A

Screenplay

by

Stanley Kubrick

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM CORSICA - NIGHT

A well worn teddy-bear is cradled in the arms of Napoleon,

age 4, who dreamily sucks his thumb, listening to a

bedtime story told by his young mother, Letizia. His 5-

year old brother, Joseph, is already asleep, beside him.

NARRATOR

Napoleon was born at Ajaccio in

Corsica on August 15th, 1769. He

had not been a healthy baby and his

mother, Letizia, lavished him with

care and devotion. In middle age,

he would write about her from St.

Helena.

NAPOLEON (V.O.)

My mother has always loved me. She

would do anything for me.

MAIN TITLES

INT. DORMITORY BRIENNE - NIGHT

It is still dark on a freezing winter morning. The boys

are being awakened by a monk, loudly ringing a bell.

Candles are lit.

Napoleon, age 9, sun-tanned, leaps out of bed, rubbing his

arms and shivering. He tries to pour a pitcher of water,

discovering that it has frozen solid.

NAPOLEON

Who has been putting glass in my

pitcher? Look here, someone has

filled my pitcher with glass!

DUFOUR

Oh, my goodness! Someone has filled

Bonaparte's pitcher with glass.

Now, who on earth would do a thing

like that?

BREMOND

Oh, heavens, look someone has filled

my pitcher with glass too!

MONK

Silence! Silence! You should not

make fun of Monsieur Bonaparte, he

comes from a country where it is

never very cold. He has probably

never seen ice before.

DUFOUR

Never seen ice before? Oh, dear me

-- how very odd.

The boys snicker. Napoleon glares at them.

NARRATOR

At the age of 9, Napoleon entered

the Royal Military College at

Brienne, in France, under a royal

scholarship. For the next five and

a half years, he would devote

himself to preparation for his

military career. These were harsh

and cheerless years for the lonely,

impoverished provincial, among

affluent French noblemen's sons.

EXT. FARM BRIENNE - DAY

A lovely, late-summer afternoon. A small group of boys,

in their school uniforms, are impatiently gathered around

a rough table, covered with stacks of thick bread and jam

and tin mugs of milk. The farmer's wife supervises

things, collecting a sou from each boy.

Napoleon, 9, stands apart from the group, drinking his

milk, a book under his arm, lost in thought, gazing across

the cornfield at the school buildings, which are

beautifully colored by the late sunlight.

BREMOND

(overly cheerful)

Good afternoon, Bonaparte.

Napoleon ignores him.

BREMOND

What are you reading?

No reply. Dufour moves behind Napoleon.

BREMOND

(angling his head to

read the title)

Dear me, aren't we in an unfriendly

mood. Caesar's conquest of Gaul.

Aren't we terribly conscientious

about our studies? By the way, did

the supervisor give you permission

to take that book away from the

school grounds?

NAPOLEON

(quietly)

Fuck off, Bremond.

BREMOND

Oh, my goodness. What language!

Did you learn that from your mother,

Bonaparte?

Bremond is 4 years older and much bigger than Napoleon.

NAPOLEON

Fuck off!

At this moment, Dufour gives him a violent bump from

behind, spilling milk all over his uniform and splattering

the book.

DUFOUR

Oh, goodness, my dear Bonaparte -- I

am clumsy. Oh, and look at your

book!

Napoleon hurls the tin cup, with all his strength, at

Dufour, hitting him squarely on the forehead, with a

resonant pon-nnng! Napoleon leaps on Bremond, and the two

boys go down in a tangle of bread, jam and milk.

INT. MILITARY TAILOR - DAY

Napoleon, age 16, being fitted for his smart, 2nd

Lieutenant's uniform, studies himself in the full-length

mirror.

NARRATOR

At the age of 16, he graduated a

sub-lieutenant from the Royal

Military School in Paris, and was

posted to the crack regiment de la

Fere, at Valence.

EXT. FIRING RANGE - DAY

Artillery firing range. A hot summer morning. Napoleon

is part of a group of young officers loading and firing a

cannon.

NARRATOR

The practical professional training

that Napoleon would receive for the

next three years would give him a

working knowledge of all arms, and

expose him to the advanced military

ideas of du Teil, Bourcet and

Guibert.

EXT. DRILL FIELD - DAY

A calm, winter day, snow on the ground. Napoleon and

group go through the ordered drill of loading and firing a

musket. Their targets are painted figures of soldiers.

