Dear All,

I submitted a post some time ago about the delayed release of The Emperor of Paris on DVD, which is a film directed by Jean-Francois Richet with Vincent Cassel in the main role. It has just been released in French language with English subtitles and I thought people might like to know my thoughts on this eagerly anticipated film, which I watched last night.

The plot begins in 1805 and is loosely based on the real-life escapades of Francois Vidocq who agreed to hunt down his former contacts in the underworld in exchange for a pardon from the authorities. He is often considered the first true private detective and was instrumental in the formation of the French Surete and other areas of French policing.

This is basically a popular action film and those wishing for a history lesson will be disappointed. That said, it does seem to be remarkably authentic regarding costumes, props and scenes of Napoleonic Paris. For example, the Arc de Triomphe is shown under construction shrouded in scaffolding and there is a nice shot of troops drilling before the Arc du Caroussel with the Tuileries Palace in the background (computer generated as the palace was destroyed in 1871). Military uniforms and civilian dress seemed spot on and there are some nice little touches such as Vidocq's landlord telling him that there is a fountain down the street for his water supply (Napoleon built numerous fountains to supply water to the poor in addition to aesthetic purposes).

Cassel makes an impressive figure in the lead role and is supported by a fine cast. Fabrice Luchini plays Fouche in strange off-hand style quite at odds with the usual sinister portrayal of the Emperor's Minister of Police, which makes an interesting change, and Napoleon receives the briefest of cameo appearances.

I won't give elements of the plot away suffice it to say that this is a simple tale and a bit of an excuse to show off some clever camera shots and indulge in lots of pistol, knife and sword fights. Essentially this is an enjoyable action film that looks marvellous in a well portrayed historical setting. If nothing else, it has encouraged me to read Vidocq's memoirs, which sounds like they are prone to exaggeration but are recommended by some members as a highly entertaining read.

Although this is hardly a historical epic I recommend this as an engaging film about our period.

Regards,

David