April 8, 2009 | by Sabrina Cognata 

Al Pacino Prepares To Exercise His Napoleon Complex

Al Pacino to play Napoleon

Hollywood is famous for putting out competing films about a similar topic or character, which is exactly what’s happening with Napoleon.

The epic French Emperor currently is a figure in two movies that are in pre-production.  The first film is the historical romance Napoleon and Betsy with Harry Potter star Emma Watson attached. The second being Betsy and the Emperor based on the children’s book by Stanton Rabin, which former Godfather star Al Pacino has signed on to play the gutsy Frenchman.

Napoleon and Betsy takes liberties with the story – having a young girl fall in love with the French emperor (which will most likely play out well with “Tweens”). The latter film Betsy and the Emperor will stay closer to the actual known history between Betsy and Napoleon. However, since it is based on a children’s book, the storyline is much more majestic.

According to Cinematical.com Betsy and the Emperor is:

“Based on the true story of Betsy Balcombe, Rabin’s tale follows the 14-year-old as she breaks out of her family’s fear of Bonaparte and becomes his friend while he’s exiled on St. Helena. The relationship is based in fact, but the book then adds a bunch of flair with accidental death and hot balloon adventures.”

It’s being said that Pacino has wanted to play the stout French emperor for some time, but I cannot imagine that his ideal role included fairy tale themes.  Then again, can he really be picky after the disaster that was Righteous Kill?  Perhaps even the great Pacino should be forced to go back to the drawing board after an absolute failure.

What do you think? Is Pacino trying to get out of his comfort zone or is he taking the role out of sheer desperation to play Napoleon on the silver screen?

Source: Cinematical

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Tags: betsy and the emperor,

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  • cool
    i think emma watson is too beautiful for al pacino but the movie goes like that so what i can do if my great gril emma watson will be with an old men.
  • Interesting indeed since we are celebrating Napoleon's ONLY NAVAL victory, in Grand Port - Mauritius in 2010.
    Other interesting fact, Napoleon's Confessor on St. Helena, Monsignor Buonavita, ended his days here. He is buried in Pamplemousses, in the catholic cemetery next to the Botanical Gardens.
  • 790
    @TJ, I loved "Heat" but the ending could have been way better.

    @The Rake, have you ever seen Pacino in person, he's practically a dwarf. He's only got a few inches on Devito.
    This is one character where he won't have to stand on apple boxes throughout the film.
  • High Kalibur
    @ MANOWAR

    "Pacino Syndrome = When you can’t act anymore, just yell at the camera in every scene…"

    HAHAHA!
  • I think Pacino catches too much flack for his acting these days. I do wonder if he is short enough though. Remember when Danny Devito was supposed to play Napoleon in a film within the film of Get Shorty? I still like to think of Al as a capable actor. Take Scarface for example, a disgrace he was not nominated for that role. I have devised a list of the top 10 'hood movies if you care to read it. One of Al's makes the list....

    http://thefilmnest.com/2009/04/10-movies-the-ho...

    The Rake
  • Manowar
    Both Pacino and Deniro have turned into horrible actors ever since they've hit their mid-forties.

    Pacino acts the same in every film nowadays and his acting style is spreading. Samuel L. Jackson has already been infected with the Pacino syndrome.

    Pacino Syndrome = When you can't act anymore, just yell at the camera in every scene... :)
  • TJ
    Curious to see how it works out. Not too happy about the kiddy bit though. We'll see.

    I haven't see Righteous Kill, maybe I will some day.
    I think I am one of a very few people who didn't like Heat.
    To be exact, I had problems staying awake during it. I hardly ever dislike 'great' movies, but of all of those, Heat and (for example) The Deer Hunter didn't do anything for me.
  • Shortstuff was 51 when he died, so Pacino is way too old to be credible in this role.
  • High Kalibur
    @ Sabrina

    A Righteous Kill was definitely horribe.

    I watched 'Heat' afew days before that so I was just thinking "man... together again (Pacino & Deniro) the has to be good!" -- never have I been so wrong.

    I think Al Pacino = Good choice for the power-crazed madman.... but a childrens book like the film is for children...? It seems to me like you would have take a great many liberties in order to dumb down Napoleon in manner that is suitable for children.

    Or am I not undrstanding the films aim?

    If both of them are not 'historial-type epics' based on his conquests it will be unfortuante because there and no quality biopics of his story and I've always wondered why.
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