EXT. FIELD - DAY

The edge of a wood near Valence. A windy, spring day.

Napoleon and nine other young officers are gathered around

a leathery-looking Captain with steel spectacles, who is

instructing them in the art of map reading. The map,

about four feet wide, is flapping noisily in the heavy

gusts of wind, despite the four pairs of knees and hands

struggling to hold it flat against the ground.

INT. ROOM - NIGHT

Napoleon's room at Valence. It is filled with books,

mostly of military subjects, but well-stocked with poetry,

history and philosophy. He is reading by candlelight.

Outside we hear the sounds of revelry produced by less

conscientious officers.

NARRATOR

His moods at this time were complex

and varied.

NAPOLEON (V.O.)

Life is a burden for me. Nothing

gives me any pleasure; I find only

sadness in everything around me. It

is very difficult because the ways

of those with whom I live, and

probably always shall live, are as

different from mine as moonlight is

from sunlight.

INT. INN - NIGHT

Napoleon, 17, the youngest of a group of a dozen officers

who are seated around a table in the local inn, drinking

and singing songs.

EXT. FOREST - DAWN

It is a hazy, summer dawn. Napoleon, 17, and Caroline

Columbier, a lovely young girl of 15, walk together in a

forest. They occasionally stop to pick cherries. It is a

scene of pre-Raphaelite innocence and beauty -- the young

officer, smartly uniformed, the innocent girl in a flowing

white dress.

NARRATOR

He made friends with a family called

Columbier, and would later write of

his first flirtation with their

daughter, Caroline.

NAPOLEON (V.O.)

It will scarcely be considered

credible, perhaps, but our whole

business consisted in eating

cherries together.

EXT. LYON STREET - NIGHT

It is a witheringly cold winter night, in Lyon. People,

bundled up to the eyes, hurry along the almost deserted

street, past empty cafes which are still open.

Napoleon, hands deep in his pockets, shoulders hunched

against the cold, passes a charming, young street-walker,

about his own age. He stops and looks at her,

uncertainly. A large snowflake lands on her nose which

makes him smile.

GIRL

Good evening, sir.

NAPOLEON

Good evening, Mademoiselle.

She is sweet.

GIRL

The weather is terrible, isn't it,

sir?

NAPOLEON

Yes, it is. It must be one of the

worst nights we have had this

winter.

GIRL

Yes, it must be.

Napoleon is at a loss for conversation.

NAPOLEON

You must be chilled to the bone,

standing out of doors like this.

GIRL

Yes, I am, sir.

NAPOLEON

Then what brings you out on such a

night?

GIRL

Well, one must do something to live,

you know -- and I have an elderly

mother who depends on me.

NAPOLEON

Oh, I see... That must be a great

burden.

GIRL

One must take life as it comes -- do

you live in Lyon, sir?

NAPOLEON

No, I'm only here on leave. My

regiment is at Valence.

GIRL

Are you staying with a friend, sir?

NAPOLEON

No... I have a... room... at the

Hotel de Perrin.

GIRL

Is it a nice warm room, sir?

NAPOLEON

Well, it must be a good deal warmer

than it is here on the street.

GIRL

Would you like to take me there, so

that we can get warm, sir?

NAPOLEON

Uh-hh... yes, of course -- if you

would like to go... there... but...

I have very little money.

GIRL

Do you have three francs, sir?

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Napoleon's cheap hotel room is only slightly warmer than

the street. A candle flickers in the draft, and the

driving snow forms a lovely vignettes on the window panes.

Napoleon sits fully dressed, still wrapped in his coat,

scarf, gloves and hat, watching the girl hurriedly

undressing, shivering, teeth chattering, and diving into

the ice-cold bed.

GIRL

Br-rrr, these sheets are like ice.

NAPOLEON

Oh, I'm sorry about that.

The girl shivers and waits for him to follow her into bed.

He doesn't move.

NAPOLEON

What's your name?

GIRL

Lisette.

NAPOLEON

Only Lisette?

GIRL

Lisette La Croix.

NAPOLEON

That's a very nice name. Where are

you from?

GIRL

Please, sir, come into bed or I

shall die of a chill.

NAPOLEON

Oh, yes... of course.

He stands and blows out the candle.

