All language subtitles for Napoleon S01E01 Napoleon Part 1 1080p AMZN WEB-DL DD+2 0 H 264-playWEB_track4_[eng]

(dramatic theme music)

(knocking on door)

Open up, this is the
governor, Hudson Lowe.

Well, knock again, for God's sake!

(knocking on door)

Open up!

(knocking on door)

I order you to open the
door, General Bonaparte!

He won't open if you
call him General, sir.

He insists on being called by his title.

Title, Emperor?

Majesty, poppycock!

He's Bony the Ogre, and always will be.

- Knock again!
- Yes, sir.

(knocking on door)

Sire, should I?

If you won't come
out, I'm going to revoke

all your privileges!

I'll cut off your wine supply!

Damn it, Napoleon, open the door at once!

(Napoleon chuckling)

What are these shutters doing here?

They're specifically forbidden!

You are under 24-hour watch!

Well, if you want to imprison
yourself in this house,

it's perfectly fine with me.

My men are tired of chasing
you all over the island.

I'll cordon off the grounds,
and you won't even be able

to take a walk!

(soft music)

[Betsy] Good day, Your Excellency.

You have no business here, Ms. Balcombe.

Let me through, please.

Thank you.

You're wasting your time, young lady.

His Imperial Majesty is hiding.

From you, of course.

From me, never.

(soft orchestral music)

(clock ticking)

(soft orchestral music)

(women laughing)

General Bonaparte.

Ah, come back another day,
Madame Tallien is engaged.

Today is her at-home day.

It's like fashion nowadays.

It changes as easily as politicians.

I've just spent a fortune on a golden wig,

only to be told it's no longer in fashion.

Now I have to cut it,
and have it restyled!

It's better to cut your
wig than lose your head.

Believe me, I know what I'm talking about.

(chuckling)

(servant clearing throat)

A General Bon-Appetite,
or something like that,

is here to see Madame.

Bonaparte, yes.

Show him in.

A General, which General?

One without a post, on half-pay.

But it's easier for him
to conceal his pride

than to conceal his ass.

(women laughing)

Truly, his britches
are riddled with holes.

And cloth for uniforms
is reserved for officers

in active service.

Oh, please, General.

Come, let me introduce you.

Madame Récamier.

Madame.

Strange-looking bird.

With the eyes of an eagle.

Madame de Stael.

Madame de Beauharnais.

And Madam de Corgny.

I am the young captive, General.

(women laughing)

The famous poem.

You know, by Chenier?

(women laughing)

The General must have been far too busy

during the Revolution to
take an interest in poetry.

I know what it is, a soldier's life.

I was married to an officer.

Yes, General le Borne.

Charged with the surrender

of the City of Maience, and guillotined.

Yes, that was my husband.

Who was nearly followed
to the scaffold by his wife,

but for the grace of God.

I would say more the
caprice of politics.

Is it true, dear Rose, that
you cut off your lovely curls

rather than let the
executioner mangle them?

You make me appear vain
and absurd to the general.

On the contrary.

To face death with pride
takes courage, Madame.

It takes courage to face
life alone, with two children.

General?

I have some good news for you.

I've managed to obtain a length of cloth.

Enough for not just one
pair of britches, but two.

Well, I thank you twice.

I thank all of you.

Do you want a cup of chocolate, General?

It's hot.

It's delicious.

We drank lots of it in the West Indies.

[Napoleon] In the West Indies?

I was born there.

My father owned a plantation,
with more than 200 slaves.

It was a paradise of sunshine and sugar.

Imagine, when I was a
little girl I used to bathe

in a river, among irises and orchids.

I loved to swim in it naked.

(giggling)

I come from an island too, Madame.

But the women there rarely bathe.

And when they do, it's
fully dressed, all in black.

Thank you again.

General.

General?

(women giggle)

General!

General, I've shocked you.

A soldier shocked by a lady's words.

It was not the words, Madame.

It was the image they evoked.

The image of a little
girl frolicking in the sun?

No.

Of a woman naked.

A beautiful image of you.

Now, I'm the one who's shocked.

You shouldn't have taken the risk.

[Joséphine] The risk?

Of being alone with me and
the feelings you've aroused.

You wouldn't dare.

No, no, not here, not now.

But tomorrow, when I see you again.

Because you presume you'll see me again.

Yes, I will.

Won't I?

Well, what time tomorrow?

(soft orchestral)

Message, sir.

And this is the area
that concerns me most.

The Rue St. Honore and the Palais Egalite.

If the rebels descend on us from--

General.

Another good reason to act.

Believe me, Barras.

We cannot let a simple riot--

A simple riot?

Is that what you call 25,000
royalists storming the Assembly

to seize the deputies
and destroy the Republic?

What forces do you have?

Your name again?

General Bonaparte,
currently without a command.

Ah, Bonaparte.

Artillery, wasn't it?

Right, then.

We have 4,000 men, from
the camp at Sablons,

under General Menou.

4,000 against 25,000.

No cannons?

General Menou left them in Sablons,

with the excuse that
they would slow him down.

We need that artillery.

Tell Squadron Leader Murat
to retrieve those cannons.

He's a human tidal wave,
nothing can stand in his way.

Come on, move.

At the moment we have the artillery,

we will position it like this.

One battery here, another one here.

Another one on this bridge in
line, and another one here.

If the cannons come through,
you'll take command of them.

I warn you, citizen,
that I follow a pledge

to its end or mine.

Don't ask me to answer
for any blood that's shed.

If I draw my sword, it will remain drawn

until the order of the
Republic is restored.

What is the date?

(bell tolling)

It's midnight, so it's
now the 13th of Vendemiaire.

Your appointment as Chief of Staff.

