Interesting but rather dull historical drama highlighting the story of Napoleon (Charles Boyer) and his legendary mistress, Countess Walewska (Greta Garbo). It is obvious early on in this film that no expense was spared for this film. The costumes are lavish with great attention to detail, as are the varied sets. The B&W lighting and filming are exceptional and add a richness to what is happening on screen. The story of Napoleon himself is very condensed, with the events of years occurring in just 2 short hours on screen. In fact, a personal knowledge of Napoleon and his campaigns is necessary to follow the on screen story of the Emperor and his mistress. The film's greatest strength is the performances of the title characters. Charles Boyer was perfectly cast as Napoleon Bonaparte, giving an Oscar worthy portrayal of the infamous Emperor, while Greta Garbo proves again that she can command the screen, even when her role is really secondary. Their on screen chemistry is extraordinary. In its day, this was a failure at the box office but if you like lavish historical dramas, you should enjoy this one. ***
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