universally
not venerated or liked
nothing new in this
Adapted from the line, “This is not the way that Napoleon is seen in France. For most French people, whether they like it or not, Napoleon is a component part of their past and who they are now. This is not to say that he is universally venerated. There is nothing new in this.”, in the review, “Obsession, jealousies and Joséphine: has Ridley Scott’s new film captured the real Napoleon?” by Andrew Hussy in the Guardian.
Mr. Hussey takes in the vast catalogue of films made about Napoleon saying, “Napoleon Bonaparte is probably the most famous Frenchman of all time and is, according to academic sources, second only to Jesus as the most filmed figure in cinema history.”
Mr. Hussey writes, “
There are other difficulties in portraying Napoleon for an English-speaking audience. Most notably, in the English-speaking world, the prevailing view of Napoleon has been as a villainous caricature; he is either a jumped-up foreign baddie bent on invading Britain, or more sinisterly, a murderous war-mongering tyrant, a prototype for Adolf Hitler.
This is not the way that Napoleon is seen in France. For most French people, whether they like it or not, Napoleon is a component part of their past and who they are now. This is not to say that he is universally venerated. There is nothing new in this.”
And the review pivots from a review on Ridley Scott to the overall image and perception of Mr. Bonaparte today.
If anyone wants to draw historical allusions to anyone in the current news cycle, that is not for me.
Mr. Hussey does write, “… the true conflict lies in 21st century France – between those who still believe in the universal values of the Republic and those who argue that they are out of date and no longer suitable for a modern, multicultural country.”
While the French Revolution authored Liberté, égalité, fraternité, or ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’.
It was Mr. Bonaparte who adapted it to liberté, ordre public or Liberty and .. Public Order.
But I digress.
I want to focus on the headline.
Has Ridley Scott’s new film captured the real Napoleon?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Already from just the previews I know that Mr. Scott had taken artist license with some of the scenes (see the battle on the ice.)
But who is there to answer the question?
Has Ridley Scott’s new film captured the real Napoleon?
I am reminded of the movie, “Sunrise at Campobello”.
A movie from the play of the same name that told the story of Franklin Roosevelt and the onset of polio that changed his life.
The movie came out when a lot of people, FDR’s wife, Eleanor Roosevelt was still alive.
Mrs. Roosevelt was portrayed by Greer Garson.
Mrs. Roosevelt was asked for her impressions of the movie.
As I remember it and that’s good enough for me, she said that she found the movie interesting and enjoyed the characters in the movie.
She did wonder who they were though as they, “Certainly weren’t the Roosevelt’s.”
No Haiku For You 