It's up to you now.

(men shouting in the distance)

(men shouting)

(men and women shouting)

(horse neighing)

Murat, take your position.

[Murat] Follow me, men!

(men and women shouting)

Position!

(guns firing)

(soldier groaning)

Aim!

(guns firing with soldiers groaning)

Fire!

(guns firing)

(men and women groaning)

(men shouting)

Left, forward!

Volley shot, fire!

(artillery firing)

(screaming and groaning)

(men shouting)

Grenadiers!

Fire!

(guns firing)

(artillery firing)

(men shouting)

Fire!

(artillery firing)

(people shouting)

[Murat] First row, aim!

Fire!

(guns firing)

Fire!

(women screaming)

Second row, aim, fire!

(guns firing)

Stand up!

Forward!

[Civilian Man] Where is he?

Where is he?

(woman crying)

[Male Civilian] Over here,
over here, need some help!

(soft orchestral)

It's a slaughterhouse!

No, Murat, it's a
battlefield, this is war.

War?

ln the streets of Paris,
against Frenchmen?

Against royalists, who are
in league with the enemies

of the nation.

There are 40 English vessels
off the coast of Brest,

and 40,000 Austrians at
the gates of Strasbourg.

They are waiting for the
Republic to be overthrown.

They are waiting to invade France.

It will not happen.

I'm a general of the Republic,

and I will not let it.

(orchestral music)

(soft orchestral)

(footsteps approaching)

(birds chirping with
footsteps approaching)

General Bonaparte for
Madame de Beauharnais.

Very good, General.

Hello.

- Hello.
- Hello.

[Napoleon] And, you would be Hortense.

[Hortense] I am, General.

[Napoleon] So, you are Eugène.

[Eugène] Yes, General.

(distant chattering)

(soft orchestral)

(Napoleon speaking in foreign language)

Good morning, General.

I see you've been taken
captive by my children.

Captivated, Madame, not captive.

I'm no longer a child, Mama.

Oh, I'm sorry, you're right.

I found him a position with General Hosch.

I would say Hosch got the
better part of the bargain.

What a splendid uniform, General.

Can I touch it?

It's pure wool, excellent quality.

Are you turning into a fashion peacock?

Ah, the new general of the army of Italy

can't command in rags.

The army of Italy?

Is this your reward for
saving the Republic?

Yes, a gift from Barras.

Shall we go?

Yes.

Eugene is a very serious young man.

He has a sense of discipline.

If he were under my command,

I'd make a fine soldier out of him.

Hortense, on the other hand,
obviously needs a father.

She's only 14.

She looks older, doesn't she?

Yes, but she's 14.

I made inquiries.

About my daughter?

About the world around you.

I know nearly everything
about you, Josephine.

(Josephine giggling)

But my name, apparently, is Rose.

Your lovers call you Rose.

Your husband has decided
to call you Josephine.

But my husband, General

- Is dead.
- Is dead, yes.

The prior one, though.

I'm talking about your new husband.

My new husband?

Yes, come now.

There is nothing so extraordinary
about a widow remarrying.

No, not at all.

Only that I don't have
any prospect in sight.

You are looking at him, Madame.

(thunder clapping softly)

Excellent foundry work.

These monsters must have a range

of over well over 2,000 metres.

Wouldn't you say so, Muiron?

Yes, General.

Except that these cannons are not for us.

They're for the Army of the Rhine.

What's been provided
for the army of Italy?

Nothing.

What do you mean, nothing?

I mean just that, General.

How do they expect me to push

the Austrians back with nothing?

Most of our men don't even
have shoes, let alone cannons.

No shoes, no cannons.

We have cavalry, don't we?

[Muiron] A whole regiment, General.

Thank you for that.

Unfortunately, there are no horses.

The cavalry men have eaten them.

Sorry?

It was that, or starve to death.

(soft music)

He should have been
here over an hour ago.

What can he be doing, Barras?

After all, getting married was his idea.

You don't love him?

I,

I love his love for me.

No one, not even you, has
ever loved me like this.

Do you know what passion is?

Of course, it's,

- it's--
- Look no further.

It's him.

Forgive me,

(speaking in foreign language)

I'm sorry I'm late, but
there's been so much to do!

(Josephine giggling)

I have only a few days
before going to join my army.

Where is he?

Wake up back there, we
want to get married!

Happy?

I am.

(giggling)

Let's go celebrate!

General, wait, there is
something I must tell you.

Yes, what?

You're not married.

What do you mean?

I'm just standing in for the official.

He got tired of waiting and left.

What's up?

I don't know.

But you married us.

Yes, you were yelling,
General, with so much authority,

I could not refuse.

Well, fix it, you fool!

Tonight I have a woman to love,

and tomorrow I must take
Italy back from Austria.

(soft orchestral)

Why don't you come with me?

[Joséphine] To Italy?

Yes.

Do you see me following an army?

Ruining my shoes in the mud,

wearing wrinkled dresses,

sleeping on straw...

Sleeping, sleeping.

There are other things
to do besides sleeping.

(giggling)

What's so funny?

You're funny.

Because I'm mad about you?

No, because you're just mad.

And I love that.

(ominous music)

(gun firing with soldier groaning)

(gun firing with soldier groaning)

(ominous music)

(artillery firing)

How can the Austrians see us?

They can hear us, Muiron.

We're an entire army on the march,

while they're hidden away, silent,

and concealed by this filthy mist.

(ominous music)

Stay back!

(ominous music)

We have to take that bridge.

We can't go around it.

What about the cannons,
they're holding it under fire.

We'll be massacred.

Not if we charge.

We won't stay in the
line of fire for long.

We must impress them, make them doubt.

