NAPOLEON

NAPOLEON

That is correct.

TALLEYRAND

Do you think Alexander has any

chance to succeed as a mediator?

NAPOLEON

I very seriously doubt it. I don't

think there is any possibility of

making peace with England so long as

she sees herself safe from invasion.

That is why we must increase the

pressure on her economy. With

Russia in the Continental Blockade,

England must collapse. More than

40% of her trade is with the

Continent and Russia.

TALLEYRAND

England can make no move against you

on the Continent without Austria. A

reliable treaty with Austria would

end her hopes in that regard.

NAPOLEON

We have a treaty with Austria.

TALLEYRAND

Not one I should like to rely on.

Francis is still smarting under the

terms he had to accept after

Austerlitz, and he is under great

pressure to recover his losses.

NAPOLEON

My dear Talleyrand, none of the

Kings of Europe bear any friendship

for France. It is easy for you to

talk of reliable treaties. The only

treaties you have been able to

negotiate are the ones I have won on

the battlefield.

TALLEYRAND

What I am talking about is

moderation.

NAPOLEON

What you are talking about is a

gamble on moderation -- when I

gamble, I prefer to gamble on force.

TALLEYRAND

And where do you place Alexander?

NAPOLEON

Alexander and I are friends. We

have reached an understanding.

TALLEYRAND

I hope that understanding is worth

as much as you think it is, sire.

My impression of Alexander is that

he is moody and impressionable,

capable of acting on sudden impulses

which then lead to sudden

embarrassments. He is an

unpredictable mixture of idealism

and vanity. You have dazzled him,

and you have performed a diplomatic

miracle, but Alexander is weak and

he is easily influenced by the last

one who has his ear.

NAPOLEON

That is a matter of opinion.

TALLEYRAND

Sire, you have only enemies in the

court of St. Petersburg, and I fear

outside your influence, Alexander

will have another look at what he

has agreed to.

NAPOLEON

He will stand by his agreement -- I

know him better than you do.

EXT. NIEMEN RIVER - DAY

Napoleon and Alexander exchange fraternal embraces, on the

bank of the Niemen river. Music, cheers, massed troops,

flags, cannon salutes.

NAPOLEON

(embracing Alexander)

My dear Alexander, between us there

must never be any third parties. We

must always deal directly with each

other and never allow Ministers or

advisors to muddy the waters.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

TITLE: THE FALL

INT. THRONE ROOM TUILERIES - DAY

Present for the Imperial divorce are all the high officers

of the Crown and the Empire, the Bonaparte family,

Hortense, Eugene. Josephine is seated next to Napoleon,

her eyes downcast.

NAPOLEON

The political interests of my

monarchy, and the wishes of my

people, require that I should

transmit to an heir, the throne, on

which providence has placed me. For

many years, I have lost all hopes of

having children by my beloved wife,

the Empress Josephine. It is this

consideration which induces me to

sacrifice the dearest affections of

my heart, to consult only the good

of my subjects, and to desire the

dissolution of our marriage.

Josephine, holding a paper in her hands, tries to read it

but uncontrollable sobs choke her voice.

JOSEPHINE

With the permission of my august and

dear husband, I must declare that,

retaining no hope of having

children, who may satisfy the

requirements of his policy in the

interests of France, I have the

pleasure of giving him the greatest

proof of attachment and devotedness

that was ever given on earth...

She cannot continue, and breaks down completely. Eugene

and Hortense comfort her. Hortense is crying, too.

But the Bonaparte family watch the proceedings, unmoved.

They have never forgiven Josephine.

Napoleon is pale and shaken. He whispers to an official,

Regnault de Saint-Jean-d'Angely, who picks up Josephine's

speech from the floor. He reads the speech to the

accompaniment of Josephine's tears.

D'ANGELY

I respond to all the sentiments of

the Emperor in consenting to the

dissolution of a marriage which is

now an obstacle to the happiness of

France, be depriving it of the

blessing of being, one day, governed

by the descendants of that great

man, who was evidently raised up by

providence to efface the evils of a

terrible revolution, and to restore

the altar, the throne and social

order.

EXT. MALMAISON GARDEN - DAY

Napoleon and Josephine walking, arm in arm. Their

entourages follow, a few hundred feet behind.

NARRATOR

On the day after the divorce,

Napoleon drove to Malmaison to visit

with Josephine, and this visit was

to set a pattern for all those to

come. They were always announced in

advance, there was something

ceremonious and constrained about

them, and they always left Josephine

in a state of deep depression.

INT. MALMAISON DINING ROOM - NIGHT

The dining room at Malmaison. Josephine and Hortense are

at dinner. Josephine is reading a letter from Napoleon,

her food untouched. Hortense is nervous and upset.

JOSEPHINE

(reading from letter)

My dearest Josephine -- I was

heartsick at the sight of you

yesterday. I, too, am sad today and

need to know that you are more

composed. This great palace echoes

with emptiness and I feel terribly

isolated. I am dinning all alone

tonight. The page I sent to

Malmaison this morning tells me he

saw you weeping. You promised me

you would stop. I want very much to

come to see you but you will have to

show more self-control.

