NAPOLEON

ALEXANDER

Caulaincourt, my father was

strangled in his bed by his own

Palace Guard. Can you blame me for

not wishing to meet the same end?

Caulaincourt is at a loss for a reply.

CAULAINCOURT

Your Majesty knows my affection for

him is deep and genuine, and goes

far beyond my official role as

Ambassador. But I would be remiss

in my feelings for you, and in my

responsibility to the Emperor, if I

did not say that it is entirely

possible that the Emperor will view

your refutation of the terms of the

Treaty of Tilsit, as the first step

in the exchange of a French alliance

for an English one -- with all the

dangers that might entail.

ALEXANDER

(after a long pause)

I have given a great deal of thought

to that possibility, and I am

prepared to face it. If it should

come to war, and I presume that is

what you are alluding to, I would

rather have war with the Emperor

than my own people.

INT. NAPOLEON'S OFFICE TUILERIES - DAY

NAPOLEON

(pleasantly)

Monsieur Barbier, I would like to

have all the books, that are best

worth consulting, on the topography

of Russia, and especially of

Lithuania, with special attention to

the rivers, forests, roads, marshes

and so forth. I would also like to

have the most detailed account there

is of Charles XII's campaigns in

Poland and Russia.

INT. NAPOLEON'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Maps and books are everywhere. Napoleon is on his hands

and knees, creeping around on a huge map of Russia.

NARRATOR

The seeds of the Russian campaign of

1812 were planted at Tilsit, in

1807, and began to bear fruit in

1810, when Alexander reopened his

ports to British goods and imposed

high tariffs on French imports.

From then on, the situation between

France and Russia steadily began to

deteriorate -- friction grew,

accusations were exchanged,

spasmodic negotiations were

attempted, tension increased and

extensive military preparations were

carried out by both sides.

EXT. DRESDEN STREET - DAY

Crowds. Honor Guard. Imperial carriages. Napoleon and

Marie-Louise greet Francis of Austria, Frederich Wilhelm

of Prussia, and the other Kings.

NARRATOR

Napoleon had made up his mind that a

showdown with Russia was inevitable.

Dresden was appointed as a mutual

rendezvous for all the Kings,

Princes, Dukes and dependent

royalties of every description, who

were subordinates to Napoleon, or

who hoped for good or evil at his

hands. And it was here, on May 16,

1812, where for the last time he

would appear as King of Kings.

Emperor Francis of Austria and his wife, Maria Ludovica,

embrace the Imperial couple.

NAPOLEON

(embracing Francis)

Since my marriage, some people have

said the lion has been sleeping --

they will now see whether he has

been sleeping.

Good-natured laughter.

NARRATOR

The Emperor of Austria, with his

Empress, had come to honor his

mighty son-in-law. But he had

already written to Alexander that

the Treaty just signed with France

should not, he hoped, prevent Russia

and Austria from continuing their

secret understanding, relative to

their common political views.

King Frederich Wilhelm embracing them.

NARRATOR

The King of Prussia also came to pay

his respects. He had already

written to Alexander, excusing

himself for having yielded to

irresistible force and fatality.

"If war breaks out, we shall harm

each other only as much as is

strictly necessary, remembering

constantly that we are one, that we

must one day be allies again."

INT. DRESDEN PALATIAL ROOM - DAY

Napoleon and the monarchs are seated at a large table.

NAPOLEON

Never was the success of an

expedition more certain. I see on

all sides nothing but probabilities

in my favor. For the first time, I

advance at the head of the combined

forces of France, Austria, Italy,

Germany, the Confederation of the

Rhine, and Poland.

He smiles at each ruler as their country is mentioned.

EMPEROR FRANCIS

Let us hope that just the sight of

our preparations will cause

Alexander to yield.

NAPOLEON

That is my fervent hope. I love

Alexander, as a brother, and wish

him no harm.

FREDERICH WILHELM

If war should come, Alexander has

sworn he will not make peace under

any conditions, however many battles

he may lose, using the size of his

country, the poverty of the soil and

the rigors of the climate, to wear

you down.

NAPOLEON

I know he has said that, and I am

sure that he would like to believe

it's true. But Russia is a semi-

Asiatic nation which cannot field an

army as large as your own, and has

no literature or music to speak of.

It is a barbarian nation, and

barbarians are superstitious and

have simple ideas. A single blow

delivered at the heart of the

Russian Empire, at Moscow the Great,

Moscow the Holy, will, in a single

instant, put this whole blind

apathetic mass into despair.

Napoleon pauses, thoughtfully.

NAPOLEON

I know Alexander. His imagination

must be struck by some great, bold,

powerful stroke, and he will come

back to me, just as he did at

Friedland.

EXT. BANK OF VISTULA RIVER - DAY

NARRATOR

With his army of 400,000 men in

concealed bivouacs, on a ten mile

front, in the forests, bordering the

banks of the Vistula river, Napoleon

conducted a last minute personal

reconnaissance, disguised in the

uniform of a Polish lancer.

Napoleon rides along the river bank, accompanied by

Berthier, Murat, Duroc, Bessieres and Davout, all

similarly disguised.

The opposite bank of the river is silent and deserted.

The only sounds to be heard are those of the river and of

birds singing.

Suddenly, Napoleon's horse stumbles and falls. Napoleon

is stunned and helped to his feet by his concerned

entourage.

NAPOLEON

(smiling)

Well, this is an ill-omen, indeed.

Caesar would probably turn back.

There is uneasy laughter.

EXT. FLAT RUSSIAN COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Impressive shot of the Grand Army on the march. Maximum

numbers.