TITLE: 1789 - REVOLUTION

EXT. TOWN SQUARE - DAY

It is jammed with 300 peasants and town workers. Many are

women, Monsieur Varlac, the revolutionary leader, stands

on a cart flanked by a small Revolutionary Committee. He

is muscular, bald man in his forties, wearing glasses.

Behind him, we see six severed heads, stuck on pikes.

VARLAC

Citizens, word has come from Paris

that the foul prison of the Bastille

has been captured.

(cheers)

That its Governor's head is up on a

pike.

(cheers)

All Paris is now in the hands of its

people.

(cheers)

Soon all France will be in the hands

of its people.

(cheers)

As the cheers die down, we hear the sounds of a solitary

drum and marching men. All eyes turn to the appearance of

a column of 25 French troops, led by Napoleon on a horse

and a single drummer, marching into the town square in a

column of threes.

Napoleon halts them just inside the square, and rides

forward, alone, into the huge crowd, who gives way for his

horse. He stops about 10 feet from Varlac's cart. The

man of the people stands, hands on hips, glaring at

Napoleon, who is now completely surrounded by the crowd.

Varlac and his committee converse in whispers.

VARLAC

Good day to our brothers-in-arms.

Have you come to join us?

NAPOLEON

I am looking for Monsieur George

Varlac who resides in the Rue de

Frelicot. Do you know him,

monsieur?

VARLAC

Very well, Citizen Lieutenant. You

have come to the right place, for I

am Citizen Varlac.

The crowd laughs in an ugly way.

NAPOLEON

Contrary to what you have been

telling these good people, Monsieur

Varlac, France is still in the hands

of its proper authorities, and they

have sent me here with a warrant for

your arrest. You are charged with

the murder of Monseigneur de Bouchy

and his son, and the burning of his

chateau.

Varlac whispers to several of the men standing around him.

One of them disagrees and forcefully shakes his head.

VARLAC

A revolution is not a polite

discussion in a parlor, Citizen

Lieutenant. One does not call it

murder to kill such vermin.

NAPOLEON

(speaking for the

crowd)

You may save your philosophy for the

magistrate, Monsieur Varlac. I am

only a simple officer in the army,

and to me what you have done is

called murder, and his always been

called murder by honest men.

VARLAC

Then do you propose to arrest all of

us, Citizen Lieutenant? For I was

not there alone.

NAPOLEON

No, Monsieur Varlac, my warrant is

only for you. Now, will you please

come down at once. You will be

taken back to Chalon for trial.

Varlac and his committee talk in agitated whispers.

VARLAC

Citizen Lieutenant, my advice is to

leave this town at once with your

men. We do not wish to do harm to

our brothers in uniform.

NAPOLEON

Monsieur Varlac, do not pretend to

speak for these good people whom you

have misled and inflamed with

violent speech. Now, I order you to

come down from the cart.

Another whispered conference.

VARLAC

I do not recognize the authority of

the King or any of his lackeys.

Laughter from the crowd.

VARLAC

I suggest that you leave with your

men while you can.

NAPOLEON

(drawing his pistol)

Monsieur Varlac, I will count slowly

to five, and if you have not begun

to get down from the cart by then, I

will carry out your execution, on

the spot.

Without giving Varlac time for further discussion, he

begins the count.

NAPOLEON

One... Two... Three...

Several of the committee move away from Varlac.

NAPOLEON

Four... This is your last chance,

Monsieur Varlac.

Varlac is frightened, but make an obscene gesture. The

crowd laughs nervously.

NAPOLEON

Five...

Napoleon rides up to the cart, carefully aims his

revolver and shoots Varlac in the head. His entourage

leaps to safety.

A gasp of astonishment from the stunned crowd, who stand

hypnotized.

NAPOLEON

A confessed murderer has just been

shot. Now, let all honest men

return to their homes.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

EXT. TUILERIES PALACE - DAY

A mob of several thousand have broken in and forced Louis

XVI, Marie-Antoinette and their children out onto a

balcony. Derisive cheers come from the multitude in the

courtyard below. A dozen or so men of the revolution have

crowded out on to the balcony, pressing the King and Queen

on all sides. No one seems to know what to do next.

Louis XVI gives a half-hearted wave to the crowd.

A bottle of champagne and some glasses are brought out.

