Napoléon (1927)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Abel Gance

Writer:

Abel Gance (written by)

Release Date:

17 February 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

Abel Gance's 1927 Masterpiece [reissue]

Plot:

A film about the French Field Marshal's youth and early military career.

Plot Keywords:

Military | Snowball Fight | French Revolution | Campaign | Corsica

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Albert Dieudonné	...	Napoléon Bonaparte
Vladimir Roudenko	...	Napoléon Bonaparte enfant
Edmond Van Daële	...	Maximilien Robespierre
Alexandre Koubitzky	...	Danton
Antonin Artaud	...	Marat
Abel Gance	...	Louis Saint-Just
Gina Manès	...	Joséphine de Beauharnais
Suzanne Bianchetti	...	Marie-Antoinette
Marguerite Gance	...	Charlotte Corday
Yvette Dieudonné	...	Élisa Bonaparte
Philippe Hériat	...	Antonio Salicetti
Pierre Batcheff	...	Le général Lazare Hoche
Eugénie Buffet	...	Laetizia Bonaparte
Acho Chakatouny	...	Pozzo di Borgo
Nicolas Koline	...	Tristan Fleuri
Max Maxudian	...	Barras (as Maxudian)
Annabella	...	Violine Fleuri et Désirée Clary
Henri Baudin	...	Santo-Ricci, le berger
Alexandre Bernard	...	Dugommier
Roger Blum	...	Talma
Daniel Buiret	...	Augustin Robespierre
Georges Cahuzac	...	Le vicomte de Beauharnais
Adrien Caillard	...	Thomas Gasparin
Pierre de Canolle	...	Le capitaine Auguste Marmont
Mlle. Carvalho	...	La voyante
Sylvio Cavicchia	...	Lucien Bonaparte
Léon Courtois	...	Le général Carteaux
Gilbert Dacheux	...	Le général du Teil
Damia	...	La Marseillaise
Pierre Danis	...	Colonel Muiron
W. Percy Day	...	Amiral Hood
Raoul De Ansorena	...	Capitaine Desaix
Boris Fastovich	...	L'Oeil-Vert
Faviere	...	Fouché
Serge Freddy-Karl	...	Marcellin Fleuri
Jean Gaudrey	...	Jean-Lambert Tallien
Simone Genevois	...	Pauline Bonaparte
Georges Hénin	...	Eugène de Beauharnais
Jean Henry	...	Sergent Andoche Junot
Henry Krauss	...	Moustache
Harry Krimer	...	Rouget de l'Isle
Georges Lampin	...	Joseph Bonaparte
Alexandre Mathillon	...	Le général Scherer (as Mathillon)
Genica Missirio	...	Le capitaine Joachim Murat
Francine Mussey	...	Lucille Desmoulins
Jeanne Pen	...	Hortense de Beauharnais
Roblin	...	Picot de Peccaduc
Jack Rye	...	Le général O'Hara
Louis Sance	...	Louis XVI
Maurice Schutz	...	Pasquale Paoli
Andrée Standart	...	Thérèse Tallien (as Andrée Standard)
Suzy Vernon	...	Madame Récamier (as Susie Vernon)
Petit Vidal	...	Philippeaux
Robert Vidalin	...	Camille Desmoulins
François Viguier	...	Couthon
Jean d'Yd	...	La Bussière
René Jeanne	...	Le professeur de Briancon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Francis
Lomon	...	Marie Jean Hérault de Séchelles
Médus
Florence Talma	...	Louise Gely
Raoul Villiers	...	Boissy d'Anglas / stabsofficer
Michel Zahar	...	Monk
Paul Amiot	...	Antoine Quentin Fouquier de Tinville dit Fouquier-Tinville (uncredited)
François Angely	...	General Henriot (uncredited)
Jean Arroy	...	Bit role (uncredited)
Armand Bernard	...	Jean-Jean (uncredited)
Camille Beuve	...	Giljotineraren (uncredited)
Albert Bras	...	(uncredited)
André Cerf	...	Bit role (uncredited)
Pierre Ferval	...	Monk (uncredited)
Jean Fleury	...	Carnot (uncredited)
Edmond T. Gréville	...	Monk (uncredited)
Joë Hamman	...	Bågskytt (uncredited)
Léon Larive	...	(uncredited)
Geo Leclercq	...	Dutheil (uncredited)
G.A. Martin	...	François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire (uncredited)
Grogoire Metchikoff	...	General Pierre François Charles Augereau (uncredited)
Jean Mitry	...	Bit role (uncredited)
Laurent Morléas	...	Stabsofficer (uncredited)
Marcel Pérès	...	Monk (uncredited)
Philippe Rolla	...	General André Masséna (uncredited)
Jean Wells	...	Bit role (uncredited)

