The Emperor's New Clothes (2001 film)
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Theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Alan Taylor |
| Produced by |
Uberto Pasolini Polly Leys James Wilson Marco Valerio Pugini |
| Screenplay by | Kevin Molony Alan Taylor Herbie Wave |
| Based on |
The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys |
| Music by | Rachel Portman |
| Cinematography | Alessio Gelsini Torresi |
| Edited by | Masahiro Hirakubo |
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Production
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| Distributed by |
FilmFour International (theatrical) Paramount Classics (USA) |
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Release date
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Running time
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107 minutes |
| Language | English |
The Emperor's New Clothes is a 2001 film that was adapted from Simon Leys's novel The Death of Napoleon. Directed by Alan Taylor, the film stars Ian Holm as Napoleon (his third performance as that person, after Napoleon and Love and Time Bandits) and Eugene Lenormand, a Napoleon look-alike, Iben Hjejle as Nicole 'Pumpkin' Truchaut and Tim McInnerny as Dr. Lambert. The plot re-invents the history surrounding Napoleon Bonaparte's exile to St. Helena following his defeat at Waterloo.
In 2002, it won the Audience Award for Best International Feature Film at the Florida Film Festival.
In 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte (Holm), after six years in exile on the isle of St. Helena, has a plan to escape. Switching places with lowly French deckhand Eugene Lenormand (Holm again), Napoleon will make his way to Paris, at which time Eugene will announce the switch, allowing Napoleon to reclaim his throne.
However, the plan quickly goes awry: the ship Napoleon is serving on abruptly changes its itinerary and docks in Belgium instead of France. Having to make his way to France by land (and gaining an appalling look at the tourist trap the Battlefield of Waterloo has become), he is finally met at the French border by a loyal agent, Sgt. Bommell (Clive Russell), formerly of the French Imperial Guard. Bommell gives him the name of another agent in Paris he can trust, Lt. Truchaut.
Arriving in Paris, Napoleon is surprised to find that Truchaut has recently died. Passing himself off as an old comrade of the Lieutenant, Napoleon accepts the hospitality of Truchaut's widow, Nicole, whom everyone calls "Pumpkin" (Hjejle), and makes the acquaintance of her other lodger, Dr. Lambert (McInnerny) and her adopted young son, Gerard.
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