Waterloo

Genre: historical war drama 

With: Rod Steiger (Napoléon Bonaparte), Christopher Plummer (Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington), Orson Welles (Louis XVIII), Jack Hawkins (Gen. Sir Thomas Picton), Virginia McKenna (Duchess of Richmond), Dan O'Herlihy (Marshal Michel Ney), Rupert Davies (Gordon), Philippe Forquet (La Bédoyère), Gianni Garko (Drouot), Ivo Garrani (Soult), Ian Ogilvy (De Lancey), Michael Wilding (Ponsonby), Sergo Zakariadze (Blucher)

Director: Sergey Bondarchuk

Screenplay: H.A.L. Craig, with help from Sergey Bondarchuk and Vittorio Bonicelli (Italian dialogues in another version by Mario Soldati)

Release: 1970

Studio: Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, Mosfilm

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10 

 

‟I don't know what they'll do to the enemy; but, by God, they frighten me.” 

 

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Story-line: on the strength of his military exploits and political savvy, Napoléon became emperor of France (replacing the old monarchy with his own brand of absolutism) and was bent on imposing his will on much of Europe. In time, however, he would face setbacks: his armies were repulsed in 1812 and, two years later, he found himself under siege in Paris. Forced to abdicate, banished to Elba and replaced by King Louis XVIII, he managed to escape in 1815, determined to regain power. His next challenge would be to reclaim his old army and then to face off against Prussian and English troops in a (Belgian) village called Waterloo.  

Pluses: superb acting by Rod Steiger (note how well he conveys Napoléon’s psychology, hyperactivity, mannerisms and physical presence), Christopher Plummer (as the phlegmatic, restrained Wellington) and a stellar cast (Orson Welles and Jack Hawkins are welcome sights), strong direction (especially during the well-choreographed battle scenes), a solid screenplay featuring pointed dialogues, telling scenes and the pathos of battle, splendid cinematography and attentive camera work, studious editing, appropriate production values and an august musical score by Nino Rota.

Minuses: there are scenes of violence, unavoidably so. By focusing solely on the events of June 18, 1815, the film may disappoint viewers interested in context and history generally.

Comments: the battle of Waterloo was immensely important – it involved 140,000 men, 40,000 of them perishing on the day – and Sergey Bondarchuk’s work has done justice to this pivotal, gripping event by insisting on the vicissitudes of war – the strategies chosen, the value of time, the long wait and muffled anxiety, the physical layout of the battlefield, the weather prevailing and the mistakes made. Although spectacular and riveting in many ways, WATERLOO clearly states that, on a human level, war is waste and bloody carnage. On this point, it is especially informative to see the psychological conclusions drawn by the two generals as the dust settled over the dead – the contrast couldn’t be more striking between these two men. Despite its dismaying subject, this movie commands respect. 

 

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