majesty!

[groaning]

Help! Help!

Sire...

Go get Dr. Ivan! Rush!

[groaning]

- Sire? What's happening?

- Drink! He's poisoned himself.

- Sire?

Yes!

Sire! Sire!

Sire! Sire!

- These beans remind
me of Corsica.

So does the sun.

Many things here
remind me of Corsica.

It's not so bad here.

- We are so far away.

- Far from what?

Army tents in the mud, carriages
that people throw bombs at?

Men who have betrayed you?

Women who have been unfaithful?

Ah, Napoleon, judging
from what l've seen,

ruling over France brings
very little happiness.

- Ruling over this island
brings even less.

- Ruling? But you're not ruling here.

You're like a landowner,

what you would have been
in Corsica if you had stayed.

- It was my father
who wanted me to be a soldier.

He sent me to school in France,

without asking me
if I wanted to go.

- You would have left anyway.

Our island was too small for you.

You found even France too small,

you had to make it
bigger and bigger.

- Not to spread our borders,
but to spread our ideas!

Our love of liberty,
our audacity, our youth!

That's what I wanted to spread
throughout Europe.

- And Europe didn't want your gift.

Or maybe the colour
of the ribbon you tied

was too much the colour of blood.

- It was England
that didn't want it.

The English plotted everything,
right from the start.

of it had not been for them,

I would never have
fought with Spain.

The Czar would have
stayed my friend.

And Austria would not
have forgotten

that I was a part of the family.

I'm sure it's the English who
are stopping my wife and son

from coming to see me.

- What makes you think
she wants to come here?

Your wife's become Austrian again.

You've seen the last
of her and your son.

It's a beautiful day!

You should try to enjoy
yourself a little.

[lively music]

[applause]

[man laughing]

- That signora is not dancing!
Do your duty, Cambronne.

- But, Sire, she's
the fishmonger's wife.

- What of it? You're
the son of a wood merchant.

- Would you give me
the pleasure of this dance, madame?

[speaking in Latin]

That's Latin. It means:

''Napoleon is happy
wherever he is.''

My new motto.

- Sire, Cipriani has just
arrived from Genoa.

- At last, you're here!

No one suspected anything?

- I introduced myself
as your steward,

saying l'd come to buy goods
that can't be found on the island.

As soon as you talk
business with the Genoese,

they drop their guard.

I have good news
and bad news for you.

The good news is very good,
but the bad is worse than ever.

- Start with the bad news.

- The English don't believe

you've resigned yourself
to ending your days here.

The fact that the
Island of Elba

is only three or four days by sea
from the French coast

keeps them awake at night.

They are planning to send
you to another island.

- They cannot do that!

The Island of Elba
was assigned to me

by an international treaty,
signed by all the powers!

- The English don't care.

They plan to capture you

and smuggle you in
secret to St. Helena.

- St. Helena?

- It's in the middle of
the south Atlantic Ocean,

thousands of miles
from all inhabited land.

- What's the good news?

It had better be good,
to make up for that one.

- I think Your Majesty
will appreciate it.

According to my informers,

the situation in France
is turning very bad, very fast.

After welcoming the Russians
and Austrians as liberators,

the people can't
stand them anymore.

The Emperor was right
to want to gut them,

is what they're saying.

As for King Louis XVIll, opinion
is unanimous. They all hate him.

So many Parisians have thrown
away their royalist badges

that the main sewer is blocked up.

- What I wouldn't give to see it.

- What they wouldn't
give to see you, Sire.

They want you back,
with all their hearts.

- I have a brig and
a schooner at my disposal.

Small ships, but built for speed.

We might manage to slip
past the English fleet...

if the night is dark enough.

Come on.

inform General Bertrand
we have news.

Join me after
the ball, both of you.

[new song begins]

Will you give me
the honour of this dance?

You have been crying,
my little Fanny.

of Bertrand has been
unkind to you,

just tell me
and I will punish him.

I'll make you my mistress.

- I have been crying, Sire.