Directed by
Abel Gance

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Abel Gance		written by

Produced by
Robert A. Harris	....	producer (1981 re-release)

Original Music by
Carmine Coppola		(1981)
Carl Davis		(1980)
Arthur Honegger

Cinematography by
Léonce-Henri Burel
Jules Kruger
Joseph-Louis Mundwiller		(as Jean-Paul Mundviller)
Nikolai Toporkoff

Film Editing by
Abel Gance

Casting by
Louis Osmont

Art Direction by
Alexandre Benois
Alexandre Lochakoff		(short period)

Costume Design by
Mme. Augris
Mme. Neminsky
Charmy Sauvageau

Makeup Department
Boris de Fast	....	makeup artist
Wladimir Kwanine	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Noë Bloch	....	production manager
Edouard De Bersaucourt	....	production manager
Robert A. Harris	....	production supervisor (1981 re-release)
Louis Osmont	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henri Andréani	....	assistant director
Jean Arroy	....	trainee assistant director
Pierre Danis	....	assistant director
Henry Krauss	....	assistant director
Anatole Litvak	....	assistant director
Jean Mitry	....	trainee assistant director
Mario Nalpas	....	assistant director
Sacher Purnal	....	trainee assistant director
Viktor Tourjansky	....	assistant director
Alexandre Volkoff	....	assistant director

Art Department
Georges Jacouty	....	art decorator (uncredited)
Eugène Lourié	....	art decorator (uncredited)
Vladimir Meingard	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Serge Piménoff	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Pierre Schild	....	art decorator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mike Berniker	....	recording director: Milan (1981 re-release)
Keith Klantwitter	....	sound engineer (1981 re-release) (as Keith Klawitter)
Brad Sherman	....	sound recordist (1981 re-release)

Special Effects by
Segundo de Chomón	....	special effects
Minime	....	special effects
Edward Scholl	....	special effects
Eugen Schüfftan	....	special effects
Nicolas Wilcké	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
W. Percy Day	....	matte painter
Eugen Schüfftan	....	visual effects supervisor
Nicolas Wilcké	....	miniature maker

Camera and Electrical Department
Albinet	....	gaffer
Paul Briquet	....	camera operator
Léonce-Henri Burel	....	additional photographer
Doublon	....	gaffer
Rusty Geller	....	assistant camera (1981 re-release)
Graza	....	gaffer
Roger Hubert	....	additional photographer
Georges Lucas	....	additional photographer
Jim McCoy	....	camera operator (1981 re-release)
Jean-Pierre Mundviller	....	additional photographer
Émile Pierre	....	additional photographer
Lee Planskoy	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jeanne Lanvin	....	costumes: Josephine

Editorial Department
Marguerite Beaugé	....	assistant editor
Henriette Pinson	....	associate editor

