|
Napoleon is famous for saying that an army marches on its stomach. I heartily approve of this, while not being overly keen on marching myself. He is also said to have uttered the words: “Not tonight Josephine.” I can sympathise, having often felt the same way after a heavy meal. Of course, we don’t know whether the Little Corporal really said either of these phrases (the one about the army has also been attributed to Frederick the Great) but they’ve gone down as part of Napoleon’s legend.
And this was the dilemma facing film director Ridley Scott when making his epic biopic: whether and when to sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of a filmic spectacle. Our expert offers four scenes from Scott’s blockbuster which bear closer examination.
Only time will tell whether Suella Braverman will be as consequential a historical figure as Bonaparte. This week she was relegated to the backbenches, reportedly for overreaching by going against Downing Street instructions when it came to the content of an article she penned for the Times about Armistice Day protests. But if Rishi Sunak is any student of history he will know that the seats behind a prime minister are a handy spot from which to insert a crafty blade. Should he fear the stab in the back? Or will Braverman’s gambit turn out to be a tale of sound and fury, signifying nothing?
I’ve always thought of pop singer Pete Doherty as a bit like Marmite. But whether you love or hate him, it’s hard to watch the disintegration of a young talent, like the proverbial moth who ventured too close to the candle – which, in his case were the copious quantities of drugs Doherty consumed. A new documentary makes for a cautionary tale.
My week this week has mainly been taken up with stories of conflict, of which there are far too many at present. Just under three years after being seized in a coup by a military junta, which has since been engaged in a campaign of violent and bloody repression, Myanmar appears to be on the verge of breaking apart. We have this report from an expert in the region.
Meanwhile the killing continues in Gaza. A former correspondent reflects on the difficulties and ethical challenges faced by those who risk their lives to bring you the news from war zones. If you want a regular briefing on our coverage of this terrible conflict, sign up to our fortnightly Gaza Update email here.
And, if you are fed up with reading about war, here’s a choice of eight super-healthy leafy greens to go with your Sunday lunch. I feel sure Napoleon would have found them handily fortifying.
From our friends and colleagues around the world, how electric bikes are cutting demand for oil far more than electric cars, a musical about a queer liberation activist in South Africa and, from a US toxicologist, everything you need to know about fentanyl and why it has become such a scourge.
|