But my husband has nothing to do
with it. It's because of you.

- Me?

- Yes, Sire.

When I think of the grief
I am going to cause you.

I have received a letter from
France, from Caulaincourt.

He should have written
to Your Majesty directly,

instead of choosing me
as a messenger

to bear you such sad news.

- Nothing's happened
to my son or my wife?

Josephine?

- Sire, she's dead.

[echoing:] She's dead.

At first they thought
she had caught a chill,

but it was far worse than that.

Purulent pharyngitis.

Madame de Beauharnais
put up a very brave fight

for several days, but
the fever got the better of her.

Caulaincourt says
that her last words were:

Bonaparte.

[echoing:] Bonaparte.

Bonaparte.

Bonaparte.

Bonaparte.

- Sire.

Sire?

Sire?

- Cambronne!

Fetch the almanac.

I want to know the date
of the next lunar eclipse.

Gentlemen, I want the brig
L'Iconstant and the schooner

moored in a quiet bay
outside the port.

Have them repainted
to look like English ships.

- Yes, Sire.

- Row! Row!

Row! Row!

Men, haul her up!

Come on, men!

- Come on! Come on!

Sire! We live close by,

and my wife always has
a good fish soup on the fire.

I'd be honoured if you'd wait

for the rest of
your army at our house.

- That is my army.

- That's it?

That's all
the men you have

to drive out the King
and his bunch of scoundrels?

Listen, if you need
more help, take my sons!

They're only 9 and 10,

but I'm sure they could
still be useful!

- I have a blunderbuss
in my cabin!

I'll get it!

- You will not need a weapon!

I intend to reclaim my throne

without spilling a single
drop of French blood.

[all:] Long live the Emperor!

- Monsieur de Talleyrand-
Perigord, Prince de Benevent,

begs Your Majesty
to grant him an audience.

- Prince de Benevent,
and what else?

Kindly oblige me by renouncing
those preposterous titles

bestowed on you by the usurper.

What's that?

- A dispatch, Sire, from
the head of the telegram service,

and judging by
the state he was in,

it must be of
some importance.

-[laughing:]
In a state?

Was I in a state
during all those years

that the odious Bonaparte spent
loitering in this armchair?

I awaited my hour,
and my hour has come,

and this armchair is mine now.

It's exceedingly
uncomfortable, actually.

I shall have it upholstered.

Do you know what's
in this dispatch of yours?

- I do not, Sire.

- Bonaparte has
landed in Provence.

Take it to the Minister of War.
He will know what to do.

- Have you heard the rumour?

Napoleon
has escaped from Elba.

The English were fools
to leave him on an island!

A man like that should be
locked up in a fortress!

- One will need to catch him
before one locks him up.

- That won't be a problem
with a regiment!

I'm on my way to
the King right now

to offer to take charge of this.

I will bring that madman
back in an iron cage!

- Don't you think it
would be better

to bring him back
dead, on a cart?

- It would be wasteful.
Parisians adore sensations.

They would love seeing him
in a cage, gripping the bars

and roaring like
the bloodthirsty beast he is.

- I'm curious, Ney.

Why such hatred after
so much devotion?

- I could ask you
the same question.

- I only ever served him.

Changing masters is natural for
a servant. But you loved him.

People say one of the reasons

he tried to kill himself
in Fontainebleau

was because you'd deserted him.

- Nonsense! I was not
the only one to take my leave.

He lost almost everyone

who believed in him
and followed him.

- And what if he seduces
them once again?

- With what? Napoleon
is a wanted man now.

Alone and on the run,

with nothing but
the boots on his feet!

- Sire, I beg you.
Take cover behind your men!

Let me try to talk to them.

- With a gun in your hand?
Put it away, Cambronne.

- But, Sire!

Ah, shh--

- I beg your pardon?

- Nothing.

- I recognize their insignias.
It's the 5th of the Line.

And Ney is in command!

- Soldiers!

Prepare to fire!

[guns cocking]

- Soldiers! Lower arms!