Two glasses are courteously handed to the Royal couple.

The revolutionaries raise their glasses. The King and

the Queen drink with them. This creates an uproar of

approval from the crowd.

Then one of the men pulls off his dirty, red stocking cap

and offers it to the King. Louis XVI stands and looks at

it blankly. The revolutionary reaches over and puts it on

his head. The crowd cheers.

NAPOLEON

Incredible... Incredible... How

could he let that rabble into the

Palace? If he had ridden out among

them on a white horse, they would

all have gone home. If he lacked

the courage to do that, a whiff of

grapeshot -- and they would still be

running.

EXT. VIEW OF TOULON - DAY

The harbor filled with British ships.

NARRATOR

In the summer of 1793, Civil war

swept through France, and the

important naval base at Toulon fell

into the hands of a Royalist

insurrection, which quickly handed

over the port to a combined British

and Spanish fleet.

EXT. TOULON HQ AREA - DAY

NARRATOR

A French army of 10,000 was ordered

to retake the port, but its

commander, General Carteaux, a well-

known Parisian painter, had little

experience in war and the siege

quickly became a stalemate.

General Carteaux, a florid and moustached man in his late

thirties, painting from life, a group of French soldiers,

posed in a patriotic tableau, their eyes fixed on a

distant vision of glory.

In the background, are the tents and the military bustle

of Carteaux's headquarters, set upon a hill overlooking

the harbor of Toulon.

EXT. TOULON ROAD - DAY

A smart French honor guard and military band is assembled

outside General Carteaux's headquarters for the arrival of

Paul Barras, Deputy from the Committee of Public Safety.

Barras exits his carriage, accompanied by four foppish

aides and embraces General Carteaux.

Barras is a virile, handsome, bisexual man with elegant

manners of the Ancien Regime.

Napoleon is an onlooker with other officers.

NARRATOR

Paul Francois Nicolas Barras, former

Viscount, now Citizen Deputy from

the Committee of Public Safety, had

been sent from Paris to personally

report on the failure of the Siege.

INT. TOULON HQ TENT - DAY

A large table has been set up in the middle of the tent,

at which are seated Paul Barras, his four civilian aides

and 7 generals.

Set up at one end of the table is a large military map of

Toulon, pinned to a board.

Standing back from the table, and ranging along the walls

of the tent, are 30 junior officers, the staff and aides

of the generals seated.

Napoleon, now a captain of artillery, is with that group.

Barras slowly squares up a stack of reports before him and

speaks.

BARRAS

Citizen generals, I have read all

your reports and noted your

signatures. In substance, your

views are unanimous. The English

positions, defending Toulon, are too

strong to be taken by our present

force. The two unsuccessful attacks

to date would appear to support your

arguments.

He looks around the table.

BARRAS

Citizen generals, it is no secret

with what displeasure the Committee

of Safety looks upon any lack of

patriotism or revolutionary zeal.

On the other hand, it obviously does

not wish to indulge in a futile

waste of life. Before I send your

reports to Paris for the Committee's

review, together with my opinion, I

should like to give you a final

opportunity to present any new ideas

which you may have developed since

writing these reports.

There is troubled silence, but the generals stand pat.

CARTEAUX

Citizen Barras, since there does not

seem to have been any new thoughts

among us, may we know the opinion

which you, yourself, have formed?

BARRAS

General Carteaux, my report on the

conduct of this campaign will go in

writing to the committee.

An awkward silence.

NAPOLEON

Excuse me, Citizen Barras.

All eyes go to Napoleon.

BARRAS

Yes -- who spoke up?

NAPOLEON

I did, sir.

Napoleon speaks with the uncomfortable yet determined

manner that shy but willful people often exhibit.

BARRAS

Yes, Captain? Have you anything you

wish to say?

NAPOLEON

(clearing his throat)

Yes, with all due respect, I do

Citizen Barras.

BARRAS

Please...

NAPOLEON

May I come to the map?

ANIMATED MAP

Napoleon's plan for the capture of Toulon. Explaining

with narration how, rather than trying to capture the town

by storm, it is, instead, only necessary to capture Fort

Eguillette, a promontory of land from which French

batteries would command the inner and outer harbors of

the port, making them untenable to the English fleet, and

quickly leading to the fall of the city.