Sorry, General, but I myself doubt.

I don't.

(gun firing)

The charge, beat the charge.

The charge, General?

Go on, boy, and put your heart in it.

(drum beating)

Charge!

(men shouting)

(men shouting with drum beating)

(men shouting with drum beating)

Take your positions!

(men shouting)

(artillery firing)

(artillery firing)

(guns firing)

(guns and artillery firing)

(guns firing)

Afraid, Muiron?

Yes, General!

Then, you're a brave fellow!

Charge, onward!

(men shouting)

(artillery firing)

(guns firing)

(men shouting)

Don't stop, don't stop!

(men shouting)

(guns firing)

(men groaning)

(artillery firing)

(artillery and guns firing)

(men shouting)

(horse neighing)

Left!

(artillery firing)

(men shouting)

(artillery firing)

(groaning)

Is it bad, my friend?

No, I'm all right.

The first 15 or 20 were harder.

What really hurts is that
the bridge is still Austrian.

Well then,

they can keep their damn bridge!

Find boats, beams, planks of wood.

Anything you can lay your hands on,

to build another bridge further on.

As soon as it's ready,

Pogerot will cross to the other side,

take the enemy from the rear,

and drive them to Massena.

We will chop them to pieces.

We shall make them pay
dearly for Muiron's death.

Go, start, gentlemen!

Want out?

Worried about the battle?

No, no, no, no, Josephine.

She hasn't written to me for two weeks.

But I'm bound to have a letter
tomorrow or the day after.

I'm so sorry, General.

It arrived this morning.

Did you open it?

Not at all.

It's been through the battle.

[Josephine] I don't write to you

as often as I would like, dear Napoleon,

because I have so little time...

At the dinner party...

As often as I would like, dear Napoleon...

We use to design gifts...

Because I have so little time...

At the dinner party...

(Josephine's dialogue overlapping)

(men chattering)

[Soldier] Easy.

(soldier shouting)

My men say you risked your
life like an ordinary soldier.

They call you The Little Corporal.

Said with affection, General.

[Soldier] Bonaparte!

Long live Bonaparte!

(men cheering)

[Soldier Two] Long live Bonaparte!

(men cheering)

Vive...

(men cheering)

(soft orchestral)

Put it down there.

Napoleon!

How handsome you are as a great general!

Great general and great conqueror.

Oh!

Look what I've brought you from Italy.

If there is too much, you
can give some to the poor.

There won't be too much.

Feeding your seven brothers
and sisters is not always easy.

In Corsica, people knew us.

Here, we're strangers.

You have nothing to worry about.

I'll look after you from now on.

You'll never want for anything ever again.

You must get ready to leave Marseilles.

I want you to meet my wife at last.

When you get to know her--

I don't need to meet
her to know what she is.

You made a bad marriage, Napoleon.

You deserve better.

Then, at the very least,

you could write congratulations to her.

Me, I wouldn't know how.

I've prepared a letter for you.

All you have to do is copy
the words and sign it.

Please.

I'll try to find the time.

I don't want that woman coming between us.

I wish you had not even mentioned her.

I have to leave now.

Be well, Mama.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Napoleon?

Do you love her?

Yes.

She's taking nothing away from you.

The day you leave me, I'll be
in a world of inferior beings.

(soft orchestral)

(soft orchestral)

Whoa.

(parrot squawking with door opening)

(parrot squawking)

Oh, Bonaparte!

Did you receive him in this?

Receive who?

The man who has just left.

A man just left?

Yes, an officer, judging by
his uniform, he's a dragoon.

Ah, yes, Captain Hippolyte
Charles, he's a charming boy.

He's sometimes my escort.

He brought me some theatre tickets.

Ah, you're going to the theatre?

Yes, yes I am.

What's wrong with it?

I mean, you left for so long.

You don't want me to lock
myself up in here, do you?

And you received him half-naked?

But Bonaparte!

But the poor boy just came and left.

Show me the tickets.

I don't have them.

- Where are they?
- I don't know,

why don't you ask Constant.

He must have left them with him.

Go interrogate him!

Honestly, I think you're jealous!

Why didn't you write to me?

I wrote!

No, a few scribbled lines.

Those cold, polite words
people write to each other

after decades of marriage.

Because I don't know
how to caress with words.

I need to touch.

Flesh to flesh.

I missed you so much, you
were gone for so long.

But now you're back.

Oh, I'm so happy you're back!

I thought about this
moment almost every day.

I understood that from your letters!

They were shocking, I had to
keep them under lock and key.

That is why, also, I didn't write to you.

Because I was afraid I would
drive you mad with desire,

and then, you would throw yourself

on the first Italian woman.

(soft music)

[Napoleon] How should I address you?

Monsignor, since you were a bishop?

Your Excellency, because
the Revolution made you

ambassador to England?

Or Minister, because you are in charge

of France's foreign relations?

Most people call me
Talleyrand, just Talleyrand.

[Napoleon] Ah, yes.

Like just God?

Or Satan.

They like seeing me as the devil,

but I shouldn't think
that would scare you,

because people tell me that
you're not afraid of anything.

Of one thing, stupidity.

Oh, then you must tremble
every day of your life.

I've heard rumblings about your proposal

for a new constitution.

I must say, I expected something more

revolutionary from you.

I like order.

I fought for the Republic.

I'm not a revolutionary.

I share your fondness for order.

But when you speak of a
concentrated government,

you don't perchance mean
concentrated in the hands

of one man, do you?

You ask questions
that sound like answers.

Yes, well, because it's always difficult

to find someone who would
wield that kind of power

who would not become a dictator.

What about you?

Are you interested in political power?

Me?

The glory won in Italy is all
I could possibly wish for.