Marshall Ney!

Soldiers of the 5th of the Line!

I am your Emperor.

- On my command,

fire!

Take the names of all
who refused to shoot!

They will be charged
with mutiny

in the face of
the enemy, and shot!

Men to replace the mutineers!

- Soldiers!

of any one of you wants
to kill his Emperor,

here I am.

[cheering]

- Well! You took your time, Ney.

You always used to be the first
to come for my orders.

Keep your sword, you fool.

How will you be able to defend
your Emperor without it?

[soldiers cheering]

- You're right, Sire!

Paris is still a good way off.

Officers and soldiers
of the 5th of the Line!

In force! Music at the head!

And tear up those rags,
for God's sake!

The tricolour or nothing!

[cheering]

- I asked you to come,
my dear architect,

because there are too
many things in here

that remind me of the usurper.
I cannot concentrate.

I would be grateful if
you would change the furniture,

hang new curtains,
and repaint the walls.

- Repaint the walls, Sire?

By the time they are dry--

- I have learned to be patient.

I waited many years
for my throne.

- Yes, of course, Sire.

But it is said that
Bonaparte has crossed Lyon.

- What of it?

How does that affect my paint?

[horses passing]

- It's him! It's him, it's Napoleon!

[cheering]

- Out.

Your Majesty.
[grunts]

Tomorrow, monsieur, tomorrow.

It is well past my bedtime.

- Your Majesty, Napoleon has
already reached Fontainebleau.

He's marching on Paris.

- So it's all over, is it?

All by himself, that man
has retaken France.

Who would have thought it?

- We must go, Your Majesty.

- But I would so
much rather go to bed.

- l've made all the arrangements
for Your Majesty's flight.

- Departure, Monsieur.
I'm not Louis XVI,

and I have no intention of
restaging that shabby drama

of the flight to Varennes!

Quickly, quickly!

My poor wretched feet.
I'm out of bed.

And on top of everything,
it's raining!

Oh! Oh!
Push! Push me!

Push me. Push me again.

- Wherever you may go, Sire,

I will join you.

- Say no more, Monsieur
de Talleyrand, I beg you.

[thunder clap]

- of the need arises.

[cheering]

- Do you hear that,
Caulaincourt?

I have never known
such enthusiasm.

Not even the day
after Austerlitz,

not even at
the coronation, gentlemen.

- While France exalts, Sire,

England mobilizes troops.

And they are not alone.

Austria, Prussia, and almost
certain, Russia too.

- You have a new coalition
against you, Sire.

- For what?

To put that old King
back on the throne?

- He's meaningless, Sire.

It's you they want
to catch and cage.

- Ney also said he
would put me in a cage!

And I had him eating
out of my hand.

And they will be all eating out
of my hand at the first victory.

- Victory? You mean war again?

- I have no choice.
They're always attacking me.

I've always wanted peace,
and they prevent me every time.

- Sire! Marshall Murat
wishes to see Your Majesty.

- Murat.

[door opening]

- Here I am, Sire.

- So I see.

What about the reinforcements

you were bringing back from Naples?

- That was almost a year ago!

- Yes.

Yes, almost exactly.

- It's been a bad year
for both of us, Sire.

But misfortune
has brought some good.

When I lost my crown
as King of Naples,

I became plain Murat again.

Marshall Murat.
Murat the cavalryman!

Whom you will need
for the war ahead of us.

- Need?

I think not.

Neither need nor want.

Thank you for offering
your services,

but it is one year too late.

- Do you feel as bitter as that?

- Bitter?

I gave you my sister,
I made you King,

and you betrayed me.

How should I feel, Murat?

How can you even look at me?

Ney will take your place
at the head of the cavalry.

[horses galloping]

[Napoleon:]
We will confront regiments

from Hanover and Brunswick,
Bavaria and Wurttemberg,

Hesse and the Piedmonts,

Holland, Belgium,
Prussia and Russia,

Austria and the English.

- 700,000 of them,
only 200,000 of us.

