A Queen of Napoleon's Court:

http://books.google.com/books/about/A_Queen_of_Napoleon_s_Court.html?id=9ZDxPQAACAAJ

The Life Story of Desiree Bernadotte Catherine Bearne 0 Reviews Kessinger Publishing, Jul 30, 2007 - 508 pages This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy  Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection  of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title  even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as  missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control.  Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available  as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting  the world's literature.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

http://biblio.co.uk/books/488036381.html

London, T. Fisher Unwin, 1905. Cloth, frontispiece, illust., pp. xxiv, 498. Cornersbumped, spine ends frayed, covers worn, prelims. foxed, name on half-title, lower margin of first few pages waterstained, a good copy. Keywords: France French royalty Desiree Bernadotte biography

BOOK DETAILS

• A QUEEN OF NAPOLEON'S COURT. The Life-Story of Desiree Bernadotte by Bearne, Catherine
• Bookseller: Serendipity Books  (AU)
• Bookseller Inventory #: 90153
• Title: A QUEEN OF NAPOLEON'S COURT. The Life-Story of Desiree Bernadotte
• Author: Bearne, Catherine
• Binding: Hardcover
• Keywords: France French royalty Desiree Bernadotte biography

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Desiree' and Napoleon; Film on Emperor's Life Opens at the Roxy

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November 18, 1954

By BOSLEY CROWTHER

A GREAT deal of handsome decoration and two talented and attractive stars have been put into the Cinemascope production of the historical romance "Désirée." The only essential missing is a story of any consequence.

For almost two hours there is paraded in measured paces on the Roxy's panel screen, where this picture opened last evening, a vast and varied display of famous figures and courtly behavior in the time of Napoleon. Most of the major stages in the Little Corporal's spectacular career are mentioned in conversation or covered in elegant scenes that flow as diary entries from the point of a feather-pen.

There is a stunning sequence, for instance, showing a party at the home of Mme. Tallien, wherein the rising Napoleon is first seen in the company of Josephine, There are whimsical scenes briefly tagging the transition through the directory. And there's a fine, full-scale tableau of the great general crowning himself Emperor of France.

This is a panoramic picture—panoramic in pictorial style and in the material it embraces — which is mainly a chronological review of a famous reign. What there is of personal drama in it is built wholly and very flimsily upon a wild assumption that there was an abiding affection in the heart of Napoleon for a woman whom he wanted to marry when he was a youthful general and then abandoned for the sake of his career.

There is an element of truth in this notion. Napoleon did love a girl named Désirée, whose sister was married to Napoleon's brother, Joseph. Désirée herself later was married to General Bernadotte and thus became Queen of Sweden when her husband was "adopted" as the successor to that nation's throne. But how much, if any, feeling Napoleon later had for her is a matter of pure speculation, attractive mainly to romantic minds.

Unfortunately for the impact of this picture, the speculating done by Daniel Taradash, inspired by a novel by Annemarie Selinko, is, if anything, a little too restrained. Mr. Taradash's script is quite positive in indicating that Napoleon loved the girl in the first flush of his ascendency. But then it permits the amorous passion to appear to die, and there is not much in this line to intrigue the viewer until the end of the film.

Then, out of a long series of tableaus and out of the passionless progression of Napoleon and the girl along separate ways—he to become the Emperor and a loveless husband and she to become Sweden's indifferent Queen—the script again brings them together for a wistful tête-à-tête. During it Désirée persuades him to surrender and to St. Helena, which is absurd.

The consequence is a static story, so far as the emotions of the individuals are concerned, and a strangely unrevealing presentation of two potentially exciting characters. Only twice in this lengthy progression does the great Napoleon emerge as anything but a beetle-browed buster and a usually pompous poseur. Once when, he is dancing briefly with the guarded Désirée and again when he is sadly telling her, during an unexpected midnight call, of his terrible retreat from Moscow does the glint of a human being appear. For the rest, Marlon Brando's Napoleon is just a fancy (and sometimes fatuous) facade.

The same must be said for Jean Simmons' performance as Désirée. It is a pretty but pointless demonstration of a hollow woman getting along without love. Between her and Michael Rennie, in the role of Bernadotte, there appears not a trace of genuine feeling to suggest a matrimonial bond, and certainly there is no sense of passion toward Napoleon.

The others in the cast are mostly robots—Merle Oberon as Josephine, Cameron Mitchell as Napoleon's brother, and John Hoyt as Talleyrand. They merely fill out the plushy décor of this Twentieth Century-Fox spectacle, which at times Henry Koster has directed as though it were a satire on suburbia. For the most part, however, he has made it what it is—just a colorful vehicle for a pseudo-Napoleonic outing, a streetcar named "Désirée."

