The 20 best on-screen Napoleons
The famed French general continues to fascinate both actors and audiences. Here are the best—and some so-bad-they're-good—depictions of Napoleon on film and TV
Film Features War and Peace
Napoleon Bonaparte died on May 21, 1821, but the iconic French emperor has lived on (and on and on) in numerous movies and television shows. Esteemed director Ridley Scott, who dipped his l’orteils in the water with 1977’s Napoleonic War drama The Duellists, dives in fully with this week’s big-budget release, Napoleon, which stars Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character. Which got us thinking about the many previous productions that put the spotlight on the famed—and infamous—general and the scores of actors who portrayed him. (Indeed, Napoleon remains such a powerful, even mythical figure, that one of his black felt hats just sold at auction for $2.1 million.) Keep in mind, we’re not trying to be completists here, so don’t grab the pitchforks because we left out installments of, say, Doctor Who and Bewitched or Omnibus. Without further adieu then, and in no particular order, here are 20 of the best (and some so-bad-they’re-good) Napoleons from movies and television shows.
8 Comments
You forgot Jon Heder.
You forget Blackadder, with Simon Russell Beale as the Big N.
“No, *you* must be Don Francisco’s sister.”Love and Death would be my one “if the artist is awful, you get to save one piece of their work” for Woody Allen, who despite having better films, definitely doesn’t have one that makes me laugh so frequently. The verbal slapstick of the interaction between Allen, Keaton, and Tolkan upon their characters’ introductions is hilarious.
Jack of All Trades or GTFO.
Vern Troyer is not perhaps my #1 Napoleon, but I would include him on the list
II have never seen Waterloo, but Welles as Louis XVIII is genius casting!
Napoleon isn’t just “the short dude from [Bill and Ted’s] history review.” He’s “the short, dead dude from [their] history review.”