stoobushblog

I waited so long for this

The Emperor's New Clothes: 3 Stars. When I first saw the trailer for this film, I was totally hooked. The always excellent Ian Holm plays both Napoleon and the commoner chosen to replace him on Elba. Napoleon escapes to France, expecting his double to reveal himself as a fraud, which he never does. Then his double dies, leaving the real Napoleon wandering through Paris with the masses mourning their Emperor. Then he meets a girl.... What a wonderful premise for a movie, and it almost works. First, it's a bit slow at times. Second, choosing Iben Hjejle (from High Fidelity) as his female opposite was a mistake. While she's a solid actress, and undeniably beautiful, she's far too young to play his love interest. Other than that, it's a good script, a masterful performance by Holm, and a wonderful score by Rachel Portman. This, my dear readers, is why I go to the movies.