Napoleon
An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine.
Working with a enormous budget of $165.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $220.6M in global revenue (+34% profit margin).
Nominated for 3 Oscars. 6 wins & 47 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Napoleon (2023) exemplifies deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Ridley Scott's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 38 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The execution of Marie Antoinette at the guillotine establishes the violent revolutionary France where young Napoleon begins his rise. The old order is dead; chaos reigns.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The Collapse moment at 119 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Napoleon divorces Josephine to marry Marie Louise of Austria for a political heir. The death of his truest relationship—the one person who saw him as human, not just emperor. He sacrifices love for dynasty, completing his transformation into pure ambition., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 127 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Abdication and exile to Elba. Napoleon accepts his defeat but refuses to accept irrelevance. He escapes Elba for the Hundred Days, one final grasp at glory—not because he has learned, but because he cannot be anything other than what he is., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Napoleon's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Napoleon against these established plot points, we can identify how Ridley Scott utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Napoleon within the history genre.
Ridley Scott's Structural Approach
Among the 22 Ridley Scott films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.5, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Napoleon represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Ridley Scott filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional history films include Operation Finale, The Importance of Being Earnest and Tora! Tora! Tora!. For more Ridley Scott analyses, see American Gangster, Exodus: Gods and Kings and Robin Hood.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The execution of Marie Antoinette at the guillotine establishes the violent revolutionary France where young Napoleon begins his rise. The old order is dead; chaos reigns.
Theme
A fellow officer remarks on Napoleon's ambition: "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice." The film's central question: does power corrupt, or does it reveal who we truly are?
Worldbuilding
Revolutionary France is introduced: the Reign of Terror, Napoleon's early military service at Toulon, his tactical brilliance, and his burning ambition. We see a young officer hungry for recognition in a nation hungry for stability.
Resistance
Napoleon navigates the treacherous politics of post-revolutionary Paris. He meets Josephine de Beauharnais at a salon, beginning their volatile courtship. He debates whether to pursue love or pure ambition, but both paths seem to lead to power.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
The promise of the premise: Napoleon the conqueror. Spectacular military campaigns across Italy and Egypt, the coup of 18 Brumaire, and his rise to First Consul. We witness the tactical genius, the spectacle, and the glory the audience came to see.
Opposition
The empire begins to crack. Josephine's inability to produce an heir strains their marriage. European coalitions form against France. The disastrous Russian campaign of 1812 shows Napoleon's hubris. His obsession with legacy overtakes his strategic judgment.
Collapse
Napoleon divorces Josephine to marry Marie Louise of Austria for a political heir. The death of his truest relationship—the one person who saw him as human, not just emperor. He sacrifices love for dynasty, completing his transformation into pure ambition.
Crisis
Napoleon processes the emptiness of his victory. He has an heir, but he has lost Josephine. The empire continues to crumble as defeats mount. He faces the dark realization that power has cost him everything that made him human.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Abdication and exile to Elba. Napoleon accepts his defeat but refuses to accept irrelevance. He escapes Elba for the Hundred Days, one final grasp at glory—not because he has learned, but because he cannot be anything other than what he is.
Synthesis
The Waterloo campaign. Napoleon marshals his forces one last time, bringing all his tactical genius to bear. The final battle is brutal and definitive. His defeat is total. He is exiled to Saint Helena, where he will die in isolation, reflecting on Josephine.
Transformation
Napoleon alone on Saint Helena, a broken emperor on a remote island. He learns of Josephine's death and weeps. The man who conquered Europe dies in exile, his final words about the only person he truly loved—the one he sacrificed for power.