Yes, of course there's glory,
but then there's money, too.

In that regard, I was
very well paid by the enemy.

I have other plans.

Oh, do tell me!

I'll be as silent as the grave.

Mathematics.

I became an artilleryman
thanks to mathematics.

My one dream is to return
to my former vocation.

To mathematics?

Yes, I hope to be
elected to the Institute

in the domain of physical
science and mathematics.

Hmm.

Hmm.

And that's all?

For the moment.

Hmm.

I see.

To your modest ambitions.

Salut.

(soft orchestral)

[Napoleon] What is this place called?

Malmaison, General.

The bad house.

In memory of the barbaric Normans

who raided the place many years ago.

Committed infamous crimes here.

I'll open up.

I can turn it into a happy house.

I know it doesn't look like much now,

but let me take care of everything.

Where did you learn to run a house?

In the West Indies, when
you were a little savage?

A little savage who
always appreciated beauty.

Expensive things, too.

Over 300,000 francs for a country house.

You're not paying for it.

Certainly not.

But it's so much less for your family.

Oh please, Joseph, you can't accuse me

of neglecting my family.

I've always placed your
welfare above my own.

And, my dear brother-in-law,

the family Bonaparte includes me.

(soft orchestral)

I'll wait for you outside.

Probably smells musty in there.

[Host] I'll wait for you out front.

(soft orchestral)

It does smell a bit musty.

Soon, it will smell of
joy, of life, of love.

Do you know that when I was a child,

a fortune teller predicted that one day,

I was going to be greater than a queen?

Today, I have the feeling she saw right.

This is my palace.

And you will be the king.

Husband is good enough,
I don't like kings.

[Josephine] You think we would be mad

to buy it, don't you?

I think 300,000 francs is a lot of money

for a general living on his pay.

Yes, but you're worth much more,

because if you wanted to--

You don't have to say
it, Talleyrand already did.

The French have had enough
of being governed by

men who are corrupt.

But they are not ready to rise up.

Perhaps for now, your
interest is to avoid anything

that could tarnish the
glory you won in Italy

Ideally, I should go somewhere far away,

pursuing new military triumphs.

You say that as if you already
have a glimmer of an idea.

No, not a glimmer, a
revelation, Josephine.

- Egypt.
- Egypt, why Egypt?

Because holding Egypt means cutting

off England's route to India,

and giving us access to all
the goods from the East.

What's more, our ambassador
in Cairo said that Egypt

is a country of incredible wealth.

When I come back, I'll be
able to buy you Malmaison.

That's how you'll make history.

General Bonaparte, first
to have fought a war

so that he could buy his wife a house.

(soft orchestral)

Gentlemen, the Pyramids.

4,000 years of history
are contemplating us.

(camel grunting)

(soft orchestral)

(festive music playing
and people chattering)

Well, Roustam, the tea!

Admire the work of my
cartographers, St. Hilaire.

This is Egypt in the days of the pharaohs.

Everything is in here, even the canal.

The canal, General?

Didn't you know?

That the pharaohs built
a canal joining the Nile

to the Red Sea?

[Roustam] No!

Initiated under King
Nechao and completed

under the Ptolemies, this prodigious work

stood the test of time
for almost 1,000 years,

until it disappeared,
swallowed up by the sands.

Do you believe one could
find vestiges of this canal?

Hmm, without any doubt.

If we started excavating in
this area, we'd unearth marvels

that would reveal to the world

the extraordinary splendour
of the Egyptian civilization.

Yet a better idea would
be to dig another canal.

One that would connect the
Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

Starting from Suez, for
example, what do you think?

The thing is, General,
my interest is in zoology,

so as far as I'm concerned,
these stories about canals...

My dear St. Hilaire.

A scholar must be
curious about everything.

I, for instance, had the
Koran translated for me.

And this has been
translated from English.

I'm under no illusion.

In Paris, they will say that
Egypt is a political failure

and financial disaster.

I will need you and your colleagues

to silence my detractors.

Let everybody know that our saga

will have countless
effects upon civilization.

This will be our way of thanking you

for this incredible journey, General.

The English are calling
on my men to desert

by flooding our lines with this drivel.

It will have no effect on them.

I'm not so sure.

The men have had enough.

Most of the time, we have
to force them to obey.

Have the officers discipline them again.

That's why they are here.

The officers, they say that
you torture your soldiers.

And that you will never
be able to seize Egypt.

I have, Murat.

Egypt is ours, almost ours.

Cairo is a French city.

The Nile Delta has been pacified,

and all there is left to subdue is a few

Turkish regiments and--

Turks and Arabs,
supported by the English.

Be realistic, Bonaparte.

You can't go on.

Especially with their plague on our heels.

The doctors assure me that
the epidemic can be contained.

Doctors can do nothing against fear.

I can.

(children shouting)

(soft and dramatic theme music)

(coughing and groaning)

Let me do this, I need you.

But General, I can't
do anything more for you.

I'm dying.

Precisely.

The first one to walk away
will be considered a deserter,

and will be shot!

Does any one of you know this man?

I believe this is Caroubert, General.

Is he one of your friends?

Well, actually,

we come from the same town.

In the Jura, General.

In that case, tell him about the Jura.

Let him die with some happiness.

(soft orchestral)

Come, Mama, let's go in.

It's getting chilly.

But it's still light enough to see.

I want to stay until dark.

You'll wear out your eyes
and catch your death of cold.

And it still won't bring
him back any sooner.

What if he doesn't come back at all?

Of course he'll come back.

How?

They say the English have
sunk the French ships.

How can he come back without ships?

(men shouting)

[Soldier] Come on, come on!

Come on!

