Project Detail

Monsieur N

Synopsis

Heathcote, a young English officer, arrives on the Island where Napoleon is being held prisoner. His mission is to keep a close watch on his military idol. Lowe, the new Governor of the island, has just arrived too and rules the island like a prison. Napoleon's valet and childhood friend, Cipriani, waits on this little world. The microcosm of the French court stands united in continuing to treat Napoleon with the utmost respect.

An escape plot is hatched by an American Pirate and the former Grande Armee general. They plan to carry the Emperor away from Saint Helena on board the mythical Flying Dutchman and it becomes increasingly clear to Heathcote that Napoleon has a plan. Heathcote remembers the day when he lost Napoleon who galloped off across Deadwood Plain. He now realises that this allowed Napoleon to calculate the time needed to reach the coast. Everything for the escape goes as planned but, at the last minute, Napoleon seems to change his mind. Napoleon's rescuers are killed in the course of a bloody battle.

We see Napoleon on his deathbed clearly finding some comfort in the priest at his side. In front of Napoleon's coffin, Heathcote gathers together the threads of the story and realises that Napoleon's only chance of leaving the island was to stop being the Emperor. Cipriani laid down his life so that Napoleon could live an ordinary life at last. Heathcote likes to think that this return to a simple and anonymous life is the finest proof of Napoleon's tactical genius.

Details

Year: 2004
Type of project: Features
Running time: 130 mins
Format: 35mm
Director: Antoine de Caunes
Producer: Marie Castille, Meution Schaar
Editor: Joele van Effenterre
Screenwriter: Rene Manzor
Director of Photography: Piere Aim
Sound: Dominique Eicher
Composer: Stephen Eicher
Principal cast: Jay Rodan, Phillipe Torreton

Genre

Drama

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

Scion Films

18 Soho Square
London W1D 3QL
UK

T +44 (0)20 7025 8445

info@scionfilms.com

Visit Website

www.scionfilms.com

Sales Company

Studio Canal

Service Technique
74 Bis rue Lauriston
75116 Paris, France

T +33 1 44 34 21 33

www.monsieur-n-lefilm.com

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