Napoleon And Josephine: A Love Story (1987)

The brilliant general (Armand Assante) who leads France from chaos to become the most powerful nation in Europe falls in love with an older woman (Jacqueline Bisset) with two children. Their passionate but volatile relationship is hindered by her inability to bear him a son and heir. Directed by Richard T. Heffron (FUTUREWORLD). A highly fictionalized rendering of the romance of Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine De Beauharnais. Napoleon's battles and victories are not the focus point of this four and a half hour telefilm. They are merely a backdrop to the love story and indeed, almost feel like padding. It's a lush looking epic but its narrative is as creaky as an 1930s MGM historical movie (think MARIE ANTOINETTE or CONQUEST with Charles Boyer as Napoleon). As Napoleon, Assante tries too hard ("Hey, watch me act!") and Bisset is too contemporary although she looks smashing in Michel Fresnay's Empire silhouette high waisted gowns. With Anthony Perkins, Stephanie Beacham, Leigh Taylor Young, Jane Lapotaire, Patrick Cassidy, Jean Pierre Stewart and Ione Skye.