(soft classical music)

(men chattering)

(classical music playing)

(Josephine giggling)

(Parrot squawking in foreign language)

Did you teach him to say that?

No, it's my husband.

He's showering me with souvenirs.

He's afraid I'll forget him.

I want to make you forget him.

(giggling)

I don't think so, I don't
think so, Hippolyte.

Barras, you're hardly in a position

to criticise Bonaparte.

You are the one who commissioned him!

To put down a riot,
not conquer a country.

This Egyptian adventure of
his is costing us a fortune,

and he hasn't made a
single important conquest.

Conquest, he can't even
hold on to his ships!

Admiral Nelson sank them like toys.

His biggest problem is that
the army's being devastated

by the plague.

All these disasters
are extremely tiresome.

It's going to make him want to come back.

His return will be
overshadowed by another.

You mean, the return of the King?

Haven't you realise that the government

of the Directoire is doomed?

It's inevitable that Louis
XVIII will rise to the throne.

Your voice trembles as
though you can't wait.

But you are a member of the Directoire.

And if it falls--

If the monarchy is restored,

I've been promised the title of Duke.

And the governorship of Bourbon island.

Well played, Barras!

I urge you all to do the same.

Take precautions, my friends,

and guarantee your futures.

Louis XVIII is ready to
promise anything to anyone

who will help him wear the crown.

[Waiter] Madame?

Bad news?

He's returned.

What?

He's returned.

Who?

Bonaparte!

Bonaparte is in France.

(crowd gasping)

(soft orchestral)

(crowd cheering)

(crowd cheering loudly)

[Crowd Member] General Bonaparte,

we will follow you anywhere!

Listen, listen to them!

Just say the word, and
you'll have 25 million

French citizens behind you.

Right now, I'm hungry.

The best thing to eat
here in Lyon is hot sausage.

Two, please.

[Waiter] Yes, sir.

[Joseph] What is he doing?

He's responsible for my safety.

Every night, he sleeps
lying against my door.

The Sultan thought he
was giving me a slave.

In fact, he's a guardian angel.

Very good, Roustam.

You can go now.

Do you hear that?

Is it making sense to you now?

[Napoleon] Is what making sense?

The way they cheered you.

And that's nothing compared to the welcome

you'll get in Paris.

Power is a ripe fruit, and
it's yours for the picking!

I've come back to give,
not to take, Joseph.

No one can imagine what marvels

I've brought back from Egypt.

Please, Napoleon.

I am your brother, not your public.

Let's at least be honest with each other.

Egypt was a disaster!

Don't say that.

The discoveries our
scientists have made there,

the knowledge they've gained,
justify all the sacrifices

of the expedition.

Yes, yes, fine.

But there are urgent matters to deal with.

The most urgent one
for me is my divorce.

Josephine has barely written at all.

Just to inform me she's bought Malmaison.

With my money, of course.

Or rather, with the money
she hopes I'll find.

She had hardly moved in
before she sent for her lover.

Captain Hippolyte Charles.

Destroy him.

That won't end it, there are others!

Your wife has taken up again with Barras.

And she keeps company with Goyer,

president of the Directoire.

Our poor mother.

Scandalised.

Vindicated.

You will be able to hold
your heads high again.

I'm finished with that woman.

That--

You can barely bring
yourself to say her name.

Because it's a curse, I hate her name!

I hate the sound of her voice!

Her perfume.

Everything, it's over.

Finished!

That is what lies ahead of you.

My dear brother,

she has no place in it.

You take care of France, and
I'll take care of your divorce.

(thunder clapping softly)

(soft orchestral music)

[Josephine] Good evening, Constant.

Good evening, Madame.

Madame cannot come in,
the General's orders.

I packed everything very carefully.

I hope I haven't forgotten anything.

You can't leave me outside, Constant.

It's raining!

Yes.

My children, where are my children?

Mademoiselle Hortense
is in her room, Madame.

So is Monsieur Eugene.

The General has allowed them to stay.

The General has allowed them.

The General has no right to allow them,

or to refuse them anything.

What a vile man.

Even when I was brought
in front of the court

during the Revolution, and God knows it,

these people were without pity,

I was allowed to explain myself.

But him, my own husband,

condemns me without hearing me!

Do you find that right, Constant?

Well, no.

Not very.

Let me in.

"It is obvious that General Bonaparte's"

"hasty departure from Egypt,"

"was to avoid a mass
insurrection of his army."

(knocking at the door)

Roustam, see who is there.

They've used anything
they can to discredit me.

Even lies.

Woman for General.

She want to come in, I say no!

My shirt, quickly.

Bonaparte!

Bonaparte, let me in!

Bonaparte!

(knocking)

Bonaparte!

I know you're there.

Be reasonable, I want to
talk to you, open the door!

Did people tell you something about me?

You know that they're lies, calumnies!

You know people when they
want to defile someone.

It's you who defiled everything!

So go away, Josephine!

I never want to see you again!

No, no, let me in!

What have I done?

Come on, open the door. I
know I can explain everything.

Explain what?

Your billing and cooing
with Captain Charles?

Your behaviour is sickening.

It's all over between us.

[Josephine] No!

Forever.

Oh, please, Bonaparte!

I know I can explain everything!

Oh, please!

If you want me to leave,

I will leave.

(sobbing)

(sombre music)

Her perfume.

(sombre music)

What do you accuse me of?

Going out into society?

Giving parties at the Malmaison?

Yes, I did, and I did it for you.

Because you want power, and
for that you need allies.

That's why--

I believe in you, Napoleon.

Lucien and I need to talk to you.

Mama has agreed to let
us meet at her house,

and it would be advisable--

Oh Joseph, you're here, good morning.

