NAPOLEON

EXT. OCEAN BOTTOM - DAY

Eerie shot of two French ships lying on sea bottom.

INT. ADMIRAL'S CABIN - DAY

A drowned French Admiral floats in his cabin with his

papers, books, clothes and a roast chicken.

EXT. PARADE GROUND - DAY

Francis II, the severe, opportunistic Emperor of Austria,

reviewing his troops. He is a year older than Napoleon.

NARRATOR

Napoleon's invasion plans were

foiled by England's correct naval

strategy, and by their alliances

with Austria and Russia. Subsidized

by England, Francis II was goaded

into war by Napoleon's assumption of

the crown of Italy.

EXT. PARADE GROUND - DAY

The 29-year old Tsar Alexander reviewing Russian troops.

NARRATOR

He was joined by the young,

melancholy Tsar Alexander I, who had

ascended the throne at the age of

24, after the Palace Guard murder of

his father, Tsar Paul, and now had

rival pretensions to Napoleon as the

arbiter of Europe.

EXT. REAR AREA AUSTERLITZ BATTLEFIELD - DAY

The young Tsar sits by the side of the road and weeps.

His entourage stand by ineffectually, at a respectful

distance. All around him is the evidence of the Russian

disaster at Austerlitz.

NARRATOR

But four months later, on the

anniversary of Napoleon's

coronation, Alexander would weep

over the shattered wreck of his

army, on the battlefield of

Austerlitz.

EXT. NAPOLEON HQ AUSTERLITZ - DAY

A cold, blustery day. A large fire has been built at the

base of a steep-sided gully. French cavalry vedettes are

posted at the top of the hill. A party of 50 Austrian

hussars, escorting 3 Imperial carriages, comes to a halt.

Drummers and trumpeters sound a salute.

Napoleon helps the defeated Emperor Francis, of Austria,

from his carriage, embracing him with cordiality.

This is the first meeting between Napoleon and an

important European monarch.

NAPOLEON

Ah, my dear Francis, what a genuine

pleasure it is to meet you at last.

FRANCIS

I fear our meeting is long

overdue... Napoleon.

NAPOLEON

I'm sorry that I am unable to offer

you better hospitality, but this is

the only place I have inhabited for

the past month.

FRANCIS

(shivering)

You have made such excellent use of

it; I should think you will hate to

leave it.

NAPOLEON

Shall we move closer to the fire?

FRANCIS

Yes -- an excellent idea.

They leave their staffs standing on the road.

NAPOLEON

Will Alexander be joining us soon?

FRANCIS

I very much doubt that he will.

NAPOLEON

Oh...?

FRANCIS

I'm afraid he has been rather upset

by the outcome of the battle.

NAPOLEON

I see.

Francis has developed a violent chill.

FRANCIS

(shivering)

But he asked me to say...

(shivering)

on his behalf... that your

achievements have increased his...

(shivering)

admiration for you, and that he

believes... your success is

predestined by heaven...

(shivering)

and that his army...

NAPOLEON

(interrupting)

My dear Francis, you do seem

extremely uncomfortable.

FRANCIS

I'm afraid I am, just a bit.

NAPOLEON

(offering a flask)

Would you like some brandy?

FRANCIS

Thank you.

NAPOLEON

I'll have the fire built up.

He shouts to his staff.

NAPOLEON

Berthier, we need some more wood for

the fire -- and some brandy.

Berthier issues orders and soldiers dash off for the wood.

An aide dashes forward with the brandy.

FRANCIS

Thank you, Napoleon.

NAPOLEON

Francis, may I ask whether you wear

warm winter underwear?

Francis downs a big swig of brandy.

FRANCIS

(surprised)

No -- not as a rule.

NAPOLEON

Ah, well, that is the first rule of

warfare. You must wear long-sleeved

and long-legged underwear. You can

never conjure up brilliancies with a

cold bottom.

They both laugh -- Francis, cheerlessly.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

EXT. FRENCH EMBASSY IN BERLIN - DAY

As an act of provocation, Prussian noble guards sharpen

their swords on the steps of French Embassy in Berlin.