- 700,000 once
they have joined together.

We must attack
them separately,

and fight the Prussian
army under Blucher,

and the English army
under Wellington,

before they can
combine forces.

I hand the Prussians
over to you, Grouchy.

- Thank you, Sire.

- And the English to you, Ney.
- With pleasure, Sire.

[bagpipes playing]

- Attack!

- Has Ney lost his mind?

I didn't give the order yet!

Never, never charge infantry

before they've been broken up
by a round of shells!

- I heard him say he wanted
to earn his reputation

as the best cavalry
officer in the army

by leading a wonderful charge.

- A brilliant massacre!

Who could cost us the battle as well
as the future of France!

Send for Grouchy!

He will have finished
with the Prussians by now.

He must direct his movements
to fall on Wellington's left wing.

- Yes, Sire.

[cannon blasts]

- Marshall Grouchy,
do you hear the cannons?

- Yes, I'm not deaf!

- It is the Emperor.

He's engaging the English.
We must join him!

- My orders are
to pursue the Prussians,

so I'm pursuing the Prussians!

- How do you know
they're up ahead

and not spread around us?

- I do not answer to you,
General, only to the Emperor!

The Prussians are
over that hill,

and I'm preparing
a big surprise for them.

Go, ride!

[cannons blasting]

- Over there, Sire, over there!

That cloud of dust!

- An army on the march.

It's Grouchy bringing
us 30,000 more men.

Victory!

- Send out scouts immediately.

Make sure it's
Marshall Grouchy's army!

- What's gotten into all of you,

taking initiative without
waiting for my orders?

Do you doubt what
I see, Cambronne?

Of course it's Grouchy!

I called him back.
Where else could he be?

- Order rescinded, Sire?

- No, no, no. Send out
your scouts if it reassures you,

if you're all so afraid!

As soon as Grouchy arrives,

tell him I'm waiting for him
at the Sainte La Haye farm.

We will take it
from the English.

- Yes, Sire.

- Vive la France!

- Sire, this prisoner
has just been captured.

- I have no time now
to interrogate an English soldier.

Have someone else.

- He's not English, Sire.
He's Prussian.

- Prussian?

How can he be Prussian?
Where was he captured?

- This army approaching us,
it's not Grouchy.

It's the entire Prussian
army led by Blucher.

- The Prussian army still exists?

What is Grouchy doing?
What's happening?

Why don't people
do what I say?

Why can't I count on anyone?

- Sire, we are all doing our best.

- Yes, sorry.

I know you're all putting
your hearts into it.

Send in the guard!

- They are the last troops we have.

- I know!

I know.

[explosion]

- Over here, soldiers!

Come and see how a Marshall
of France meets his death!

[shouting]

[all shouting]

- French soldiers!

No one will ever
forget your courage,

but it's time
to lay down your arms!

- The hell it is!

Charge!

[men shouting]

[bagpipes playing]

- Form the square!

Protect the retreat!

We will block the road
to Charleroi to cover our retreat.

Our retreat.

[door opens and closes]

The blow l've been
dealt this time...

is mortal, Caulaincourt.

Mortal.

[thunder clap]

[crowd cheering]

[clock ticking]

- Those people who
are cheering you,

I hope you do not envision
calling them to arms, Sire.

A few hundred Parisians
who are still unaware

that Waterloo was
a complete disaster.

- I have done all I can to heal
the scars of the Revolution.

I will not reopen them
by provoking a civil war.

- Then let's get this over with.

The deputies have given you
one hour to sign your abdication.

of you fail to do so,
they will depose you publicly.

It will be painful for everyone.

- Silence!

I will not allow you
to dictate my conduct.

Nothing can force me
to yield to your deputies!

Yes, I say your deputies,

because I believe it was you
who turned them against me!

I don't care about them.
I challenge their vote!

- That would be difficult.

In fact, impossible.

- Then I shall
dissolve the chamber.

- The members have decreed

that anyone who attempts
to dissolve the chamber

will be considered a traitor.

