The Emperor's New Clothes (2001) ( I vestiti nuovi dell'imperatore )

The Emperor's New Clothes (2001) (DVD) (*)

~~$34.99~~ $28.97

Original Title: I vestiti nuovi dell'imperatore
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital Stereo )
English ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
102 min + 19 min extras

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Behind the scenes
Cast/Crew Interview(s)
Featurette
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 2001 and produced in:
Germany ( Germany, Central Europe )
Italy ( Italy, Greece )
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )

Directed By:
Alan Taylor

Written By:
Simon Leys
Kevin Molony

Actors:
Ian Holm ..... Napoleon Bonaparte / Sergeant Eugene Lenormand
Iben Hjejle ..... Nicole 'Pumpkin' Truchaut
Tim McInnerny ..... Dr. Lambert
Tom Watson ..... Gerard
Nigel Terry ..... Montholon
Hugh Bonneville ..... Bertrand
Murray Melvin ..... Antommarchi
Eddie Marsan ..... Louis Marchand
Clive Russell ..... Sergeant Justin Bommel
Bob Mason ..... Captain Nicholls
Trevor Cooper ..... Leaud
Chris Langham ..... Maurice
Russell Dixon ..... Dr. Quinton
George Harris ..... Papa Nicholas
Niall O'Brien ..... Bosun
Hayley Carmichael ..... Adele Raffin
Philip McGough ..... English tourist
Tim Barlow ..... Bargee
Tony Vogel ..... British sergeant
Russell Tovey ..... Recruit
John McGlynn ..... Gendarme
Clive Mendus ..... Senior orderly
Ashley Artus ..... Junior orderly
Roger Frost ..... Bookseller
Tom Hunsinger ..... Customer
Matthew Sim ..... Ticket seller
Phil Hearne ..... Man
Moya Brady ..... Woman
Caterina Venturini ..... Barmaid
Stefano Gragnani ..... Bailiff
Hervé Ducroux ..... Brest contact
Giovanni Gianasso ..... Philippe
Francesco Guzzo ..... Sentry at garrison
Sergio Ballo ..... Lieutenant Truchaut
Piero Lorenzo Ferrero ..... Tailor

Synopsis:

Napoleon is in exile on St. Helena after the battle of Waterloo, and his followers smuggle a look-alike to the island, and smuggle Napoleon to a ship headed back to Europe. The plan is for the imposter to masquerade as Napoleon until the Emperor has time to reach Paris, and then for the imposter to declare his role as imposter, so that the real Napoleon can announce his return to Paris. The people of France will then flock to their leader and rise in glory under Napoleon once again.The trouble is, the imposter quickly warms to the role, privileges, and fine life of an exiled Emperor. He refuses to reveal his true identity, and when one of Napoleon's generals in exile with him tries to turn the imposter in, the imposter has the general sent away, as having lost his mind in the isolation of St. Helena. Meanwhile, the real Napoleon can't just stand in the square in Paris and announce his return, because the people all believe he is on St. Helena. Almost none of the citizenry has ever seen Napoleon up close, and in any case he's older and seedier looking now. In fact, we learn that whole groups of inhabitants of the Paris insane asylum walk around in Napoleon costumes, claiming to be the emperor! So the real Napoleon is stuck. And then the imposter dies on St. Helena. The death of Napoleon is announced to the world, and all hope of the real Napoleon being recognized as such disappears. Happily, in the meantime he has developed a wholesome common-law marriage with the widow of one of his soldiers of the Grand Army. Even she believes his claim to be Napoleon is an illusion of grandeur, but she sweetly tells him he can be "her Napoleon."The movie raised interesting questions of identity. Clearly we are who we are, at least partly because others agree that we are who we are.

On the remote Atlantic island of St. Helena, the residence in exile for the past six years of the great Napoleaon Bonaparte, that exile is about to end. A secret network of loyal Bonapartists is poised to return the Emperor to Paris while a double will play his part on the island. When the Emperor arrives in Paris, the double on St. Helena will reveal himself as an imposter, and Napoleon will reclaim his throne. Disguised as able-bodied seaman Eugene Lenormand, Napoleon sets off for Paris while his doppelganger, the real Eugene Lenormand, wakes up in his Emperor's bed. But things don't work out as planned. Napoleon's ship changes course and he misses a crucial link in his network of supporters. Arriving, eventually, in Paris, alone and friendless he meets a widowed melon seller and the two forge an unlikely but life changing relationship while Napoleon waits impatiently for his moment. When his return to glory is thwarted by an unexpected turn of events on St. Helena, Napoleon has to find another way to confirm his true identity while finally letting go of imperial dreams.

History tells us that Napolean Bonaparte died in exile on the desolate island of St. Helena in 1821. Or did he? A revisionist take on history, this tale proposes an alternative truth in which a secret network of loyalists hatch an ingenious plot: the Emperor will return to Paris, in order to reclaim his throne, while a look-alike takes his place in exile. Trading identities with a dissolute sailor, Napolean is spirited back to France to reclaim his throne. Yet early on in the scheme, the plan goes awry. The double refuses to give up playing Napolean, thereby leaving the former Emperor in Paris. Alone and penniless, Napoleon wanders through Paris unrecognized, trying to forge a new life as a commoner. Subsequently, he meets and falls for a beautiful widow.

This product was added to our catalog on Monday 07 September, 2009.

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