Music Department
Paul Bogaev	....	conductor (1981 re-release)
Carmine Coppola	....	conductor (1981 re-release)
Carmine Coppola	....	music arranger (1981 re-release)
Dennis James	....	musician: organ (1981 re-release)
Douglas M. Lackey	....	music editor (1981 re-release) (As Douglas Lackey)
Don MacDougall	....	music mixer (1981 re-release) (as Don Macdougal)
Colin Matthews	....	orchestrator: Carl Davis (uncredited)
David Matthews	....	orchestrator: Carl Davis (uncredited)
Christopher Palmer	....	orchestrator: Carl Davis (uncredited)
M. Szyfer	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Kevin Brownlow	....	restoration (1981 re-release)
Francis Ford Coppola	....	presenter (1981 re-release)
Simon Feldman	....	technical director
Constantin Geftman	....	production assistant
Grégoire Geftmann	....	production assistant
Edmond T. Gréville	....	production assistant
Hoden	....	production assistant
Leonid Komerovsky	....	production assistant
Georges Lampin	....	production assistant
Lemirt	....	armorer
Grogoire Metchikoff	....	production assistant
Henry Pauly	....	production assistant
Ivan Pavloff	....	production assistant
Andre Pironet	....	production assistant
P. Christopher Reyna	....	consultant: Polyvision alignment (1981 re-release) (as Christopher Reyna)
Rene Rufly	....	production assistant
Michel Scripnikoff	....	production assistant
Simone Surdieux	....	script supervisor
Peter Williamson	....	tinting supervisor (1981 re-release)

Production Companies

• Films Abel Gance
• Société générale des films

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1929) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema Services Ltd. (1981) (USA) (re-release)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Francisco Hoyos Griñón (1985) (Spain)
• Images Film Archive (1981) (USA) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Manga Films (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Zoetrope Studios

Other Companies

• Cinema Services Ltd.  optical negative (1981 re-release)
• General Music  music publishing
• Gomillion Studios  post-production facilities (1981 re-release)
• John E. Allen Inc.  optical negative (1981 re-release)
• Merle Norman's Classic Beauty Collection  music recorded at (1981 re-release)
• National Film Archive, The  financial assistance provided by (1981 re-release)
• The International Federation of Film Archives  produced with the cooperation of the members of (1981 re-release)
• The Milan Philharmonic Orchestra  music performed by (1981 re-release)
• The Title Works  credits photography (1981 re-release)
• Zoetrope Images  70 mm Triptych optical negative (1981 re-release)

Also Known As:

Abel Gance's Napoleon (USA)
Napoléon Bonaparte (France)
Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (France)
Napoleon (USA)
Napoleon (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Napoleón (Spain) [es]
Napoleon (Greece) [el]
Napoleon (Brazil) [pt]
Napoleone (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

Spain:222 min (DVD edition) | UK:330 min (2000 restoration) | USA:235 min (1981 restored version) | 313 min (20 fps) (cinémathèque française print)

Country:

France

Color:

Black and White | Black and White (tinted) (some sequences)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (1981 re-release) | Mono | Silent

Certification:

South Korea:All (2004) | Finland:K-12 (1966) | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | USA:G (1981 re-release)

Filming Locations:

Briançon, Hautes-Alpes, France

Company:

Films Abel Gance

Trivia:

Abel Gance remembered one scene that was removed by the censors, that of the civilian execution by soldiers. The camera is used like a bullet, zooming towards one human target, then another, then another. The sequence is lost, although a still photograph does survive.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Napoleon is appointed commander in chief in the Convention, the position of his arms changes between shots.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years at the Movies (1994) (TV)

Perhaps the greatest film ever made, but still being suppressed by legal battles...

I was lucky enough to see the very latest restoration of Napoleon by silent film expert Kevin Brownlow at the Royal Festival Hall in London earlier this month (December 2004). Carl Davis was there in person to conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a live performance of his own brilliant score. It was the most moving and overwhelming cinematic experience of my life and I doubt whether it can ever be bettered. The film is decades ahead of its time, the bravura editing and inspired direction reveal Gance as the true genius that he was.

However...

