The basis of the film's is on one of those legends which crop up around great men like weeds on a driveway. This one concerns the Emperor Napoleon who, while in exile on the island of St. Helena after his defeat at the battle of Waterloo, was supposedly replaced in captivity by a lowly sailor doppelganger. Don't expect any major fighting or spy style action because things don't turn out exactly as the plotters expect.As an amateur military historian I found that the film's exposition was very slow as Napoleon's entourage plan to free him from St. Helena. Whether or not this slowness helps those who are unfamiliar with the life of the Emperor is hard to say. However as soon as the great man is free of the island the film gets into its stride and gives us some neat touches of humour and a few nasty jibes at both the tourist trade and bureaucracy. Once in Paris, in order to pass the time while he waits for the signal to start the rising that will see the overthrow of the Bourbon kings of France and his own re-ascension to the throne, Napoleon applies his organisational and tactical gifts to selling groceries with amazing results.The whole film is an exercise in feel-good. No stupendous insights into the character of Napoleon or what it feels like to be cast down from such an elevated position but it all makes for a couple of hours of pleasant amusement. Such a pity that the warm fuzzy feelings engendered by a film like this evaporate so quickly as we emerge from the darkness of the cinema into the harsh light of the car park.

I probably would not have seen this movie if not for the rave reviews I read here. There were so many positive comments, it seemed I couldn't go wrong. You were all correct.Thanks to everyone who reviewed this film. It was absolutely superb! The characters and story line were very good. It could have happened the way it was shown.A wonderful, warm, charming, funny film. Don't miss this one. I gave it a 10/10.

This gem of a film deserved a far wider release than it got --shame on Paramount for not daring to place this gem in theatres. In a year where "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" occupied some smalltheatres for months, I had to wait until October to see "TheEmperor's New Clothes," a far better movie and not at all limited toart-house appeal, as the studio seemed to think.Sir Ian Holm is brilliant, affecting, and engaging in his third turn asthe diminutive Emperor, and relative newcomer Iben Hjejle is aperfect foil as the sweet yet tough-skinned "Pumpkin." But whatmakes this film is not so much its wonderful cast and perfectperiod settings, it's the visual magic of Alan Taylor, who opens andcloses the film with the candlelit wonder of an antique MagicLantern. In that nineteenth-century version of visual narrative, greatmen rose from humble origins to "GLOIRE" in a few hand-paintedframes -- only, as Holm's Napoleon insists, "that's not how itended." It would be a crime to reveal how this film ends, but it'show it unfolds which makes it shine -- what, after all, is anEmperor? Is he a suit of clothes? An attitude? A pose? Holm'sdouble role as the emperor's doppelganger shines a new, comic,yet serious light into this more than twice-told tale.

Ian Holm gives his usual sharp performance. The film is heavily dependent upon that, though Iben Hjejle gave a respectable portrayal of an up and coming produce merchant. The what-if historical situation is perfectly suited for this treatment and is squeaky clean enough for the whole family. The rest of the supporting cast was spiffy enough, but unremarkable, with the exception of the Tim McInnerny, who, as the Parisian doctor, is strongly understated.Lacking in this completely French story is French style acting or sensibility. The Italian production company pulls off the film with aplumb but lacks any French personality.I highly recommend this movie as a remedy to over-the-top action films and acutely self-indulgent Opray movies.