It's 1793 Marseille, France. The country is in turmoil. Napoleon Bonaparte is a Corsican refugee and recently promoted to artillery captain in the Toulon region where the English have landed. His entire family depends on him. The twenty four year old navigates political conflicts and disbelieving superiors to launch a tactically-superior move without permission to attack the English access to the sea and ultimately victory.
The only obvious problem in this BBC doc program is Tom Burke's 6' height. Napoleon was not as short as the cartoonish dwarf image but he was still only 5'6". It's such a big part of the legendary image that Burke's height stands out. This show depicts the rigidity of political doctrine, the infighting, and the chaos of civil war. It's a lesser known part of this giant historical figure and the show is much better for it. The characters are fleshed out and the performances are terrific. It is educational and also works as a drama.
The only obvious problem in this BBC doc program is Tom Burke's 6' height. Napoleon was not as short as the cartoonish dwarf image but he was still only 5'6". It's such a big part of the legendary image that Burke's height stands out. This show depicts the rigidity of political doctrine, the infighting, and the chaos of civil war. It's a lesser known part of this giant historical figure and the show is much better for it. The characters are fleshed out and the performances are terrific. It is educational and also works as a drama.