NARRATOR

Having ruined the Austro-Russian

alliance by her neutrality, Prussia

proceeded, in the following year, to

commit suicide by taking on Napoleon

single-handed.

EXT. PARADE GROUND - DAY

Queen Louisa and King Wilhelm review Prussian troops.

NARRATOR

Led by the warlike Queen Louisa, and

her fashion-minded husband, King

Frederich Wilhelm, the Prussians

still believed themselves cast in

the mold of Frederick the Great, and

more than a match for Napoleon. The

King had a special collection of 60

splendid uniforms, and was

personally involved in the design of

all the Prussian army uniforms.

NAPOLEON (V.O.)

If the French army had been

commanded at Jena and Auerstadt by a

tailor, the King of Prussia would

certainly have gained the day.

INT. OPERA HOUSE - NIGHT

Napoleon enjoying a performance of "Don Giovanni." An

aide tiptoes into the box and hands him a note which

reads:

"Prussian ultimatum delivered to me

today by Haugwitz. War is now

imminent. Talleyrand."

Napoleon quietly folds the note, putting it away in his

pocket. Berthier leans over inquiringly. Napoleon puts

his finger to his lips, redirects his attention to the

stage, crosses his arms and settles comfortably back into

his seat.

NARRATOR

Prussia would make the same

strategic error that Austria made in

the previous year, and she would

over-confidently rush forward to

meet the French alone, without

waiting for their Russian allies.

In seven days of fighting, the

Prussian army would be virtually

destroyed.

EXT. ROAD - DAY

Tsar Alexander, happy and confident, surrounded by aides,

flags and military grandeur, on the march with his army.

NARRATOR

Unconvinced by his defeat at

Austerlitz, committed by alliance to

Prussia and concerned about his

interest in Poland, Alexander would

once again take the field against

Napoleon.

EXT. NIEMEN RIVER - DAY

The colors of France and Russia flutter, side by side, in

the summer breeze, atop a large, ornately decorated raft,

moored in mid-stream. It is an incredible sight, made of

huge logs and planks, beautifully carpeted, draped with

bunting, and with two small pavilions built on top, their

roofs and walls covered with drapery, flags and colored

silks.

On the opposite banks are the massed formations and colors

of the French and Russian Imperial Guards.

At a prearranged time, nervously checked and rechecked by

pocket-watches, clicking open and closed, the two Emperors

set off, in decorated long boats, to their rendezvous in

mid-stream.

As they proceed, an unintentional race between oarsmen

develops.

Napoleon disembarks first and is thus able to welcome Tsar

Alexander aboard.

They embrace and, at this moment, a tumultuous roar of

approval, the sound of fanfares, the beating of drums,

issues forth from both banks of the river. It is a

splendid and marvelously absurd scene.

NARRATOR

But in June of the following year,

after the crushing defeat at

Friedland, Alexander would be forced

to sue for peace again -- this time

in person, and with some surprising

results.

ALEXANDER

Ah, my dear, Napoleon, how good it

is to meet you at last.

NAPOLEON

And, what a great pleasure it is,

indeed, to meet you, Alexander.

ALEXANDER

(looking around)

And, what a delightful idea!

NAPOLEON

Ah -- you approve?

ALEXANDER

I think it's absolutely charming.

NAPOLEON

I'm glad you like it.

ALEXANDER

Whatever suggested the idea to you?

NAPOLEON

(with exaggerated

secrecy)

I shall tell you in the strictest

confidence -- when I was a boy, I

had a passion for rafts, and never

had the opportunity to build one.

They both laugh.

The two Emperors now introduce their staffs.

INT. TILSIT SALON - DAY

Napoleon and Alexander, leaning on their elbows, on a

large map of the world, spread out on a table.

NARRATOR

Alexander had come to treat as a

fallen enemy, but would find that to

be defeated by Napoleon seemed

equivalent to winning a great

victory. There would be not

territorial demands, no reparations

-- only an intoxicating proposal to

divide the world between them.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Napoleon and Alexander slowly walk through the beautiful

gloom of the dark forest. They are thoughtful, relaxed,

enjoying the splendor of the late afternoon.

