Il nemico di Napoleone

The eighteenth century was the most interesting century. It was the century when the modern world was born, when countries and empires were created and as Dickens described it: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness etc. One of the most important people of that time was of course William Pitt so surely a film about the great man would be truly amazing?

Unfortunately although he was one of our greatest prime ministers, if not our greatest, he was famously dull. He would never have succeeded in this personality and media focussed age, he was focussed on just one thing: running the country and ensuring Napoleon's ambitions were thwarted. He had no significant relationships, no significant friends, no scandal, not even a social life. So, not the ideal subject for a film then!

Nevertheless Carol Reed does manage to inject some life into our hero. He is brilliantly portrayed by Robert Donat whose sense purpose we can very much empathise with. So despite the handicaps, Gaumont-British do pull a rabbit out of empty bag with this and make a pretty decent and very watchable biopic.

Robert Donat is of course the leading character here, playing both father and son William Pitt with sincerity and honour, but Robert Morley as the indomitable opposition leader Charles Edward Fox is at least equally impressing. It's a very human film watching one of the most important and famous British prime ministers from the inside, his drinking, his health problem, and so forth, but the times around 1800 are conscientiously caught on celluloid, and Herbert Lom practices his great part as the best Napoleon ever before King Vidor's "War and Peace" 1956. It's a great history lesson with great human insights, and although a propaganda film during the war, as a history cavalcade from the days of George III it is wholly convincing and most entertaining, especially the election scenes.

I have no idea how a film starring the accomplished Robert Donat and a superb supporting cast could be disappointing, but it was. The film seemed to move in fits and starts, with Donat and Morley jabbing for 15 rounds. Napoleon was more energetic than either of them. He was well-played by Inspector Clouseau's boss, Herbert Lom.

We follow the rise of young Mr. Pitt, who ages rapidly into poor health and premature retirement during the conflict of England and France during the Napoleonic period. During this time, the US was a staunch ally of France, which was a major reason for the War of 1812.

We follow the victories of Lord Nelson on the seas, but there is no mention of Cromwell or Waterloo. The film was understandably talky (as that is what politicians do), but a few more examiniations of the military engagements would have been much more interesting.

"The Young Mr. Pitt" is a type of propaganda film that the British film industry made...and made quite well. Instead of filling the movie with evil Nazis, the movie is about another period in time...a period when the British people all banded together to defeat a different tyrant.

The film begins just before the American Revolution and focuses briefly on William Pitt the Elder. There are a few scenes with him and his very young son. Now, the film jumps ahead to just before the French Revolution. Young Pitt now is a member of the House of Lords like his father...and soon he'll be appointed the youngest Prime Minister in British history. The film follows him throughout the French Revolutionary period through the Napoleonic Wars.

Robert Donat is wonderful playing both Pitt the Elder and Younger. And, the film looks marvelous and is very well made. It essentially pushes the viewer toward patriotism as well as emphasizes that although the battle may be long, victory is on the horizon....just like WWII. An exceptional film that is probably much more interesting for British viewers or nuts like me who love history.

I first saw this film many years at school when the headmaster, a most enlightened man, had a film collector show it to us one afternoon. It made a lasting impression. It is beautifully made and wittily written. Donat gives an excellent performance as our most brilliant prime minister who gave his life, in effect, in the service of his country. There are also some superb cameos, most notably Robert Moreley as Charles James Fox. It gives an intriguing, if overdrawn, view of 18th century manners and behaviour. The House of Commons scenes, with members imitating clucking chickens to vent their disapproval is memorable. So no change there, then. And look out for the little man at the end of the row in No 10 as Pitt leaves office for the first time. Pitt lived to hear of Nelson's victory at Trafalgar, so it is not true, as one reviewer commented, that he died without knowing of Britain's victory over Napoleon. But why, with due respect, is it an American import? It is an essentially British film. Churchill raised the money to make it.