IMDb > Waterloo (1970/I)
Waterloo
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Waterloo (1970/I) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   2,149 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sergei Bondarchuk
Writers:
H.A.L. Craig (story)
Sergei Bondarchuk (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Waterloo on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 October 1970 (France) more
Genre:
Action | Drama | History | War more
Tagline:
Waterloo.The battle that changed the face of the world. more
Plot:
After defeating France and imprisoning Napoleon on Elba, ending two decades of war, Europe is shocked... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 win & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
Rod Steiger Dead at 77
 (From Studio Briefing - Film News. 10 July 2002)

User Comments:
A tad messy, but it certainly has it's moments.... more (52 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Rod Steiger ... Napoleon Bonaparte

Christopher Plummer ... Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

Orson Welles ... Louis XVIII
Jack Hawkins ... Gen. Sir Thomas Picton
Virginia McKenna ... Duchess of Richmond
Dan O'Herlihy ... Marshal Michel Ney
Rupert Davies ... Gordon
Philippe Forquet ... La Bedoyere
Gianni Garko ... Drouot
Ivo Garrani ... Soult
Ian Ogilvy ... De Lancey
Michael Wilding ... Ponsonby
Sergo Zaqariadze ... Blucher (as Serghej Zakhariadze)
Terence Alexander ... Uxbridge
Andrea Checchi ... Sauret
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Ватерлоо (Soviet Union: Russian title)
more
Runtime:
Norway:134 min | UK:132 min | USA:123 min
Language:
English | Russian
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono | 70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Virginia McKenna replaced a actress who dropped out. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: At least twice in the movie when French infantry are shown marching to the beats of drums that are played by young drummer boys, the tattoo beat by the drummer boys sounds clear and consistent, but close up shots of the drummer boys reveals that they are in fact just beating the drums randomly, if at all. As some of the boys seem to be barely able to march holding the drums let alone play them with such precision as heard in the movie's soundtrack. more
Quotes:
Napoleon Bonaparte: Cross the river. Tomorrow we will dry our boots in Brussels.
Michel Ney: God willing sire.
Napoleon Bonaparte: God? God has nothing to do with it.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick (2007) (V) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful.
A tad messy, but it certainly has it's moments...., 17 July 2004
Author: John Kaukis (johnnyk@blueyonder.co.uk) from Solihull UK

Having read some other comments, I felt compelled to throw in my tuppence worth.

The story of Waterloo is a difficult one to tell clearly in a couple of hours and rumors abound of a 4 and a half hour cut in existence, giving many more details of the earlier battles of Ligny and Quatra Bras. If it is 'out there', I've yet to find it.

I would agree that some of the acting is a little clunky but one of the things you should always bear in mind is the fact that all those extras are really there, not created by CGI, and as such some scenes are truly breathtaking, simple scenes prior to the battle such as Rod Steiger standing at his vantage point with the allied lines in the background, campfires twinkling away...beautifully framed. Or the slow, almost balletic charge of the heavies, countered by Napoleon's lancers, almost a cliché now....but wonderful then.

Admittedly the film does suffer from some of the Eurofilm values of the time, with some dodgy dubbing etc and Rod does chew the scenery at times, though I think Chris Plummer does a good job, Dan O'Herlihy makes a good Ney ( ironically his son turned up in one of the Sharpe episodes back in the 90's,) and the attention to detail is commendable.

To sum up, I know a lot about the battle, I've walked the field itself and so shouldn't like the film on so many levels, yet I still love watching it. It's not one of those films that it's cool to talk about at a dinner party, listing your fave five, but it still has a place in my heart. 7 out of 10.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (52 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Waterloo (1970/I)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
A movie crying for a remake EireannGoBrach
Crazy Question tom-3173
Moving scene cromwell1641
Awful subtitles in Region-Free DVD HenryCW
Waterloo-Greatest of Napoleons mistakes? Rebel0908
Anyone know what was said at breakfast about 'a mass'? oingoboingo1962
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Joyeux Noël Alexander Napoléon Henry V Voyna i mir
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Action section IMDb Italy section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.