A Polish countess becomes Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress at the urging of Polish leaders who feel she could influence him to make Poland independent.A Polish countess becomes Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress at the urging of Polish leaders who feel she could influence him to make Poland independent.A Polish countess becomes Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress at the urging of Polish leaders who feel she could influence him to make Poland independent.
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 3 wins & 2 nominations total
- Paul Lachinski
- (as Leif Erikson)
- Laetitia Bonaparte
- (as Dame May Whitty)
- Countess Pelagia Walewska
- (as Marie Ouspenskaya)
- Singer
- (uncredited)
- Prince Mirska
- (uncredited)
- Count Potocka
- (uncredited)
- Alexandre Walewska
- (uncredited)
- Minor Role
- (uncredited)
- Minor Role
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film lost more money for MGM than any other of its films during the period from 1920 to 1949.
- GoofsThough false, it is widely believed that Napoleon started out as an enlisted man. He went to the French military academy and graduated a second lieutenant of artillery. At the Battle of Lodi, he performed the duties of a corporal despite being the French army commander and so earned the nickname 'the little corporal'.
- Quotes
Countess Pelagia Walewska: Who are you?
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte: I am Napoleon!
Countess Pelagia Walewska: Napoleon? Napoleon who?
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte: Hmm? Bonaparte!
Countess Pelagia Walewska: Napoleon Bonaparte? What kind of name is that? What nationality are you?
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte: Corsican by birth. French by adoption. Emperor by achievement.
Countess Pelagia Walewska: So, you are an Emperor, are you? What are you Emperor of?
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte: Emperor of France, madame.
Countess Pelagia Walewska: Hee, hee, hee. So you are Emperor of France. And my very good friend, His Majesty, King Louis Sixteenth abdicated in your honor, I suppose?
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte: Well, he didn't know it at the time but in a sense he did, madame.
Countess Pelagia Walewska: This house is getting to be a lunatic asylum.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Romance of Celluloid (1937)
However, he does elicit fine performances from Garbo and Charles Boyer. Garbo is radiantly photogenic as the married woman, wife of an elder man (Henry Stephenson), who for the sake of her country gives herself to Napoleon (Boyer). And Boyer is every bit as convincing as the man destined for his Waterloo, acting the part with every bit of his abilities and often stealing the show.
But what really steals the show is the lavish production MGM gave this story. The sets are opulent, majestic and large, looming over every frame of the film with no expense spared. The artful B&W cinematography captures every elegant detail of costumes and sets with breathtaking results.
And the supporting cast is a sturdy one, including Dame May Witty, Reginald Owen, Maria Ouspenskaya, Alan Marshal and Leif Erickson.
Garbo is livelier than usual, even smiling more often for her "gayer" moments when enthralled with being in love, and the chemistry between her and Boyer is evident from the start.
It's too bad the film wasn't fully appreciated as one of her best films when it opened, but time has been kind to it. Despite some slow moments amid a longer than necessary running time, it's an historical romance played out in the Golden Age tradition of opulence expected from MGM.
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $2,732,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 53 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1