Search - The Emperor's New Clothes on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Questionable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 2001 DVD Release: 12/10/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 46 mins Studio: Paramount Members Wishing: 5 Genres: Comedy Drama, Comedy of Errors, Romantic Drama, Period Film

A fanciful retelling of the story of Napoleon Bonaparte (played by heralded actor Ian Holm, this British costume comedy suggests that it was Napoleon's double, not the man himself, who died on St. Helena Island. The film begins by presenting Napoleon after his defeat at Waterloo, at the home of a young boy (Tom Watson), where he watches a slide show of his actions and begins to tell his story. The film flashes back to Napoleon's six years of house arrest, when he dictated his memoirs to an aide (Murray Melvin). He has concocted a scheme with his sidekicks Montholon (Nigel Terry) and Bertrand (Hugh Bonneville) and a valet named Marchand (Eddie Marsan) to plant a double in his place so he can escape to Paris, where he can then reclaim his throne as emperor of France. Posing as a galley hand, Napoleon steals a ship, but mistakenly arrives in Belgium, where he must then make his way back to France by barge. When he finally arrives in Paris, he discovers his contact, Truchaut, has died, and he enlists the help of his widow Pumpkin (played by Mifune's Iben Hjelje). Unable to reveal his true identity, Napoleon kills time by using Pumpkin and other supporters to start a profitable business, and Pumpkin begins to find herself drawn to Napoleon, though knowing his real identity. The film was directed by American filmmaker Alan Taylor, who helmed the quirky 1995 comedy Palookaville. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

Ian Holm - Napoleon Bonaparte/Eugene Lenormand
Iben Hjejle - Pumpkin
Tim McInnerny - Dr. Lambert
Tom Watson - Gerard
Nigel Terry - Montholon

Alan Taylor directs Ian Holm in the comedy The Emperor's New Clothes, which comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. English subtitles are accessible. There are no supplemental materials of any consequence, but Paramount has done a fine job of presenting the film itself on this release. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide