Napoleon

This epic historical bio-pic, filmed in 1925, was planned as one of several portraying the life of French war hero Napoleon Bonaparte. This instalment, the only one made, traces the story of Napoleon’s school days, his flight from Corsica, through the French Revolution and the Terror, his romance with Josephine, culminating in his triumphant invasion of Italy in 1797. Gance’s initial version (reputedly five hours plus) was severely edited and numerous versions were released over the years, none of which were attuned to Gance’s vision; this version, a painstaking restoration, comes closest. What has excited film buffs about this film is Gance’s revolutionary use of film techniques - colour tinting, swish pans, handheld shots, lengthy double exposures, and split screens culminating in a twenty-minute triptych sequence, which alternates widescreen panoramas with complex multiple-image montages projected simultaneously on three screens. The film, which is overwhelmingly patriotic, has grandeur worthy of D.W. Griffith; the cast are in the thousands and the set pieces are enormous; the panoramic shots, in particular those projected by three separate reels are stunning. However the score, by Francis Ford Coppola’s father Carmine, is militaristic and fairly insipid, and may grate on some viewers. With English intertitles.