But, but she--

[Napoleon] Let's discuss politics.

[Joseph] What about your divorce?

Do you think it's necessary
to close the windows?

As if we were conspirators plotting?

I'm sure the house is being watched.

When a government is at bay,
they'll stop at nothing.

For God's sake, Joseph,
it's just a family meal.

This is your house, Mama.

You can stay if you like.

I'd rather my sisters
weren't mixed up in this.

If things go badly,
they'll be able to swear

they knew nothing about it.

Come on, girls.

Our mother asked you to
leave the room, Caroline.

I know what Lucien and
Joseph are going to propose.

You need support, I'm here
to bring you Murat's support.

Murat?

Who authorised you to speak for Murat?

He and I love each other.

(soft giggling)

Murat is over 30, and you're not yet 20.

I don't think our mother will approve.

I don't think I approve.

You can state your
objections when Murat comes

to ask you for my hand.

Until then, I entreat
you to accept his help.

Caroline is right.

We can't refuse any offer of help.

[Letizia] Come on, girls.

The plan is audacious,
Napoleon, but it can work.

We've based it on two factors.

First, the people hate
the current government.

And two, they see you as a hero.

You want to overthrow the Directoire?

It wouldn't take much of a push.

And in its place, Napoleon Bonaparte?

You've always kept your
distance from politics.

You have managed to keep your hands clean!

You are the godsend the
whole country is waiting for!

France is so weak now.

She won't be able to
stand another revolution.

The royalists would make the most of it!

Who said anything about a revolution?

Everything will be done perfectly legally!

We just have to persuade the deputies

to elect a new government,
and get rid of the Directory,

and elect in its place a new government,

composed of three irreproachable men.

Sieyes, Roger-Ducos, and you.

It's possible.

If you were to assemble all the deputies

for a special session,

somewhere isolated where
the army could bring

pressure to bear,

if needed, without triggering
a riot in the city.

That's perfect.

And with Murat at the head
of the troops, we can't fail.

I suggest Chateau de St. Cloud.

it's far enough from
Paris, and easy to control.

I agree.

Can we assume that you
approve of our little project?

Your little project, as
you call it so discreetly,

my dear Joseph, is nothing
less than a coup d'etat.

If it fails, we will end
up in prison, at best,

and more likely under the blade.

Are you still so sure
that Murat will follow us?

I can speak for him as I do for myself.

He'll only want to know
in what name he's risking

his liberty and life.

In what name?

In the name of reality.

Louis XVIII is ready to enter Paris.

If we delay,

the Republic will be lost, and with it

all the benefits of the Revolution.

That's reason enough to risk everything.

(soft orchestral)

I'm counting on you to
control the gates of Paris

on the 18th of Brumaire.

No government official
can be allowed to enter

or leave the city.

I also want your censor
to check everything

that's announced in the press.

The newspapers will
only be allowed to print

what my associates and I decide on.

In other words, you're
asking me to support a plot?

I don't consider ridding the
country of a bunch of rogues

and swindlers to be a plot.

Even though I may not always approve

of the government's policies,

I'm a member of it.

You'll be a member of the next one.

You'll be my minister of police.

That's generous of you, but I am already

minister of police.

So if you have no other argument...

I do have one, yes.

I'm sure the royalists haven't
forgotten how you slaughtered

hundreds of their followers
during the Reign of Terror.

I heard you had them shot point-blank

after forcing them to
dig their own graves.

- Who is with you?
- Everyone.

Generals such as Murat and Lefebvre,

and politicians such as Sieyes,
Roger-Ducos, Talleyrand--

Talleyrand, you've taken
Talleyrand into your confidence?

He betrays everybody.

No, he won't betray himself.

He understands perfectly
well where his interest lies.

He's expecting a lot
from me, and he's right.

If he doesn't fail me, I won't fail him.

And that proposition goes for everyone.

Very well.

You've made yourself clear.

I'll think it over.

No, right now, Fouche.

With me,

or against me?

All right, with you.

But if your plan fails?

Then, instead of being
executed in the King's name

for barbarous crimes, you'll be executed

by the Directoire for conspiracy.

I am your only hope.

What a rotten job, being a deputy.

Jabbering away for hours, all locked up.

How long have they been in there?

20 hours, they've been
talking for more than 20 hours.

Don't you think it's a bad sign, Sieyes?

My dear fellow, politics isn't war.

It takes much longer to
say something meaningless

than to fire a gun.

(everyone shouting)

(bell ringing)

Back to your seats, gentlemen!

I won't tolerate this
insolence much longer!

No one will ever be able to decide!

(bell ringing)

[Napoleon] We're shut up
in here without being able

to see or hear anything!

[Sieyes] Try to stay calm, General.

Calm, when the future
of France is at stake?

What is it, Murat?

For God's sake, say something!

Is it over, have they voted?

No, Talleyrand has just arrived.

He wants to see you.

Sire, I've just come
back from the Orangerie.

Things don't seem to be
going exactly as you'd hoped.

Now, if my brother can't
make those people obey him,

what good is he to me as the President?

Sire, he is their
President, not their general.

Deputies cannot be ordered
around as easily as a regiment!

We'll see about that, soldiers!

(dramatic theme music)

(everyone shouting)

I'll sit down if you agree
that General Bonaparte...

(everyone shouting and booing)

Listen to me, listen to me!

I'm here to serve the Republic!

Gentlemen deputies, silence!

Deputies, let me speak!

Silence!

The Republic is in danger!

[Soldier] Protect the
General, they want to kill him!

(everyone shouting)

They, they tried to stab me!

We failed, all is lost.

We mustn't stay here!

They've just declared you an outlaw!

And us?

Coward, you don't exist for them.