Josephine puts the letter down.

JOSEPHINE

(vacantly)

Sometimes I have the feeling that I

am dead, and that the only sign of

life remaining to me is the vague

sensation that I no longer exist.

INT. TUILERIES BALLROOM - DAY

Napoleon is dancing with Murat. The only other person in

the large ballroom is Berthier. A trio of musicians,

placed outside the closed door, plays a waltz.

Murat is teaching Napoleon how to waltz. He is an expert

teacher, and Napoleon is a reasonable pupil. Berthier

watches glumly.

INT. AUSTRIAN EMBASSY RECEPTION IN PARIS - NIGHT

Duroc is dozing in an arm-chair. He is awakened by the

arrival of the Austrian Ambassador, Schwarzenburg, who

enters the room, covered with mud, his face smeared with

blood, and a deep cut behind his ear, trickling blood down

on his collar.

DUROC

Good heavens, Ambassador -- what has

happened?

SCHWARZENBURG

Ah, good evening, my dear Duroc.

I'm afraid I've been out hunting and

I have had a rather bad fall.

DUROC

Indeed you have, Ambassador. Have

you sent for a doctor?

SCHWARZENBURG

Yes, I have, and I hope you will

forgive me, Duroc, but unless your

visit is extremely urgent, I shall

have to ask you to excuse me until

tomorrow.

DUROC

I beg your indulgence, Ambassador,

but it is.

SCHWARZENBURG

(holding his face)

Oh?

He takes the Ambassador by the elbow and speaks softly so

that they cannot be overheard.

DUROC

The Emperor has decided to marry

your Archduchess, Marie-Louise.

SCHWARZENBURG

What is that?

DUROC

Earlier this afternoon, the Emperor

refused the hand of the Grand

Duchess Anna, of Russia, and, as I'm

sure you can appreciate, he is quite

able to change his mind again. For

the Emperor, to choose a wife, is

only a matter of minutes.

SCHWARZENBURG

But this is not a matter which can

be settled tonight, surely?

DUROC

No one can say how the Emperor's

thoughts work, Ambassador, and

unless we move quickly, he might

change his mind again.

SCHWARZENBURG

But, my dear Duroc, how can I act

without guidance from Vienna? I

haven't the slightest idea of how

the Emperor Francis might feel about

this.

DUROC

May I suggest that we can prepare

and sign the agreement, between

ourselves, subject to the approval

of the two Emperors. Believe me, my

dear friend, your Archduchess,

Marie-Louis, may very well hold, in

her hands, the future of our two

countries.

INT. THRONE ROOM SCHONBRUNN PALACE - DAY

The proxy wedding of Marie-Louis and Napoleon in Vienna.

The Archduke Charles stands in for the absent Napoleon.

FRANCIS II

I grant my daughter's hand to the

Emperor of the French.

MARIE-LOUISE

I, with my father's permission, give

my consent to my union with the

Emperor Napoleon.

Berthier turns to Marie-Louise, presents her with a letter

from Napoleon, and a portrait of him, in a medallion,

surrounded by 12 extremely large diamonds.

INT. IMPERIAL COACH - RAIN - NIGHT

Marie-Louise's coach, and those of her entourage bounce

along a road near Compiegne, in a driving rain storm.

Napoleon's sister, Caroline, Queen of Naples, reviews the

protocol to be followed.

Marie-Louise looks tired, confused, slightly sick and

anxious.

CAROLINE

(reading)

On arriving, the Empress Marie-

Louise will ascend the steps on the

north side, and the Emperor Napoleon

will use those on the south side.

The monarchs will arrive at the

middle simultaneously. Upon

perceiving the Emperor, the Empress

will kneel and bow her head, and the

Emperor will raise and embrace her.

Suddenly, there is a banging on the windowpane, and the

women shriek. The door opens, and a man, on horseback,

jumps in. Marie-Louis is seized, passionately embraced

and drenched, by a rain-soaked cloak. Shrieks and

laughter.

NAPOLEON

(laughing)

Good evening, ladies. You must

forgive me, my dearest wife, but I

simply could not wait to see you.

MARIE-LOUISE

Oh, then you are...

NAPOLEON

(laughing)

Yes, my dearest Marie-Louise, I am

your husband.

They both laugh.

Napoleon looks at her, admiringly, and takes her hand.

NAPOLEON

My dear, sweet Marie-Louis, you are

even more beautiful than your

portrait.

Marie-Louise giggles and lowers her eyes.

MARIE-LOUISE

And, where did you see my portrait?

NAPOLEON

Ah, you must forgive me, my dearest

Marie-Louise, I saw it during one of

my stays at your palace -- at

Schonbrunn.

They both laugh.

NAPOLEON

(jokingly)

I hope you will forgive me for any

inconveniences I may have caused

you, and your family, in the past.

Laughter.

NAPOLEON

And, you, my dear wife, do you find

that I resemble my portraits?

MARIE-LOUISE

You are much younger, and much more

handsome, than your pictures.

She giggles.