The Emperor's New Clothes is a 2001 historical drama film directed by Alan Taylor and based on the 1992 novel The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys. The film stars Ian Holm as Napoleon Bonaparte (his third performance as the military and political leader, after 1974's Napoleon and Love and 1981's Time Bandits), Iben Hjejle, and Tim McInnerny. The plot revisions the history surrounding Napoleon's exile to Saint Helena following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Although set in Paris, the film was mostly shot in Turin, Italy. Plot In 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte, after six years in exile on the isle of Saint Helena, has a plan to escape. Switching places with lowly French deckhand Eugene Lenormand, Napoleon will make his way to Paris, at which time Eugene will announce the switch, allowing Napoleon to reclaim his throne. However, the plan quickly goes awry: the ship Napoleon is serving on abruptly changes its itinerary and docks in Belgium instead of France. Having to make his way to France by land, and gaining an appalling look at the tourist trap the battlefield of Waterloo has become, he is finally met at the French border by a loyal agent, Sgt. Bommell, formerly of the Imperial Guard. Bommell gives him the name of another agent in Paris he can trust, Lt. Truchaut. Arriving in Paris, Napoleon is surprised to find that Truchaut has recently died. Passing himself off as an old comrade of the Lieutenant, Napoleon accepts the hospitality of Truchaut's widow, Nicole, whom everyone calls "Pumpkin", and makes the acquaintance of her other lodger, Dr. Lambert and her adopted young son, Gerard. The crucial flaw in the plan reveals itself when, back on Saint Helena, Eugene decides he likes living in the relative luxury of Napoleon's exile, and refuses to reveal the switch. Napoleon's French entourage find themselves unexpectedly powerless, as Eugene stuffs his face with sweets, dictates his own bawdy version of Napoleon's official memoirs, and even manages to convince his British captors that he is the true Napoleon. With no news from Saint Helena, Napoleon is drawn into Pumpkin's life. When her fruit-selling business is on the brink of failure, he applies his own talents for planning and organization, and the business becomes prosperous again. As affection develops between Napoleon and Pumpkin, Dr Lambert, who had designs on Pumpkin himself, jealously searches for some kind of dirt on "Eugene".