The only person who counts
in their eyes is my brother.

Are you all right, you're not wounded?

What about you, did they strike you?

No, they didn't dare,
I have enough supporters.

I don't know how it started to unravel.

Look, President, what's done is done!

The most important thing
now is to find a safe place!

You've nothing to fear.

Murat is outside with all his troops.

Murat!

Good God, Murat, I nearly forgot!

Bonaparte, what are you going to do?

I'm going back in there,
I have an army outside!

And me with an army.

He doesn't have the right!

Officers and soldiers of the Republic!

Come, listen, come, come!

A faction of desperate
men, armed with daggers,

is threatening the Assembly!

They even attempted to
assassinate your General!

On your horses!

They dared to accuse Bonaparte
of staging a coup d'etat,

to bring him into power!

A vile lie!

Do you see this blade?

I would plunge it in my brother's heart

without a moment's
hesitation, if I suspected him

of violating rights.

(soldiers cheering)

Soldiers!

I declare to you that the
representatives of our nation

are in mortal danger!

Consequently, I order you
to invade this assembly.

Immediately!

We know what to do, come on!

(soldiers shouting)

Open the doors!

Citizen representatives!

Your safety is no longer
guaranteed within these walls!

I order you to leave under
the protection of the army!

(crowd booing)

Grenadiers, forward!

Get them out, come on!

Get out, get out!

Get out, all of them!

Do you think your brother
will retain enough deputies

to go ahead with the vote?

Yes, he has enough supporters.

Whatever the result is, it
will be perfectly legal.

The deputies have
dissolved the Directory.

In its place, they have created

an executive consular commission,

composed of General Bonaparte,

and citizens Sieyes and Roger-Ducos,

who will bear the titles
of Citizens and Consuls

of the French Republic.

This decree takes effect immediately.

Officers, present arms to
the Consuls of the Republic!

[Soldier] Present arms!

Long live Bonaparte!

[Soldiers] Bonaparte, Bonaparte!

Bonaparte, Bonaparte!

Bonaparte!

(soldiers cheering)

- What time is it?
- About four.

It took longer than we expected.

It almost didn't happen.

(laughing)

(soft orchestral)

Splendid, magnificent, dazzling!

Incomparable!

Sturdy and resistant, I hope?

Oh, that suit of clothes
is going to last a lifetime!

Hmm, I've only been appointed

First Consul for 10 years.

What a pity there isn't a bigger mirror,

so you could see how well it suits you.

Here's my mirror.

Well, what do you think?

Oh, but you look,

you look--

Well, I must be very well turned out,

for my pretty mirror to cloud over.

Is you-know-who still here?

You-know-who is waiting
for you, next room,

in front of the fire.

I think in another life,
he must have been a cat.

A cat, huh, I'd say a cobra.

Shh, Bonaparte, he supports
you without hesitation.

You mean, I support
him, which is only normal

for a cripple.

Shh!

No, don't say anything, Talleyrand.

I've already been showered
with all the compliments

you can imagine.

But I have no illusion that
this fine suit of clothes

won't be enough to reassure our neighbours

that France has finally put
the revolution behind her.

[Talleyrand] True, the
European courts fear the strength

of our army less than the
strength of our ideas.

Therefore, we must demonstrate

that we are civilised people once more.

An aristocrat, a real aristocrat

who knows how to behave insolently,

yet with princely grace,
would give us prestige.

You were the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Directoire.

The First Consul reappoints
you to that office.

I suppose I should feel
flattered that you consider me

to have princely grace.

But I would display more of
it if your choice was based

on my skill at negotiating.

Negotiating what?

Austria recaptured Italy from
France while I was in Egypt.

And we either accept
the loss of Italy, or--

Or wage war on Austria.

I usually believe the
worst can be avoided.

War is not the worst, Talleyrand.

The worst would be allowing
them to treat France

like the village idiot of Europe.

The one who is slapped
and then says thank you.

What do you know about war,
you've never been to war.

Alas.

A soldier who can neither
attack nor, more especially,

flee in sufficient haste, is a liability.

Otherwise, I might have
pursued a military career.

You, a general?

General Talleyrand?

Perhaps you envy my
glory, you can share it,

it you're loyal to me.

Sire, I wish only to serve you.

You bow as you say
that, so one can't see

whether your eyes support your words.

Man was given speech
to disguise his thoughts,

and words to disguise his eyes.

Don't trust anything, or anyone.

(soft orchestral)

[Officer] Present arms!

Monsieur Pierre-Louis Roederer,

who I have appointed Councillor of State

because he served me well,
and will continue to do so.

I'm delighted to meet you, sir.

Welcome to the Tuileries, Madame.

I hope you will like it here.

[Napoleon] Are you coming?

(ominous orchestral)

Here we are in the waiting room.

Please.

And here are Queen Marie
Antoinette's apartments.

(eerie orchestral)

Not very cheerful, I'm afraid.

The price of power.

I hope they've changed the sheets.

Don't be silly.

It's morbid.

If you must live in the Tuileries,

can't we take a different apartment?

This one feels haunted.

Superstitious nonsense.

Once it's refurnished to
your taste, you'll be happy.

And whenever you need a
change, we can go to Malmaison.

I need a change right now, let's go.

No, don't be childish.

Maybe tomorrow.

When we got married, I
could ask you anything.

And you always said yes right away.

Now it's always maybe tomorrow.

You love me less, Bonaparte.

I am sorry, maybe we
should have thought of

redecorating the rooms before--

She'll get used to it.

It would be a sorry state
of affairs if my wife

were the one person in France
to contest my authority.

Show me where my study is.

Please.

Have an article
published in the newspapers

saying I'm against powdered wigs

coming back into fashion for men.