- You are the traitor.

Stab me in the heart with this.

It would be more loyal
than anything you've done.

- Calm down.

Worse things can happen
than falling from power.

You have been through
this once before.

- But I rose again in triumph,

called back by the people.

- It only lasted 100 days.

Should that be called
rising again,

or just a last, desperate leap?

- Get out, Fouche.

- Your humble servant, Sire...

for the next 45 minutes.

At which time, I shall
have to ask you to leave.

- I should have had you hanged.

- A topic for your memoirs, Sire.

- Paris. June the 24th, 1815.

People of France,

I give myself up as a sacrifice

to the hatred
of France's enemies.

My political life is over.

I abdicate
and I proclaim my son

Emperor of the French,

under the name of Napoleon II.

My presence in Paris
could create disturbances,

so I thought
to take refuge here.

But Malmaison belongs to you,
and perhaps you don't want to--

- Oh, I welcome
you with open arms, Sire.

This is your home from now on.

So redecorate,
move things around--

- No, no.
I love this house as it is.

Just as your mother
wanted it to be.

And I shall stay only
a few days, anyway.

I have great plans.

- Please, Sire, I beg you.
Don't think of--

- No, don't worry.
I have no desire to reign again.

But I can't stand idleness!

I shall go to America
and start a new career.

Science, Hortense!

I shall be able
to devote myself to science.

It's what I have dreamed
about for so long.

I shall cross
the continent of America

from the north of Canada
to the south of the Land of Fire.

And this great journey
will keep me busy for years,

and will give me
the chance to study

all the psychical
phenomena of the planet.

I want history to remember me
as a great scientific mind,

and forget...

I was also an Emperor.

[sighs]

- Thank you.

[door opening]

Ah, pull up a stool, Cipriani,

and try some of this.

We will never find, mmm,

fish soup like this in America.

- We're not in America yet, Sire.

There's an English fleet
cruising off the coast

under orders
to inspect all vessels

sailing under the French flag.

- Hmm. I would have taken
the same precautions myself.

Very well.

We cannot escape by sea.
What about over land?

- Hmm. l've come from Rochefort.

The whole town is teeming
with troops sent by Louis XVIll.

- Anything would be better

than falling into
the hands of that fat pig.

- I have thought of a plan.

We can hide you in a barrel,

and load it on a small fishing
boat carrying salted cod.

The English will let it through.

And then we will join a ship
chartered by your brother Joseph.

I've spoken to some fishermen.

- Napoleon Bonaparte a stowaway?
I was crowned Emperor,

and will remain Emperor
until the end of my life.

Abdication or no
abdication, I am France,

and France doesn't flee
in a barrel of cod.

- But you can't just stay
here until they capture you!

- I could take the initiative,

and appeal
to our opponents' honour.

- Hand yourself over
to the English,

who fought you
with such hatred?

- My real crime in their eyes
was overthrowing tradition,

not conquering Europe.

I'm prepared to swear
that I will never again act,

in word or in deed,
against their damn monarchy.

I will even swear
to stay away from America.

What I want is...

a little house in
the countryside, near London.

A cottage, a garden...

and a few rose bushes.

How can they refuse?

It's probably the last important
decision I shall ever make.

And it may well be the wisest.

[fire crackling]

And you know
the rest, Miss Betsy.

When the English ship
I had boarded in trust

reached Plymouth Harbour,

the First Sea Lord informed me

that I was not
allowed to disembark,

scorning all laws of honour
and staining her flag forever.

England went back
on her word,

and turned me from
a guest into a prisoner,

under house arrest
on the Island of St. Helena.

- But St. Helena is better

than being locked up
in an English prison

or sent off to Russia!

- St. Helena is a prison.

Your presence is the only thing
that makes it bearable for me.

- Yes. We're really
good friends now.

When I think how scared of
you I was in the beginning!

But this is the last
time we'll see each other.

- Oh, this is another
one of your jokes.