NARRATOR

The campaign of 1812 was the first

time in which Napoleon had a marked

superiority of numbers, but in

accumulating such a mass of uneven

quality, he would defeat his object,

which was to bring about another

Austerlitz or Friedland.

EXT. FLAT RUSSIAN COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Russian army retreating in good order.

NARRATOR

The disparity of numbers left the

Russians no option but to avoid

battle and repeatedly disengage,

however much political pressure

developed for them to stand and

fight.

EXT. RUSSIAN VILLAGE - DAY

Russian rear guard cavalry setting light to the deserted

houses.

NARRATOR

Alexander gave orders that his

retiring army should blow up bridges

behind them, destroy the cities and

villages, remove all the necessities

of life, and leave behind them,

nothing but a desert waste.

EXT. HILL - DAY

NARRATOR

Although the Russians refused any

major encounters, there was fierce

fighting between the French advance

guard and the Russian rear guard.

Concealed in some trees, the Russian rear guard cavalry

occupies a height, above a village occupied by the French

advance guard infantry.

Fifty French grenadiers, part of the advance guard,

ascends the hill, unaware of the enemy cavalry waiting for

them.

When the French infantry are half way up the hill, the

Russian cuirassiers and cossacks gallop down the hill and

surround the grenadiers, who immediately form into a

square. It is no contest. 200 cavalry against 50

infantry, with no help in sight.

The Russian officer commanding the cavalry rides up to

them, demanding their surrender. The officer, in command

of the French, answers by killing him with a pistol shot.

Upon this, the Russian cavalry, inexplicably, leave the

field, allowing the French to withdraw.

ANIMATED MAP

Showing progress of the Grand Army's march through Russia

during the summer of 1812.

Narration to explain situation.

NARRATOR

The Tsar's scorched earth strategy

was in line with the views of some

of the more enlightened Russian

strategists, but the army and the

people were full of reckless

confidence and impatience for

battle, and the long retreat to

Moscow filled them with bitterness

and a sense of feebleness and

incompetence at the top.

INT. ROSTOPCHIN'S SALON - NIGHT

NARRATOR

As Napoleon approached Moscow, the

court of St. Petersburg was in

despair, and the Tsar, his resolve

shaken, was ready to sue for peace.

Now, the intervention of one man,

Count Feodor Vasilievitch

Rostopchin, the Governor of Moscow,

would have a decisive effect on the

course of history.

Rostopchin is a steady man, a good husband and father -- a

man of gentle and attractive manners, with a superior and

cultivated mind. Present are the head of the secret

police, and eleven senior Moscow officials. The doors are

locked, the shades are down and the men speak in low

voices.

ROSTOPCHIN

My friends, I have it now on

excellent authority that the French

will enter Moscow within a few days.

Kutusov still swears he will fight

to the death, but I have learned, on

excellent authority, he has plans to

surrender the city without a

struggle. Our empire is almost

overthrown. The court of St.

Petersburg trembles, and will begin

peace negotiations as soon as

Napoleon enters the Kremlin. One

can only imagine what will be lost.

My friends, we are living in a time

when men of conviction must be

prepared to influence the nation

even without the approval of their

sovereign. They must dare to

evaluate the public and private

interests which they may be called

upon a sacrifice.

He looks around the group.

ROSTOPCHIN

The flames of our beloved Moscow

will erect a barrier of fire between

the Tsar and all weakness, and they

will rob from Napoleon the end and

the aim of his campaign.

Pause.

ROSTOPCHIN

Is there anyone who wishes to

withdraw?

Silence.

ROSTOPCHIN

Very well -- there is a great deal

to be organized.

EXT. HILL OVERLOOKING MOSCOW - DAY

Napoleon standing on the summit of Sparrow Hill, looking

at the glittering domes and minarets of Moscow, in the

distance. Moscow is lordly and striking, with the

steeples of its 30 churches, and its copper domes

glittering in the sun; its palaces of eastern architecture

mingled with trees and surrounded with gardens; and its

Kremlin, a huge triangular mass of towers, something

between a palace and a castle.

But not a chimney sends up smoke, not a man appears on the

battlements or at the gates. All is silence. His

marshals are gathered around him.

NAPOLEON

It was all very well for Alexander

to do more damage to his country

than I could possibly do, but he

could not destroy Moscow. This is

the prize that will end the war.

You will see, we will have peace

offerings from him within a few

days.

EXT. MOSCOW STREET - DAY

A French cavalry patrol finds Moscow a ghost-town,

deserted, lifeless, a city of the dead, except for the

eerie echo of their horses' hoofs.

Behind them, a column of a 100 infantry march, led by a

drummer and a drum-major.

Suddenly, a wild-looking man, with long grey hair down to

his shoulders, and a thick white beard, armed with a

pitchfork, rushes out of an alley and into the path of the

troops.

He is such an incredible sight, the men laugh at him.

DRUM-MAJOR

Hello, grandfather. Are you the

only welcome we shall have today?

More laughter.

The old man suddenly attacks the drum-major with the

pitchfork, which the unfortunate man takes full in the

belly, letting out a horrible scream.

Several soldiers rush up to the old man and drag him off.

An officer shouts to bayonet him.

A soldier stabs at him but finds his bayonet will not

penetrate the man's thick sheepskin coat. Several others

have the same result.

The officer rides up and, without further ado, shoot him

with his pistol, accidentally wounding a French soldier in

the hand.

INT. KREMLIN BEDROOM - NIGHT

Napoleon is sleeping heavily. Duroc and Caulaincourt

stand over him, gently trying to wake him.

NAPOLEON

What do you want?

Napoleon immediately becomes aware of the strange light in

the room, leaps out of bed and rushes to the window. The

entire city seems to be in flames.