The Night with the Emperor: A charming, dusty relic

Is it worth your time?

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys black-and-white period pieces that don't take themselves too seriously, sure, give it a go. It’s light, it’s fluffy, and it moves along at a clip that feels almost modern compared to other stuff from this era. If you’re looking for a grounded, accurate look at the Erfurt conference, though, you’re gonna have a bad time. It’s basically a fairytale with fancy hats.

The whole thing hangs on this dancing girl trying to save her artist guy from the chopping block. It’s standard melodrama, but Jenny Jugo really carries the weight of it. She has this way of looking at the camera that makes you forget you’re watching a movie from 1936. She’s the only one who seems to realize she's in a comedy, while everyone else is playing it like they’re in a Greek tragedy.

The caricature bit is genuinely funny. It’s a drawing of Napoleon that’s supposed to be insulting, but it just looks like a grumpy potato with a hat. The way the soldiers react to it, like it’s a death warrant, is classic stuff.

It reminds me a bit of the lightness you find in Der Favorit der Kaiserin, where the politics are just a backdrop for people to run around and be charming. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel. It just wants to get you to the ending without you getting bored.

Some odd notes:

• The ballroom scenes have that weird, claustrophobic feel where you can tell the set was probably smaller than a decent-sized kitchen.
• Napoleon looks like he’s having a great time, which I guess is the point, but it’s still bizarre.
• The dialogue is snappy, but sometimes it feels like they’re reading off cards taped to the chandelier.
• There’s a moment with a doorway that is so clearly a painting, I laughed out loud.

I wouldn’t compare it to the high-seas adventure of The Black Pirate, obviously. It’s much more intimate. It’s all about the glances and the whispered secrets in hallways. Sometimes, that’s all you need on a Tuesday night.

The movie gets noticeably better when the Emperor is finally forced to deal with the artist. The back-and-forth isn't exactly high art, but the chemistry is there. It’s a quiet little flick that knows exactly what it is and doesn't try to be anything else. Maybe it doesn't need to be deep to be worth watching. 🎭