Weren't you satisfied

burning my fingers
with candle wax the other day?

What a wicked little
English girl you are!

- We're going back to England.

My father has been
posted to London.

- At Hudson Lowe's request.

He's doing all he can to isolate me,

sending away everyone
I care for.

I know what he's doing.

Once there are no witnesses,
he will be free to carry out his...

evil deed.

- What evil deed?

[laughs]

The Governor is a goose!

He's too silly to be
as devilish as you think he is!

- He wants to kill me, Miss Betsy...

by poisoning me
in small doses.

I don't know how he's
doing it, but the fact is...

I'm growing weaker every day.

At night...

I have such pains in my stomach

that I have to bite my sheets...

to keep from screaming.

In London...

when you hear of my death...

remember what l've
told you today.

Remember everything l've told
you during these last three years,

when you were kind enough
to keep me company so often.

Will you be my message
in a bottle?

Tell them all that
they were wrong about me.

That I'm not a monster.

Ah, we can't have
you going away

with such a gloomy
impression of me.

And it's gloomy in here too,
so, Marchand, the lamp!

- No, l'll do it!
Let me give you some light.

I'm afraid it's all I can
give you as a parting gift.

Have you finished
dictating your memoirs?

- Almost.

- And what have you
said about me?

- Nothing.

- Because I'm not worth it?

Because you ruled the world
and I am just a stupid little girl?

- The Imperial Crown of France

will contribute
less to my legend

than the crown of thorns...

England forces me to wear now.

But you are not a thorn,

far from it.

So you have no place
in my legend.

But in my heart,
it's a different story.

Your parting gift is beautiful.

What can I give you?

Can you see any trinkets
you'd like take away with you

to remember me by?

- Just give me a lock of your hair.

[door slamming]

[drum playing]

- Do you think you could
see America, little general?

[footsteps approaching]

- ls that you, Marchand?

- Yes, Sire.

Is there anything I can
do for Your Majesty?

- No.

I'm very weary.

I shall try to sleep.

Tell me,

has it been raining
like that for long?

- Raining?

But Sire, it's very
fine weather today.

The sun is shining.

Your Majesty must
be dreaming.

[children's voices]

[rhythmic clacking]

[man:] Three, four!

Forward!

Push! Push!

[man continues
shouting in distance]

- Welcome to
the Royal Military Academy, Sire.

- This is my son, Napoleon.

- l'll take good care of him.
Don't worry, Sire.

You should leave now.

[rain falling on roof]

Everything here at
the Royal Military Academy of Brienne

works towards subjugating
character and suffocating pride.

The cell doors are locked at night.

In case of absolute necessity,
you have a bell.

Any misuse of it will
be severely punished.

[lock turning]

[groaning]

[coughing]

[thunder clap]

- It's all right, Sire.

You've just had a bad dream.

The storm will blow out to sea,
and it'll be sunny tomorrow.

[wheezing]

[thunder]

I've had some good news from
the Comte de Montholon.

Your dear mother is sending
you a new doctor from Italy...

and also a priest.

[thunder]

[sighs]

[man:] And in this type of
cannon, fire makes the charge.

The shaft of light
pierces at an angle

from back to front.

Here by the breach, gentlemen--

You, over there.

Are you not interested
in what I'm saying?

- I know that already.

- Who do you think you are
to answer me like that?

- I am a man.

[laughing and jeering]

- The mad dog has gone
back into his kennel.

I doubt that we'll
see him again.

[groaning]

- No.

It helps me sleep.

I would not
exchange my bed now

for all the thrones in the world.

[clock ticking]

[squeaking]

Not even the rats
are afraid of Napoleon.

[laughing and jeering]

[laughing]

[screaming]

- You call yourself a man?

All I see is a little boy
who cannot control himself.

You will not go far, little fellow.

You will not go far.

[groaning]

[gasps]

[inhales]

- Head...

army.

[sobbing]

[bell tolls]

[bell tolls]

[clock ticking]

- Forty-nine minutes past five.

[bell tolls]