Napoleon on Trial: The Battle for Historical Accuracy of the Upcoming Movie
Is Ridley Scott glorifying a tyrant?
History lovers can’t stop talking about Ridley Scott’s upcoming Napoleon movie starring Joaquin Phoenix. Some historians are already trying to “debunk” the film before it has even been released. They accuse the director of glorifying a tyrant and downplaying his humble origins.
The whole thing was kind of funny, actually.
After all, it is a movie, not a documentary. But, as someone who primarily writes about history and archaeology, I welcome any discussion on these subjects.
Netflix created a fair amount of controversy with Ancient Apocalypse and Cleopatra.
In comparison, the Napoleon trailer is less divisive.
This begs the question: why has the Napoleon movie caused such a stir on social media? Why are some historians irked by it?
Let us investigate why the greatest Italian to rule France is in the eye of a storm, as he was during his lifetime. You knew he was Italian, didn’t you?
Or did I open a whole new can of worms?
Napoleon’s family history is important in understanding the controversy surrounding the movie.