DESIREE, screen play by Daniel Taradash, based on the novel by Annemarie Selinko; directed by Henry Koster; produced by Julian Blaustein for Twentieth Century-Fox. At the Roxy.
Napoleon . . . . . Marlon Brando
Desiree . . . . . Jean Simmons
Josephine . . . . . Merle Oberon
Bernadotte . . . . . Michael Rennie
Joseph Bonaparte . . . . . Cameron Mitchell
Julie . . . . . Elizabeth Sellars
Paulette . . . . . Charlotte Austin
Mme. Bonaparte . . . . . Cathleen Nesbitt
Marie . . . . . Evelyn Varden
Mme. Clary . . . . . Isobel Elsom
Talleyrand . . . . . John Hoyt
Despreaux . . . . . Alan Napier
Oscar . . . . . Nicolas Koster
Etienne . . . . . Richard Deacon
Queen Hedwig . . . . . Edith Evanson
Mme. Tallien . . . . . Carolyn Jones

10 Revolting Facts About the 18th Century

by Barry McComber | October 22, 2012

http://listverse.com/2012/10/22/10-revolting-facts-about-the-18th-century/

It is well known on Listverse that I love history; it may be lesser-known that the 18th century is my favorite period in time – followed shortly after by the Middle Ages. Many of our lists dealing with historic times tend to discuss the nice parts – not intentionally avoiding the bad – just lacking space on a list for both. This list looks at ten rather unfortunate parts of Western history in the 18th century.

10

Personal Hygeine

Today we place high value on personal hygiene but back in the day people could go from cradle to grave without ever immersing themselves in water. Many people believed that bathing was unhealthy and that soaking in water, especially hot water, would let disease enter the body. Even if you did decide to take a bath, you would not even have contemplated taking off your clothes – a habit that remained right through to the end of the 19th century!

9

Deodorant

Deodorant was not invented until the 1880s, so most people were entirely comfortable with smelling like a goat most of the time. The rich would try to hide this smell by dousing themselves in perfume. We all know that doesn’t work. While 9th century polymath Ziryab did introduce the idea of underarm deodorant to Moorish Iberia (parts of Spain, France, Portugal, and Gibraltar) the idea never caught on. It wasn’t until 1888 that the first commercially produced deodorant began taking the west by storm. It is still available today – the brand was “Mum.”

8

Grooming

Women did not groom their body hair. In the Western world, removal of body hair did not become common until the 1920s. Of course there are some nations (that shall not be named) who do have a reputation for their women still not grooming body hair. Enough said about that, I think!

7

Toilets

Homes stunk of urine and feces. There was no indoor plumbing; most people relieved themselves into a chamber pot, which could be left to sit, until someone decided to throw it out the nearest window. In later times these chamber pot visits were less frequent as outdoor lavatories were invented – but even in the Victorian era chamber pots had their place as a night time emergency loo.

6

Toilet Paper

Toilet paper wasn’t invented until the late 1800s, so you did your best with whatever was available. The rich might have had the luxury to wipe themselves with strips of linen. The poor used old rags, moss, leaves and good old trusty hand! Even the Ancient Romans fared better – they used cloth on a stick which was dipped in a bucket of water! Pictured above is a portable 18th century toilet.

5

Bed Bugs

Bed bug infestation was rampant. They were simply considered a normal part of life. Unfortunately these bed bugs were undoubtedly the cause of many illnesses spreading. They remained a constant problem until well into modern times. In the Victorian era, women were recommended to wipe all the beds down with kerosene to kill these unwanted guests.

4

Time of the Month

Women had few options when Mother Nature called once a month. Some would use a piece of cloth which would be reused several times. Rather unpleasant really, given that you had to dry them on the washing line with all your other smalls. Best not to look over the fence! Others simply used nothing and let gravity do its thing.

3

Dung, Dung, Dung

In larger urban areas, the streets smelled of a mixture of animal dung, human feces and rotting plant matter. If you ever wondered where the gentlemanly tradition of the man walking on the outside arose, look no further; of course, it was also in part to protect his “lady” from water splashes from passing carriages. When you next watch a movie where a man gallantly throws his cape across the ground for his lady to pass – remember: it may not be a puddle he is covering.

2

Dental Hygiene

Dental hygiene was little more than a toothpick and maybe wiping down your gums with a cloth. Women generally had worse dental hygiene than men due to vitamin loss from pregnancy. While this was true for the poor, Italian company Marvis began making their toothpaste in the early 1700s (they still make it today). But frankly the poor were probably more concerned with buying meat than fancy Italian toothpaste. It definitely wasn’t an “essential.”

1

Mercury

Everyone was infested with head and body lice. But never fear, they had an amazing cure for this: mercury! 18th century Europe had a love affair with mercury. They ate it, they rubbed it on their skin, and then they went batshit crazy and died. On the positive side – at least it killed the lice first!