Desiree (1954)

Although there are some historical inaccuracies [Napoleon did not surrender his sword to Desiree, and some other small "enhancements"], and Jean Simmons is something of a drawback to the film, it's definitely worth watching. Marlon Brando's performance manages to capture the historical idea of Napoleon very wellthe great intensity of his personality, the underlying brilliance and insatiable ambition. Napoleon is both repellent and fascinating at the same time. One can understand how, at his best, he hypnotized almost the whole of Europe. But he is perfidious also, dismissive of the death and destruction he caused on his way to accomplish his aims. Really, the character of Napoleon and Marlon Brando's rendition of it is the only reason to watch this film. Jean Simmons' Desiree is lovely and winsome, but kind of vapid. One wonders what Napoleon and Bernadotte saw in her. Michael Rennie's performance is very good in his role as Bernadotte, and he is not overshadowed at all by the strength of Brando's performance. His scenes with Napoleon are wonderful. Until something better comes along [unlikely...] this is the one to watch for a period piece about Napoleon.

Having read some of the other reviews of this movie I felt compelled to submit my own. I have long been fascinated by Napoleon and I have read and watched just about everything on his life that I can get my hands on. I found Brando's portrayal of Napoleon subtle and powerful. After having seen at least a half dozen different actors play Napoleon in various movies, Brando's has always stood head and shoulders above the rest to me. The story is not entirely accurate, but all the main elements of the story are pretty close (except Napoleon surrendering his sword to Desiree). The costumes and sets are outstanding in a way that seems to be captured only in old movies. This is not an in-depth analysis of Napoleon's life, rather, it focuses on Desiree, a one-time fiance of Napoleon. While that story is interesting, I find myself waiting for the next Brando scene. Brando does a magnificent job capturing the eneregy and confidence of the young Napoleon, and the fatigue and desperation of the defeated Napoleon. Brando's scene when he considers Bernadotte's request to renounce his French citizenship is brilliant. The movie is almost worth this scene alone.

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NOTE: this is a review of the DVD, not of the film Desiree itself. As a Brando enthusiast, I was desperate to get my hands on this. I coughed up the cost for it because I had been trying to track it down for years. It ended up being obscenely expensive, especially once the shipping came into play. I'm glad that I got the opportunity to see the film, but this is a very bad transfer. The aspect ratio is distorted, the audio track is muddled and the colors are muted and washed out. If you're a big enough Brando fan, you might want to pick this up out of desperation. Otherwise, I'd recommend looking for other alternatives.

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I don't know why this movie is not more famous. The scenery and costumes are beautiful, and the acting is superb. I have never liked Marlon Brando, but he is excellent in this movie, as is Jean Simmons. Michael Rennie, somewhat forgotten nowadays, is good as well. The ending, although not historically accurate, always brings tears to my eyes. Great movie.

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This is my favorite Brando film and basically my favorite movie. The depiction of Napoleon by Brando was excellent. I had read the book Desiree prior to seeing the movie, and felt that the movie was true to the book. It is a very romantic depiction of Napoleon and Desiree, and shows a very interesting side of Napoleon. I recently returned from France and vividly remembered Napoleon as depicted by Brando where ever I ventured.