It's ludicrous!

Have they finished an exact account

of what's left in the state coffers?

167,000 francs.

Scandalous.

I'm sure there's times
that amount in the pockets

of each former member of the Directoire.

This means France is bankrupt.

We will need to bring in several
million francs this year.

The Minister of Police!

Ah, Fouche.

Come in, Fouche.

You're not an ordinary minister
anymore, you're my minister.

So I expect from you
a flawless efficiency.

And yet I hear you
dislike ruthless measures.

How do you define ruthless?

[Napoleon] Arresting and imprisoning.

When we imprison a
man, it's usually because

he has broken the law.

In order words, when it's too late.

Personally, I'd rather prevent
him from committing a crime.

Yet, you have to know to prevent it.

Yes.

Know everything about everyone.

Oh, so you claim to keep
watch on the whole of France?

I have my informers.

This system has saved
your life many times over.

And you didn't inform me?

The bombs were all found in time.

Bombs.

Who planted them?

The royalists, with England
acting as their banker.

A bomb is more expensive than
a vial of poison, or a dagger.

So,

this is what politics is like.

No, this is what hatred is like,

Monsieur le Premier Consul.

Hatred.

You're not dressed!

But the carriage is
awaiting in the courtyard.

Have you forgotten we're
going to the opera?

No, but Bonaparte is working.

And when he locks himself
up in his studies,

God knows when he'll reappear.

No, but you go ahead,
go ahead to the opera.

Ask Murat and Caroline to chaperone you.

Thank you very much, but I
don't need any chaperoning.

But you're only 17, Hortense.

And at your age, a girl can
easily have her head turned.

And men, you know...

And what if my head is turned?

Bonaparte has other plans for you.

Nothing is settled, of course, but,

he's wishing for you to
marry his brother, Louis.

Louis?

But have you ever looked
at him, or spoken with him?

He's ugly and miserable!

But my child, if the First Consul

is asking for you to marry him--

The First Consul should look
after the affairs of state

and leave me alone!

And what's more important,
he should look after you.

But he loves me, as much as he loved me

the first day we've met.

Then let's hope that what
everyone is waiting for

will finally happen.

And what do you mean by that?

You know very well.

People are surprised you
haven't born him a child.

Oh.

But I will, soon.

Who knows, I might be pregnant now.

This morning, I got dizzy.

Don't fool yourself,
you're not pregnant.

And you may never be.

But what is the matter with all of you?

Why is it that you all
think that I'm barren?

You, and your brother Eugene.

I gave you birth, didn't I?

Forgive me, Mama, but
that was a long time ago.

(soft dramatic theme)

6,000 Frenchmen fell at Marengo,

and transformed what everyone
predicted as a defeat

into a victory.

Thanks to Marengo, a part of
Italy regained her freedom.

I intend to turn this victory
into a splendid victory,

which is why we must have a monument

commemorating the battle.

This calls for a triumphal arch!

No, gentlemen, the fountain.

Fountain?

But it's so ordinary,
there's nothing splendid

about a fountain.

Paris lacks water.

Paris is dirty, paris is dying of thirst.

Every time Parisians draw
water from this fountain,

they will feel a moment of
gratitude toward the men

who fell at Marengo.

Percil, you'll do the drawing.

And Fortin, you will see to the sculpture.

(door opening)

I'm in conference, my dear.

Gentlemen, the First
Consul will see you tomorrow.

Tonight is Christmas Eve.

No one discusses profane
matters on Christmas Eve.

Just who do you think you are?

Your wife.

We've planned to go to the opera,

and that's what we're gonna do.

Certainly not.

Go on your own, I have work to do.

I want us to be seen together.

Paris is buzzing with rumours
that are very painful for me,

and your presence at my
side will quell them.

What rumours?

They say that you reproach
me for not having a child.

And that you intend to get
another woman pregnant,

whom we would pay to give
up the baby at birth.

Preposterous.

Come, I'm longing for some music.

No, music will do
nothing for me tonight.

Well then, don't listen.

I will bend close to your ear,

and whisper little exciting things.

You devil!

Shh!

Don't tell anyone, it's Christmas Eve.

(soft orchestral)

(crowd cheering)

(singing in foreign language)

(ominous music)

[Little Girl] Oh, you stubborn animal!

What are you trying to do, girl?

They told me to move my cart.

There's a procession coming this way.

Not anymore, they've
taken a different route.

Nice horse.

Oh, we're going by Rue St. Nicaise?

Fouche wants us to keep
changing our itinerary,

as a security measure.

Even on Christmas
Eve, it's a holy night.

And anyway, you have fewer enemies now.

Even the press is unanimously
singing your praises.

I had to close down 16
newspapers to achieve that.

(crowd cheering)

What's happening?

[Soldier] We're just
moving a cart out of the way,

Citizen First Consul.

It's not my fault,
they told me to go away,

then said not to bother.

How could I know?

It doesn't matter, my
soldiers will help you.

What is happening?

I don't know.

Hey, you, move!

Move it!

[Soldier] Bring it around!

[Soldier Two] Coming through!

(ominous music)

What's your name?

Isabelle.

In Christmas tales, princesses
are often called Isabelle.

Oh, I'm not a princess, sir.

Perhaps not tonight, but maybe tomorrow.

You must believe in the future.

(ominous music)

Merry Christmas, sir.

Poor child.

What's the point of filling
her head with dreams?

(crowd cheering)

You know she'll never be
anything else than a guttersnipe.

That's how you think, my dear.

As for me, I want France to
be a country where nothing

is impossible for anyone.

(ominous music)

(singing in foreign language)

(barrel exploding)

Ah!

(loud screaming)

(soft orchestral)