EXT. FORT EGUILLETTE - DAY

A cold December day. The French tricolor is being raised

atop the main battery position on Fort Eguillette, a flat

area atop a hill, fortified with planks of wood and

wickerwork.

French gunners have already swung a few pieces of

artillery to face the harbor and fire on the English

ships, now well within range.

Napoleon wheels around on a white horse, shouting orders

-- a bloody bandage wrapped around his thigh. The wounded

of both sides are being cared for.

EXT. TOULON FIELD - DAY

A fine, winter day in a field near the military barracks

of Toulon. Several hundred troops have been drawn up to

form an honor guard for the presentation of Napoleon's

commission as Brigadier General. Spectators stand under

the bare trees, and little boys watch from atop an

embankment.

Barras presents Napoleon with his commission and a

fraternal embrace. The band strikes up.

Napoleon's mother watches from a small wooden reviewing

stand which has been prepared for local dignitaries and

officers.

INT. PARIS OFFICE - DAY

Robespierre lies severely wounded on a conference table,

amid a disarray of papers, surrounded but ignored by his

captors who lounge about, seated on chairs, waiting to be

told what to do next.

NARRATOR

In July of 1794, the death of

Robespierre ended the Reign of

Terror and sent Paris headlong into

a lavish whirl of pleasure seeking

and sensuality, as if it were

necessary to shake off the nightmare

and make up for lost time.

INT. BARRAS SALON - NIGHT

A large, elegant salon in the house of Paul Barras, in

Paris. There are ten card tables set up in the room,

around which are gathered the elite of the new society;

politicians, immensely rich war contractors, high ranking

army officers and government officials.

Many of the women are extremely beautiful, and display

their breast completely uncovered, in the fashion of the

day.

Napoleon is one of the few guests not playing cards; he

has no money. Ill at ease, he drifts from table to table,

hands clasped behind his back.

Josephine de Beauharnais is the most beautiful of all the

women in the room. Napoleon settles at her table, rocking

slowly on his heels. She plays for very high stakes and

is losing gracefully. She glances up, distracted

momentarily by his rocking, but her look lasts no longer

than the flick of a card.

But Napoleon notices her annoyance and moves off to the

bar, at one end of the room. The bartender, a friendly

creep, stands alone.

CORSICAN

Yes, sir?

NAPOLEON

A glass of champagne, please.

CORSICAN

(pouring)

Yes, sir. I hope you will excuse me

for asking, General Bonaparte, but

are you Corsican?

NAPOLEON

Yes, I am.

CORSICAN

I thought so, I noticed your name

when you were announced. I'm

Corsican too -- my name is Arena.

NAPOLEON

(starting to move

away)

Oh -- where do you come from?

CORSICAN

Bastia -- and you?

NAPOLEON

Ajaccio.

CORSICAN

Have you been back recently?

The bartender just manages to keep the conversation going.

NAPOLEON

I haven't been there for three

years.

CORSICAN

I haven't been back for ten years.

Is your family still there?

NAPOLEON

No, they're living in Nice now.

CORSICAN

That's a nice city. This is your

first time here, isn't it?

NAPOLEON

Yes, as a matter of fact, it is.

CORSICAN

You don't know many of Citizen

Barras' friends, do you?

NAPOLEON

Ah-hh, no.

CORSICAN

I thought not. I noticed you by

yourself, all night.

Napoleon nods, sips his champagne and starts to move away.

The Corsican leans forward and speaks in a confidential

whisper, scanning the room with a deadpan expression.

CORSICAN

Just a minute, General. Listen,

don't let them fool you with all

their grand la-de-da. They've all

made their money from the war --

mostly from crooked war contracts.

They say Citizen Barras has put away

millions.

NAPOLEON

(uncomfortably)

I see...

The Corsican whispers without any facial expression,

hardly moving his lips, without any sense of malice, but

more with a kind of shrewd respect for the big-shots, and

a satisfaction of being in on the know.

CORSICAN

And they say something else about

him. They say he never goes to bed

with less than two at a time -- two

at a time, and they say it doesn't

make a lot of difference to him

which sex they are, if you follow my

meaning, sir.

Napoleon nods, awkwardly, and leaves the bar.

CORSICAN

Have a nice evening, General.

Barras enters the room, stops in the doorway.

BARRAS

My friends, dinner will be ready in

half an hour. Please make your

plays accordingly.

