Austerlitz is a 1960 French historical drama/war film directed by Abel Gance and starring Pierre Mondy. It is Gance's second foray into the Napoleonic era after the 1927 silent epic Napoléon. He reused many ideas he had for that unfinished silent film saga in this film.
The first half of the film covers the events and political manoeuverings leading to the coronation of Napoléon Bonaparte (Mondy) as Emperor of the French, while the second half covers the battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805, where Napoleon famously managed to outwit and thoroughly defeat a coalition of Austrian and Russian forces.
Compare its Spiritual Antithesis, Waterloo.
Austerlitz provides examples of:
- Art Imitates Art:
- The famous painting of Napoleon's coronation by Jacques-Louis David is recreated with models, while the actual coronation doesn't happen onscreen.
- The victorious Napoleon on his horse amidst his generals imitates the François Gérard painting about the battle
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- Artistic License – History: In real life Napoleon didn't face a defeated and lone Kutuzov (without capturing him) once he won the battle, Kutuzov was coordinating the retreat of his troops instead.
- Badass Boast: Napoleon has a few in store.
- When he's told that something is impossible.Napoleon: In France, one admires only the impossible.
- At the British ambassador.Napoleon: Do you think you can intimidate the French people with your weaponry? It can be killed, Milord, but intimidated? NEVER!
- One aimed at Tsar Alexander I before the battle begins.Napoleon: "[Tsar] Of All Russias"? He's got too much of them for my taste, I could grab a few from him.
- Then there's the famous one after winning the battle.Napoleon: You'll only need to say "I was at the Battle of Austerlitz" to hear people answer you "There's a brave!"
- When he's told that something is impossible.
- Batman Gambit: Napoleon's battle plans hinge on his Austrian and Russian enemies doing exactly what he expects them to do so he can take them by surprise.
- Battle Epic: The film's first half depicts the build-up to the battle of Austerlitz, and the second half depicts the battle itself.
- Big Badass Battle Sequence: The battle of Austerlitz in the film's second half, obviously.
- Bilingual Dialogue: The primary language is French, and there's dialogue in German, Italian and Russian. There's even a trilingual dialogue at one point. During a heated Allied strategy meeting where the Russian and Austrian generals are arguing in their respective languages, the French émigré Langeron interrupts them and certainly speaks for the (French-speaking) audience when he says: "I am French, General, and you know that I understand neither German nor Russian", prompting everyone to switch to French. Ironically, the actual General Langeron was fluent in both languages.
- Casting Gag: Both Jean Marais (Lazare Carnot) and Orson Welles (Robert Fulton) had roles in a previous Napoleonic era epic, Sacha Guitry's Napoléon (1955).
- Cue the Sun: Just as the Sun rises as the battle is about to start, the aide near Napoleon wonders what title he will give to his retelling of the battle, to which Napoleon immediately answers "The Sun of Austerlitz" (which became a famous Napoleonic expression in real life).
- Defensive Feint Trap: One of the keys in Napoleon's victory in Austerlitz is him convincing his enemies that he's having his men burning his camp and retreating in the direction of Vienna, while he's actually setting a clever trap for them.
- Eiffel Tower Effect: The Palace of Westminster in London, including St Stephen's Tower, is visible out of Pitt's window. It wasn't built until decades after the time the film is set, however.
- The Emperor: The first part of the film covers the events and political manoeuverings leading to the coronation of Napoleon as Emperor of the French.
- Epic Movie: A nearly three hours long historical film about a major historical figure and a resounding military victory of his, and an All-Star Cast.
- A Father to His Men: Napoleon is beloved by his Old Guard.
- Frontline General: As per history, and even though he doesn't fight himself, Napoleon stands the closest he can to the battlefield so he can observe it and give orders that fit the situation.
- Funny Background Event: All over the place. For instance, one scene has the Austrian and Russian generals discussing their strategy for the eponymous battle... while one of them is petting a kitten in the background.
- Happy Ending: For Napoleon and the French in general, since the film ends with their victory at the battle of Austerlitz.
- Heir Club for Men: At the ball for the peace treaty of Amiens, Napoleon presses Joséphine to give him a male heir.
- The Mistress: Élisabeth Le Michaud d'Arçon de Vaudey (portrayed by Leslie Caron), who was Napoleon's mistress at the time while he was married to Joséphine de Beauharnais. Napoleon nearly divorces from Joséphine because of her.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Napoleon's coronation is not directly featured in the film. Instead, several characters gather around a model of it and one of them narrates while it happens at the same time (the organ of Notre Dame of Paris and Napoleon's voice are heard).
- Old Soldier: Alboise de Pontoise (Michel Simon), a veteran of Napoleon's Old Guard who lost an ear in Marengo, a "Grognard" like many Old Guard veterans who were allowed to voice discontent to the Emperor himself were called.
- Propaganda Machine: Napoleon ensures there are artists at his camp in Austerlitz to produce epic drawings of the battle for the French public.
- Rhyming Names: The Grognard named Alboise de Pontoise, who was played by Michel Simon.
- Same Language Dub: Claudia Cardinale, Jack Palance and Orson Welles had to be dubbed in French.
- Shown Their Work: The film doesn't depict the incidents of Austrian and Russian soldiers fleeing in frozen ponds of water shattered by French cannons as happening on a big scale on a frozen lake drowning entire armies unlike popular misconceptions often interpret it ala Alexander Nevsky (such as in 2023's Napoleon). Accounts said few men but a lot of horses were found in these after the battle, and the film is more in line with said accounts.
- Sore Loser: Napoleon doesn't react too well when he loses at chess against Talleyrand, throwing the pieces on the ground in a hand sweeping.
- The Spymaster: Géraud Christophe Michel du Roc, duke of Frioul, is Napoleon's spy in chief (historically nicknamed "Napoleon's Shadow") and helps him uncover a conspiracy against him.
- The Strategist:
- Austerlitz was one of Napoleon's strategic and tactical masterpieces. At about two-thirds of the film, he explains his plans with much details to his officers with maps of the Pratzen Heights.
- Franz von Weyrother is this for the Austro-Russian coalition, using a battle plan deviced after Napoleon's own Battle of Castiglione. He doesn't know that Napoleon completely outmatches him.
- That Russian Squat Dance: At the Russian camp, several Cossacks are seen dancing like this.
- Travel Montage: There's a map superimposed on Napoleon's army as they move from Boulogne to Ulm then to Vienna.
- The Voiceless: Emperor Francis of Austria does not have a single spoken line. When Tsar Alexander I (who does all the talking) is not pushing him offscreen, he can be seen fidgeting nervously with his various decorations and looking completely overwhelmed.
- War Memorial: The film opens on a war memorial commemorating the soldiers who lost their lives at the battle of Austerlitz.
- Zip Me Up: Élisabeth Le Michaud d'Arçon de Vaudey asks Napoleon to do the reverse to undress her when they have an intimate moment.
