St. Helena and Its 'Man of Destiny' Review: Stamps, Stairs, and Napoleon

If you have ten minutes to spare and love dusty old travelogues, this is definetly worth a quick look. History buffs hoping for a deep, dramatic dive into French military strategy will probably hate it, though. It is basically a vintage postcard from an era when stamp collecting was considered peak entertainment.

The film takes us to the tiny, isolated island of St. Helena. It is famous for being Napoleon's final home, but the movie seems just as excited about agriculture.

We get a look at Longwood, the house where Napoleon spent his last years. The camera just sort of stares at the building, letting you feel the quiet isolation of the place.

But honestly, the history takes a backseat to the local quirks. The narrator tells us the island survives on potatoes and flax, which sounds incredibly thrilling. 🥔

Then we get to the real highlight: Ladder Hill.

There is a massive 700-step staircase, and the locals slide down the banisters for fun. They call it rail sliding, and it looks absolutely terrifying.

One wrong move and you would be bouncing down stone steps into the Atlantic. The camera captures this with a casualness that is almost funny.

If you enjoy the simple, unhurried pace of old shorts like This Way Out or the lighthearted tone of Penny Wise, this fits right in. It does not try to be a masterpiece.

It is just a snapshot of a very lonely place in the ocean. The footage has this grainy, warm texture that you cannot really replicate today.

Random things I noticed:

• The narrator sounds like he is reading a geography textbook aloud to a sleepy classroom.
• They spend a surprisingly long time talking about the rare St. Helena postage stamp.
• The shot of the port in Jamestown makes the island look like the quietest place on Earth.

It is not a groundbreaking piece of cinema. But as a window into the past, it's greatest charm is how simple it is.