His announcement draws only some mock cheers with low

murmurs from the losers. He comes up behind Josephine and

kisses her on the shoulder.

BARRAS

(softly)

How is your luck, darling?

Josephine slowly fans her cards to see the draw.

INT. BARRAS' MUSIC ROOM - NIGHT

Later in the evening, the guests are now assembled in

chairs, grouped in a semi-circle around two raised

rostrums -- one is really more of a small stage. The

smaller rostrum supports a string quartet playing Mozart.

The larger one is empty.

Napoleon sits at the back of the room, still alone and

awkward.

Servants snuff out the candles, leaving only the empty

stage illuminated.

It begins to look like a musical evening until the

entrance onto the stage of three very attractive girls,

dressed in heavy winter costumes.

The three "actresses" begin to talk about being snowbound

in a desolate cabin, when their conversation is

interrupted by the entrance of three young desperados.

The purpose of this entertainment quickly reveals itself

as the young men proceed to strip off the girls' clothing

and have intercourse with them.

The distinguished audience sits coolly appreciative of the

"sextet."

Napoleon, still the provincial, can scarcely believe his

eyes.

Josephine, seated next to Barras, watches the proceedings,

an imperturbable study of elegance and charm. Barras

takes her hand and smiles at her. She whispers something

to him and he nods, gravely.

EXT. PARIS STREET - DAY

A mob, carrying royalist signs, is jammed into a side

street, their exit barred by a few hundred government

troops. Things have come to a standstill, and the front

ranks of the opposing forces have begun to exchange crude,

but not unfriendly, jokes.

A table and two chairs, from a nearby cafe, have been

placed in the middle of the street, dividing the two

groups. Seated at it are General Danican, the emigre

leader of the mob, and General Menou, his government

opposite number. Danican is reading over some handwritten

sheets of paper which represent an improvised treaty

between the two forces. General Menou sips a cup of

coffee, looking worried and uncertain.

NARRATOR

A new political crisis was brewing

in Paris. The moderate government

of the Convention, which came to

power after the fall of Robespierre,

soon showed itself to be inept,

corrupt and unpopular -- and it was

now faced with a serious challenge

from the royalists. General Menou,

sent out to deal with the mob, lost

his nerve and agreed to withdraw his

troops from the Section.

EXT. PARIS STREET - NIGHT

It is the same evening. Napoleon, Junot and Marmont stand

in a crowd, listening to a Royalist speaker, who stands

atop a wagon, against a carefully painted sign,

illuminated by torches, reading "Long Live the King."

ROYALIST SPEAKER

Citizens of Paris, this morning, the

troops of the Convention, under

orders to sweep us from the streets,

gave way before our victorious

banners.

(cheers)

Their officers knew they would not

fire upon us. Citizens of Paris,

nothing can stop us now. We are

40,000 strong. Tomorrow morning, we

will occupy the Convention itself,

and we will exterminate the

hypocritical parasites who have bled

France without pity.

(cheers)

Long Live the King!

INT. BARRAS' OFFICE - NIGHT

Barras' office in the Tuileries. The room is lit by

candles. Barras is in a terrible state, ashen from fear

and lack of sleep.

Napoleon enters. Barras rises from his desk and comes

forward to greet him.

BARRAS

Ah, my dear friend, come in, come

in. Please sit down.

NAPOLEON

I'm sorry, I was at the theater and

I didn't receive your note until I

returned to my hotel.

BARRAS

Thank you for coming. Would you

care for a drink?

NAPOLEON

No, thank you.

Barras shakily pours a large brandy for himself, speaking

in subdued and apprehensive tones, frequently running his

hands through his hair.

BARRAS

I don't have to tell you of our

latest difficulties.

NAPOLEON

Things are quite serious, I should

say.

BARRAS

We expect an attack on the

Convention tomorrow morning, at

daybreak, and I have been placed in

charge of its defense.

NAPOLEON

What do you have in mind?

BARRAS

To be perfectly honest, I haven't

the vaguest idea.

NAPOLEON

Are you serious?

BARRAS

I don't even know whether a defense

is possible.

NAPOLEON

What forces do you have at your

disposal?

BARRAS

About 5,000 troops.

NAPOLEON

Cavalry?

BARRAS

The 21st Dragoons, about two or

three-hundred troopers.

