Napoleon (2023): Can We Fix It?

Today on Little Wars TV, Greg puts on his screenwriting hat and rewrites Ridley Scott’s 2023 movie, Napoleon. Can a new version of the script explore a more focused, compelling story? Is there another woman in Napoleon’s life who offers a stronger character arc than Josephine?

Before rewriting the script, Greg explores the reasons why the original 2023 movie does not work. Then, he maps out a 3-act story with new main and supporting characters. You can be the judge! What did you think of David Scarpa’s script? How does this new story stack up? Can Napoleon's life story even be told in a single film...even a 4 hour director's cut? And would you be excited for a Spielberg-produced HBO miniseries in the future?

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[patavinity]

I think the only way to make a good feature-length film about Napoleon is to choose a particular episode of his life and focus on that. You can't cram in any more than that and also make a good historical film. It doesn't work.

[trajanthegreat]

"You think you're so great because you have knowledge of History!"
- Ridley Scott probably

[milesreidy]

one positive of Ridley Scott's approach to historical accuracy is that, in comparison, he has managed to make Mel Gibson appear as a peer-reviewed history don at Oxford. A statement I never expected to be able to make.

[lordbruno]

I wish we got a Game of Thrones style show for the Napoleonic Wars. It would feature the politics, diplomacy and intrigue paired with epic set pieces covering the conflict over many seasons, I think it'd be brilliant if done well.

[OldOneTooth]

Since the movie seemed to tell the story through the eyes of a salacious British tabloid, what I think it needed was a British newspaper writer as a narrator to tie it together going to the headline along with a cartoon which dissolves into the scene, this makes clear the fiction, the story tracking the writer and the British publics relationship with napoleon with political patrons sharing information and expectations of the spin they want put on it to control the public, showcasing the patrons fears which guide how the public represented by two readers must be manipulated to avoid the fears by changing their perceptions.

[chappyhall]

Not only was this a really interesting and compelling video essay, it was also really high quality. Props to everyone who worked on it!

[Joggi]

"You think you're so great because you have boats!" was the single greatest movie moment I witnessed in 2023. How dare you slander such perfection!

[felixmurat]

I sometimes wonder what a 3 movie trilogy covering Napoleon's 1814 campaign would look like.

[brettpierotte]

This reminds me of discussions I had with some of my fellow history teachers regarding Steven Spielberg's movie Lincoln starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role. This was a biopic that really only focused on the last 4 months of Lincoln's life and his efforts to win ratification of the 13th Amendment and end the Civil War. One of my colleagues was disappointed that the film didn't cover more of Lincoln's life and political career. I argued, as Greg does here regarding Napoleon, that moviegoers actually got a deeper understanding of Lincoln's political genius and moral character by narrowing the focus onto one particular dramatic event from his presidency rather than trying to tell his entire life story. It's the old maxim: when you try to cover everything, you wind up understanding nothing.

[sdporres]

This video makes me so terribly sad. I want to watch this movie (your version, I mean) so badly.

Someone give Greg 200 million dollars please.

[MB-ocnw]

It's hard to believe the man who made Napoleon is the same man who made The Duelists

[SobotRex]

Greg, please continue to produce these fantastic looks at historical movies. It’s really some of the best content on this channel. You’ve got a real talent for this.

[StatsScott]

Fascinating proposition. I think you did a great job staying within the ‘notes’/structure restrictions the Director would have imposed yet still came up with a very interesting but much more focused and achievable film.

[matheusjanczkowski]

The death of Prince Poniatowski is a great idea to show the international nature of the Grande Armé and to show the disastrous retreat off Leipzig. However, to give the impression of personal loss to Napoleon, I believe that the death of Marshall Bessières is more appropriate, because it shows how he died needlessly carrying out reconnaissance himself due to the lack of cavalry; while his death was blow to Napoleon, due to their connection.
In my opinion, both tragedies could be featured, since both occurred during the battle of Leipzig or close to it.

[chrismoraal]

Well summarized Greg! The limitations are realistic and your revision is exactly the type of movie I would love to see brought to screen. The revisions make a ton of sense for portraying the best and worst of Napoleon. And since we already have a Waterloo movie it makes sense to focus on this portion of his life. I only hope that Scarpa doesn't make Cleopatra a disaster as well.

[davidbenedict]

Just finished watching the video. I initially subbed because I loved the 1813 wargaming campaign. When I saw this, I was instantly intrigued by the concept, and after finishing, I really enjoyed the video.

[rechnin]

I love the opening scene to the old Waterloo film, "Abdicated, abdicated, I will not!"

[Gecko....]

I still mourn for Kubrick's Napoleon. The dude spent years collecting and collating every single piece of literature and information he could find on Napoleon. It would have been a masterpiece I think, we got Barry Lyndon which was brilliant but still...

[AlecFlackie]

Fascinated by your rewrite. As you say. there is no other individual in history (and I include religious figures and roman emperors) whose life could not be summarised easily in celluloid. Even Abel Gance's five (or is it seven) hour attempt only goes as far as 1796! Probably one of the most comprehensive production so far.

[Anvilarm]

Greg, this was a fantastic video, and a great idea for a movie. The $250 millions you need to make it is in the mail. You will need a 60-second opening montage during the opening credits to get Napoleon to Russia - just flashes - and I would change your ending very slightly to him coming inside as the rain starts and examining a map so the camera can slowly pan in on the village of Waterloo. No dialogue would be needed at that ending beyond what you've written. Oh, we might have to change the title to "Napoleon and Ney." (And we have to keep Vanessa Kirby recast as Louisa. But you can dump Phoenix for someone else.)