No human being has had more books written about him, and the era to which he gave his name, than Napoleon Bonaparte. But who was he? Director David Grubin's four-hour documentary series, Napoleon, to be aired by PBS in two installments, is a richly textured investigation of the man within the myth. In a style very similar to that which Ken Burns developed a decade ago in The Civil War, the viewer is taken on a probing excursion through Napoleon's life, escorted by David McCullough, who provides the same clear and powerful narrative here as he did for Burns' series. Images spring to life from paintings, reenactments, and visits to historic sites, interspersed with interviews with numerous historians -- those from the English-speaking world include Owen Connelly, Donald Horward, Alistair Horne, and the late John Elting. The program turns frequently to Napoleon's own words and writings, and the observations of those who knew him, to illuminate his thoughts and actions as opportunities and events propelled him to the ultimate heights of fame and power. A balanced portrait emerges, revealing neither saint nor satan, but a far more interesting glimpse of the man within. It is an entertaining and mind-opening series. It also has some curious weaknesses. For a study of one of the world's greatest soldiers, there is limited fare here for the military history buff, and most of Napoleon's relationships with his siblings, step children, and mistresses are subjects untouched by the program. In fairness, a four-hour exploration of Napoleon's accomplishments inevitably requires cutting a multitude of aspects to permit the viewer to traverse this extraordinary 52-year life in the time allotted. Beautiful cinematography (James Callanan), rich musical scoring (Michael Bacon), and a captivating narrative combine to give a human and fascinating face to one of history's great figures. Produced by Grubin and Allyson Luchak, Napoleon offers four memorable hours of superior television. Back to Table of Contents -- Napoleon #17 Back to Napoleon List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Napoleon LLC. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. The full text and graphics from other military history magazines and gaming magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com Order Napoleon magazine direct