NAPOLEON

Any cannon?

BARRAS

There are none here.

NAPOLEON

Where are they?

BARRAS

Well, I believe there are at least

30 guns at Sablons.

NAPOLEON

You could have them here by

daybreak.

BARRAS

Is this enough to oppose 40,000 men?

NAPOLEON

Properly arranged, yes.

BARRAS

These are odds of 8 to 1.

NAPOLEON

The numbers are not particularly

relevant. You are not up against

soldiers -- this is a mob, and they

will run as soon as things become

sufficiently unpleasant.

BARRAS

Would you be prepared to handle this

for me?

NAPOLEON

Are you proposing to transfer

command to me?

BARRAS

In every practical sense, yes, but,

officially, of course, I would have

to retain command.

NAPOLEON

Fair enough.

BARRAS

I must be honest with you. I first

approached three generals more

senior than yourself, and they all

very prudently sent excuses.

NAPOLEON

I'm not insulted.

BARRAS

You realize what is at stake?

NAPOLEON

(smiling)

Our lives, the revolution, my

career?

BARRAS

Look, let me be completely open with

you, I have a carriage and an escort

waiting for me, and I have a great

deal of money outside of France.

Unless we stand a very good chance

of carrying this off, I am prepared

to call it quits right now.

Napoleon puts his arms around Barras' shoulder.

NAPOLEON

Paul, everything will be all right.

EXT. PARIS STREET - DAY

Dreamlike, slow-motion shots of the cannon firing point

blank into the mob on the Rue St. Honore, outside the

Convention. They are devastated and there is immediate

panic.

Murat's cavalry charges them, and the infantry follows

with fixed bayonets. There is no sound of the guns. The

only sound is Napoleon's calm voice:

NAPOLEON (V.O.)

I ordered the artillery to fire ball

immediately, instead of blanks,

because, to a mob, who are ignorant

of fire arms, it is the worst

possible policy to start out firing

blanks. When they first hear the

terrific noise of the guns, they are

frightened, but, looking around them

and seeing no effect from the

cannon, they pick up their spirits,

become twice as insolent and rush on

fearlessly. It becomes necessary

then to kill ten times their number

to make an impression.

INT. NAPOLEON'S PARIS HQ - DAY

Napoleon's new plush headquarters in Paris. Pencil

between his teeth, dividers in one hand, he creeps around

on hands and knees on top of a very large map of Italy,

laid out from wall to wall. Other large maps cover the

table, the couch and any other available space.

Murat, Marmont, Junot and Berthier creep around with him,

working out various march routes. Appropriate ad lib

dialogue will cover the action.

At one point, Napoleon and Berthier bump heads.

NARRATOR

The crisis was over, and the way was

paved for the formation of the new

government of the Directory, with

Barras at its head. Napoleon was

made Commander of the Army of Italy.

There is a knock at the door.

MARMONT

Come in.

ORDERLY

Excuse me, Captain, but there is a

young man outside who wishes to see

General Bonaparte -- his name is

Eugene de Beauharnais.

MARMONT

General Bonaparte is seeing no one

this morning.

ORDERLY

Yes, sir.

NAPOLEON

(without looking up)

What did you say his name was?

ORDERLY

Eugene de Beauharnais.

NAPOLEON

Is he alone?

ORDERLY

Yes, sir.

NAPOLEON

Show him in.

The orderly shows Eugene into the room.

ORDERLY

Citizen de Beauharnais.

Eugene is 16, handsome, well-mannered and extremely

nervous. Napoleon remains hunched over his map.

NAPOLEON

(after some silence)

Good morning, Citizen de

Beauharnais.

EUGENE

Good morning, sir. Are you General

Bonaparte?

NAPOLEON

I am, Citizen. Is your mother

Madame Josephine de Beauharnais?

EUGENE

Yes, sir. Are you acquainted with

her?

NAPOLEON

I have met her. What is your

business with me?

EUGENE

I believe you issued an order that

all citizens of Paris must hand over

any weapons that they have in their

possession.

NAPOLEON

That is correct.

EUGENE

This morning, a Lieutenant and three

soldiers came to our house and asked

if we had weapons. I explained we

had only my late father's sword,

which, in fact, was not a weapon but

only a keepsake of memory.

NAPOLEON

(marking the map)

A sword is a weapon whatever else

you might wish to use it for.