NAPOLEON

We have no rivalry, we have no vital

issues at stake. We are only at war

because you are the ally of England,

and, in this, it seems to me, you

are serving only the interests of

England.

Alexander does not immediately reply.

ALEXANDER

(quietly and

thoughtfully)

If your fight is against England,

and against her alone, then we shall

easily come to terms -- for I have

as much reason to complain as you

have. England has brought me into

conflict with false promises, and

has left me to face defeat single-

handed.

EXT. FOREST AND FIELDS - DAY

The Tsar and Napoleon riding together, their entourage and

escort follow a few hundred yards behind.

NARRATOR

Napoleon and Alexander would spend

two weeks together, seeing each

other every day and sharing the

entertainments of the evening. Each

had set out to charm and flatter the

other, and each would succeed. They

would talk of everything together,

as two brothers -- philosophy,

women, politics, war, science.

INT. THEATER - NIGHT

The Tsar and Napoleon seated together in a box at the

theater.

ALEXANDER (V.O.)

My dear sister, God has saved us.

Instead of having sacrifices to

make, we are coming out of this

struggle with a kind of glory. But

what do you think about this? I

spend whole days with Bonaparte, and

hours and hours in private

conversation with him. I as you --

isn't this like something from a

dream?

EXT. PARADE GROUND - DAY

Napoleon and Alexander reviewing French troops.

NAPOLEON (V.O.)

If Alexander were a woman, I think I

should fall passionately in love

with him. But, at the same time,

there is something very peculiar

about him -- something lacking, but

it is impossible to foresee

precisely what will be lacking in

any given instance, for the defect

seems infinitely variable.

INT. SAUNA BATH - DAY

Alexander and Napoleon sit together, naked.

NAPOLEON

You can always tell at a glance

whether retreating infantry are

being pursed by cavalry, because

they hurry along and keep turning

around and looking back. When they

are retreating before infantry, they

merely trudge along, head down.

ALEXANDER

Fascinating! Tell me, leaving aside

the question of grand strategy, for

the moment, what would you say is

the single most difficult tactical

skill to master?

NAPOLEON

Without a doubt, to estimate the

enemy's strength on the battlefield.

This is something that is only

acquired by experience and instinct.

At Jena, there were as many opinions

about strength of the enemy as there

were generals present. Murat said

there were 50,000, preparing to

attack. Berthier said there were no

more than 25,000, about to withdraw.

"Berthier sees only what is in the

open," Murat said. "But don't

forget there is a second force

hidden in the forest." And so it

would always go, each of them would

judge things according to his own

ability, character and state of

mind, at the moment.

ALEXANDER

Ah, my dear Napoleon, sometimes I

feel that I am not really an Emperor

as you are.

NAPOLEON

What do you mean?

ALEXANDER

I know absolutely nothing of war --

and I am still totally dependent

upon my generals.

Napoleon laughs, reassuringly.

NAPOLEON

That is a problem, and I can

appreciate your feelings. But I'm

sure you have great talent for war,

and I could teach you a lot. If we

are ever at war again together, you

should lead, say, 30,000 men, under

my orders -- you would soon get the

feel of it.

INT. NAPOLEON'S BATHROOM - DAY

Napoleon soaks in a steaming tub.

Talleyrand, constantly wiping his glasses, balances on his

lap a thick sheaf of draft notes of the Treaty of Tilsit,

referring to them during the discussion.

TALLEYRAND

Article 46, calls for the virtual

dismemberment of Prussia, reducing

her population by half and her army

to a token force.

NAPOLEON

Does she deserve anything better?

TALLEYRAND

Those are extremely harsh terms.

NAPOLEON

I did not ask her to go to war

against me.

TALLEYRAND

Has Alexander agreed to this?

NAPOLEON

Yes, he has.

Talleyrand looks dismayed and leafs through some more

papers.

TALLEYRAND

Now, the section headed "Secret

Clauses of the Treaty" -- Article

14b, provides for Alexander to serve

as mediator between France and

England and, if he fails to achieve

a preliminary agreement within four

months, it further provides that

Russia is to go to war against

England, and close her ports to

English trade.