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Conquest

Play trailer Poster for Conquest Released Oct 22, 1937 1h 52m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In this historical drama, the home of Countess Marie Walewska (Greta Garbo) is briefly overrun with Russian Cossacks before fleeing the oncoming Polish forces. When it is discovered that Napoleon Bonaparte (Charles Boyer) is smitten with her from a prior encounter, Marie journeys to a meeting with the emperor to implore him to save Poland from further Russian aggression. Though it would mean the ruin of her marriage and reputation, she is tempted to give in to his amorous advances.
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Conquest

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety Major credit goes to Clarence Brown for direction. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review John Kinloch California Eagle Directed by Clarence Brown, the film has one of the most notable scripts to come out of Hollywood in many a month. However, had it not been for the magnificent performance of Charles Boyer as Napoleon we fear the whole might have sagged badly. Oct 28, 2019 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine Conquest has all the magnificence you might expect of a film that combines the life of Napoleon, the art of Garbo, and the fabulous production resources of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Jul 23, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Though not one of Grabo's best film, the historical romance about Napoleon and Polish Countess Walewska is made in the classy middlebrow mode of MGM in the 1930s. Boyer received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination. Rated: B Jul 21, 2010 Full Review Film4 Staff Film4 The story veers towards the melodramatic, but the period trimmings -- from the gorgeous costumes (which really come into their own during the ballroom set piece) to the richly detailed set design -- quite compensate for any romantic cliché. May 24, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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erroll f Over the last month I’ve watched the best loved Garbo films. The classics: Flesh and the devil, Anna Christie, Mata Hari, Grand Hotel, Queen Christina, Camille, Ninotchka Etc. All wonderful films with the great Garbo as the center piece. Then i watched the lesser known Conquest! In this 1937 release about Napoleon played by Charles Boyer, Garbo has met her acting match. Beautiful costumes provide glamour for Napoleon at the height of his powers. At times this movie loses its rhythm, but still worthy of 4 stars! ⭐️ Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/28/24 Full Review Audience Member This movie has two halves to evaluate. The first half is brilliant, among the best scenes ever put on film. Boyer gives the performance of his life as the "Little Corporal" trying to woo an obscure (and obscurely beautiful) Polish Countess. Sadly, once she is wooed the movie is lost in a muddle of syrupy sentiment and questionable history lessons. Boyer is outstanding all the way through the movie. This is the role he was born to play. He is funny, abrupt, insane, and believeable. He puts his whole body into this role. But Garbo - *sigh* - she's better at portraying melancholy than happiness. When she's in love in this movie, it's irritating. Excepting her scene with Dame May Whitty as Napoleon's mother, I just can't stand it. The second half is just mush. It's plodding, for the most part uninteresting, and sheds no light on Napoleon as a historical figure. Maybe the first half of the movie had so much energy that it was impossible to sustain. In any case, I recommend this movie, if only for Boyer's performance and the opening sequence. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Steve D The acting carries it. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/03/23 Full Review Audience Member martin.hillstad@gmail.com Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member The performances by the two leads were very good. Boyer was an archetypal Napoleon and Garbo was gentle and at times sublime. The story was a little too expansive for my liking but typical of its time. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent movie. Charles Boyer is even better than Garbo here. Very good. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Conquest

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Cast & Crew

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Clarence Brown

Director

Gustav Machatý

Director

Greta Garbo

Countess Marie Walewska

Charles Boyer

Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte

Reginald Owen

Tallyrand

Alan Marshall

Capt. d'Ornano

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Conquest

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Movie Info

Synopsis In this historical drama, the home of Countess Marie Walewska (Greta Garbo) is briefly overrun with Russian Cossacks before fleeing the oncoming Polish forces. When it is discovered that Napoleon Bonaparte (Charles Boyer) is smitten with her from a prior encounter, Marie journeys to a meeting with the emperor to implore him to save Poland from further Russian aggression. Though it would mean the ruin of her marriage and reputation, she is tempted to give in to his amorous advances.
Director
Clarence Brown, Gustav Machatý
Producer
Bernard H. Hyman
Screenwriter
S.N. Behrman, Samuel Hoffenstein, Salka Viertel
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 22, 1937, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 20, 2017
Runtime
1h 52m
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