EUGENE

I told the Lieutenant my late father

was General Alexander de

Beauharnais, and asked if there was

any consideration that might be

given to his memory.

NAPOLEON

And he sent you to me?

EUGENE

He said no one had the authority to

rescind the order except you.

NAPOLEON

Does your mother know you have come?

EUGENE

No, sir.

NAPOLEON

Well, then, you have a lot of

initiative, my young friend.

EUGENE

My father's sword means more to me

than any other possession I have.

NAPOLEON

You realize, of course, that

thousands of swords have been

collected. How do you expect me to

find yours?

Eugene removes a slip of paper from his pocket.

EUGENE

The Lieutenant gave me a receipt for

it and said it would be kept at the

Section Le Pelletier Police

Barracks.

EXT. GARDEN - DAY

The garden at Josephine's house on Rue de Chanterine.

Napoleon enters, carrying a very strange-looking package,

wrapped in paper, about three-feet long, following

Hortense de Beauharnais, age 16.

HORTENSE

Mama, this is General Bonaparte.

NAPOLEON

(bowing)

Madame de Beauharnais.

JOSEPHINE

Ah, how nice to meet you, General

Bonaparte. One has read so much

about you lately. Please sit down.

NAPOLEON

Thank you, Madame de Beauharnais.

You probably don't recall but we met

briefly a few months ago, at a party

at Paul's house.

JOSEPHINE

Oh... yes, of course! Have you met

my daughter, Hortense?

NAPOLEON

Yes, we introduced ourselves at the

door.

JOSEPHINE

May I offer you a drink?

NAPOLEON

Oh, I don't want to put you to any

inconvenience.

JOSEPHINE

Oh, it's not the slightest

inconvenience, General Bonaparte.

It is an honor to have you here.

NAPOLEON

You are very kind, Madame de

Beauharnais. Do you have some

sherry, perhaps?

JOSEPHINE

Yes, of course. Hortense, darling,

will you tell Louise to bring some

sherry?

HORTENSE

Yes, mama. Will you excuse me,

General Bonaparte?

NAPOLEON

Yes, of course.

Hortense exits.

NAPOLEON

I hope you will forgive me for

barging in on you like this, Madame

de Beauharnais. I called to bring

this to your son, but I understand

from your charming daughter that he

is out for the afternoon.

JOSEPHINE

Yes, I'm afraid he is. I believe he

is riding. I know he'll be

heartbroken to have missed you.

NAPOLEON

Well, I'm sure that you will be just

as pleased to have this as he will

be.

Holding out the package.

JOSEPHINE

General Bonaparte, my curiosity is

unbearable. May I ask what you have

in that mysterious package?

Napoleon proudly unwraps the paper with a flourish and

holds the huge sword with both hands.

NAPOLEON

Your late husband's sword, Madame,

returned with my compliments.

The paper starts to blow away and Napoleon steps on it.

Josephine stares at the sword, blankly.

JOSEPHINE

Oh... how very nice of you to bring

that for Eugene... Did General de

Beauharnais give it to you?

NAPOLEON

No, I'm afraid I never had the

pleasure of meeting the General.

This sword was taken several days

ago from your son by some of my

soldiers.

JOSEPHINE

Oh, you must forgive me, General

Bonaparte, I'm afraid you will think

me incredibly stupid but I know

absolutely nothing about this.

Eugene is so independent -- he

hardly tells me anything any more,

and he has so many things in his

room, I must confess I wasn't even

aware that he had this sword -- you

know how boys can be!

They both laugh.

INT. JOSEPHINE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

The candlelit, oval bedroom is completely encircled with

floor-to-ceiling mirrored panels, which multiply the

erotic images of Napoleon and Josephine, making love.

Napoleon's voice, reading the letter below, is heard over

the scene.

NAPOLEON (V.O.)

My dearest Josephine -- I awaken

full of you. Between your portrait

and the memory of our intoxicating

night, my senses have had no

respite. Sweet and incomparable

Josephine, what is this bizarre

effect you have upon my heart? What

if you were to by angry? What if I

were to see you sad or troubled?

Then my soul would be shattered by

distress. Then your lover could

find no peace, no rest. But I find

none, either, when I succumb to the

profound emotion that overwhelms me,

when I draw up from your lips, from

your heart, a flame th