The very performance I attended was under legal threats from Coppola, who wished to ban its screening. Back in 1980-81, he and his Zoetrope Studio helped fund a restoration and he got his father to compose a score. He helped get the US audiences to recognise what a remarkable work of genius Napoleon really is, and all credit to him for trying to do so. This would all seem very well and good, but even in 1981 Coppola wasn't showing the best version of the restored film that he could have. He had cut it down from Brownlow's (then) latest version to fit the score his father had written. He also showed it at 24 fps instead of the intended (and more realistic - the movements are at a normal rate, not unnaturally sped-up) 20 fps. Throughout the 1980s, Brownlow and others in Europe kept finding better elements and more footage. Yet, Coppola's version was still being called "THE restoration" and not altered at all. Brownlow also found prints with more authentic editing, giving a much better idea of the order and number of cuts in many sequences (so many versions/reels of Napoleon have had inferior takes/editing put in by people other than Gance that it took time to discover the best and most authentic). It was becoming increasingly clear that Coppola's version was very much flawed and out-of-date with the new discoveries. In 2000, the latest and most complete version available (including the authentic tints, near-definitive editing in line with Gance's intentions, and the best print so far etc.) was screened in London. Carl Davis had altered and lengthened his magnificent score to match the latest version. Even after this showing in 2000, elements were still being improved to make the film as close as possible to Gance's intentions. The 2004 screening which I attended had a print that ran for nearly 5 and a half hours. Coppola's version runs for less than 4 hours and it hasn't been touched to include any improvements in print quality or more authentic tinting or editing.

The Coppola version of Napoleon, with a run time of 223 minutes (3 hours and 43 minutes) is out on DVD in Australia. I do not know when or even if it will come out on DVD in the US. Rest assured, it will NOT be the best version of this great film, or anything close to it. Coppola and Zoetrope sold rights to their version of the film to Universal in the 1980s and so now the issue of rights has become entangled with a major studio (Universal Studios, incidentally, destroyed all their silent film negatives in 1947 - a very (in)appropriate choice of distributor for a film whose failure and subsequent neglect was mainly due to a horrendous re-editing by studios (MGM) in 1927).

The Australian DVD, released by Universal, is filled with faults. Apart from inferior image quality (unlike the 2004 print, which was superb and scarcely a speck of dirt was visible any time during the whole 5 and a half hours), the final triptych sequence is horrendously cropped from 3.99:1 to 2.55:1 and isn't even adjusted for widescreen televisions. It's also exactly the same version from 1981 which, even back then, wasn't the best there was available. The music, admirable though it is, cannot compare to Davis' score (he has worked on many other silent film scores with great acclaim) - especially now that Davis has reworked the score for the latest version.

Coppola's efforts to suppress the latest restoration are a dreadful example of precisely the kind of money-driven censorship and selfishness that Napoleon has been dogged by for eighty years. Not just the 90+ minutes of extra footage, but the score and print quality itself, makes the latest print by the BFI/BFA/Brownlow indispensable. Anyone who claims to have rescued this film (as Coppola did in 1981, even though Brownlow had been working for decades before then, alongside Gance himself, to remaster the film) and yet tries to ban a closer version to the original film is monstrously hypocritical. As much as I welcome any hope of seeing Napoleon on DVD, I recoil at the thought of thousands of people being forced to watch a terribly flawed and inferior version of this masterpiece. Even as I type, there are rumours of even more lost footage from Napoleon being found in Denmark - with any luck this will lead to an even better restoration than the 2004 one.

This ongoing saga of restoration (and much credit is due to the person who seems to have the least legal rights out of the whole cast of those involved in the restored film: Kevin Brownlow) means that a DVD release of the Coppola version, with its many flaws, seems absurd and remarkably selfish and damaging. This film desperately needs to be released on DVD, but only in as close a form as possible to Gance's original masterpiece of 1927, seen by far too few people. That US rights-holders are trying to ban better versions with over 90 minutes extra in them is just another sad chapter in the story of this much-abused wonder of cinema. This is a magnificent film and deserves better than the shoddy and selfish treatment it has been given in America.