Directed by:
Antoine de CaunesCinematography:
Pierre AïmComposer:
Stephan EicherCast:
Philippe Torreton, Richard E. Grant, Jay Rodan, Elsa Zylberstein, Roschdy Zem, Bruno Putzulu, Stéphane Freiss, Christopher Bowen, François Marthouret (more)Plots(1)
On a snowy winter's day in Paris in December 1840, a body is returned and exhumed in a large, official ceremony. France's famous former ruler, Napoleon Bonaparte, has died, and these are his remains, supposedly. Antoine de Caunes's MONSIEUR N. offers a fictitious mystery in the retelling of Bonaparte's (Philippe Torreton) final years. What he suggests is that the emperor may have escaped from exile, having faked his own death. In the years between 1816 and 1821, Bonaparte is a captive of the English on the remote island of St. Helena. He spends his days gardening, beekeeping, and writing his memoirs. A small inner circle of his compatriots surrounds him, most notably Cipriani (Bruno Putzulu). This otherwise tranquil existence is colored by the island's fallible characters. The unforgiving governor, Hudson Lowe (Richard E. Grant), is driven to deviant behavior over the rising cost of guarding a single prisoner with thousands of British soldiers. Furthermore, a jealous quibble develops between two ladies who vie for Bonaparte's love--an English woman named Betsy Balcombe (Siobhan Hewlett), and the wife of one of Bonaparte's generals. It seems that many want to curry favor with the former emperor, in order to eventually profit from his death. The story is told from the point of view of a young English lieutenant, Basil Heathcote (Jay Rodan), who is assigned to shadow Bonaparte during his exile. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
![Philippe Torreton](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/163/811/163811991_73a683.png)
Philippe Torreton
France
Best movies:
Guilty (2011)
Ulzhan (2007)
Three Days and a Life (2019)
![Richard E. Grant](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/806/160806906_402e7e.jpg)
Richard E. Grant
Swaziland
Best movies:
Corpse Bride (2005)
Logan (2017)
Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996)
Jay Rodan
South Africa
Best movies:
Callas Forever (2002)
The Lost Battalion (2001) (TV movie)
Julius Caesar (2002) (TV movie)
![Elsa Zylberstein](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/346/162346844_29c5de.png)
Elsa Zylberstein
France
Best movies:
Mina Tannenbaum (1994)
I've Loved You So Long (2008)
A Bag of Marbles (2017)
![Roschdy Zem](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/163/213/163213231_eec066.png)
Roschdy Zem
France
Best movies:
Go, See, and Become (2005)
Don’t Forget You’re Going to Die (1995)
36th Precinct (2004)
![Bruno Putzulu](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/059/364/59364279_86cca3.jpg)
Bruno Putzulu
France
Best movies:
In Praise of Love (2001)
Pourquoi pas moi ? (1999)
La Tranchée des espoirs (2003) (TV movie)
![Stéphane Freiss](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/111/160111712_78b898.jpg)
Stéphane Freiss
France
Best movies:
Munich (2005)
Vagabond (1985)
Welcome to the Sticks (2008)
![Christopher Bowen](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/158/141/158141890_708cc7.jpg)
Christopher Bowen
Best movies:
Endeavour (2012) (series)
Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) (TV movie)
Agatha Christie: Poirot (1989) (series)
![François Marthouret](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/839/160839639_e586de.png)
François Marthouret
France
Best movies:
The Confession (1970)
L'Affaire Dreyfus (1994) (series)
The Octopus (1984) (series)
![Frédéric Pierrot](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/730/160730486_ec31ce.png)
Frédéric Pierrot
France
Best movies:
I've Loved You So Long (2008)
Land and Freedom (1995)
Sarah's Key (2010)
![Michael Culkin](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/093/886/93886112_06f8f6.jpg)
Michael Culkin
UK
Best movies:
The Fifth Element (1997)
The Hours (2002)
Almost Strangers (2001) (series)
![Kate Duchêne](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/570/162570858_87775c.jpg)
Kate Duchêne
UK
Best movies:
Foyle's War (2002) (series)
An Education (2009)
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel (1987) (TV movie)
Georges de Caunes
France
Best movies:
Monsieur N. (2003)
![Peter Sullivan](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/938/161938660_2d372b.jpg)
Peter Sullivan
UK
Best movies:
Conspiracy (2001) (TV movie)
Ripper Street (2012) (series)
Wire in the Blood (2002) (series)
![Stanley Townsend](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/274/161274197_051173.jpg)
Stanley Townsend
Ireland
Best movies:
Sherlock (2010) (series)
In the Name of the Father (1993)
Rory O'Shea Was Here (2004)
Jim Adhi Limas
Best movies:
Bitter Moon (1992)
The Pillow Book (1996)
Spécial police (1985)
Blanche de Saint-Phalle
Best movies:
Monsieur N. (2003)
Igor Skreblin
Best movies:
Red Lights (2004)
Banlieue 13 - Ultimatum (2009)
Ni pour, ni contre (bien au contraire) (2003)
Siobhan Hewlett
UK
Best movies:
Sherlock (2010) (series)
Irina Palm (2006)
Midsomer Murders (1997) (series)