At The Movies

AT THE MOVIES #949   PRINT THE LEGEND

Simon Morris reviews a trio of films “based on real life”.  They may be historically suspect, but their subjects were all equally unreliable when they told their own stories – the most famous leader of the 19^th century, the reputed wealthiest pirate in history, and an athlete whose Guinness World Record was taken from her.

Sir Ridley Scott’s Napoleon is a spectacular attempt to portray the enigmatic Corsican soldier who ended up ruling most of Europe.  Starring Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) as Bonaparte and Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) as Josephine.

Jack Mimoun and the secrets of Val Verde is a romp about a fake survival-expert who’s hired to find the lost treasure of the pirate known as The Buzzard.  Written, directed and starring French movie star Malik Bentalha, it’s another comedy from the recent French Film Festival.

And Nyad tells the (mostly) true of long-distance swimmer Diane Nyad who failed to swim from Cuba to Florida, then decided to try again 30 years later at the age of 60.   Starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, it’s directed by the couple who made the award-winning documentary The Rescue.