NEW AL FILM - MONSTER OF LONGWOOD

(thanks Iris for this info)
Formerly known as "Betsy and the Emperor". 
Here is the IMDB page for it:   http://imdb.com/title/tt0362850/ 

Directed by Patrice Chéreau

Writing credits Paul Auster, Jean-Claude Carrière,  (more)

Plot Outline: Based on the historical events of Napoleon Bonaparte's jailtime on St. Helena island, the picture details a fictional relationship between Napoleon and the young wife of his jailer.

Production Notes/Status:
Status: Pre-production
Comments: Filming is due to begin in April 2004
Since this project is categorized as being in production, the data is subject to change or could be removed completely.

Credited cast:
Juliette Binoche	....	Betsy
Al Pacino	....	Napoleon
(more)

(here is some more info, thanks to Anne)

From Screen Europe production chart:

THE MONSTER OF LONGWOOD

directed by Patrice Chereau
based on the novel BETSY AND THE EMPEROR by Statin Rabin
screenplay by Rebecca Belfield, Jean-Claude Carriere, Michael Tolkin
produced by Harvey Weinstein, Howard Rosenman
Al Pacino, Juliette Binoche (in advanced talks)
Location shoots in France
filming not yet scheduled (between April 2004 and April 2005
dependent on schedules)
Worldwide distribution rights Miramax International

Patrice Chéreau has been willing to make this film since 2000. Pacino has been attached to this project since October of 2000, at least, and the film was originally scheduled to begin shooting in spring of 2001 in France... Zvi Howard Rosenman was already said to produce. Storyopolis (Paul Allen’s film company) acquired Staton Rabin’s book “Betsy & the emperor”. Rebecca Belfield wrote the 1st draft, Jean Claude Carriere wrote the next one and Michael Tolkin wrote the 3rd draft. Paul Auster rewrote with Chereau.

(5-9-04) MONSTER OF LONGWOOD STILL ON?

Someone emailed me saying the IMDB page for this was taken down. It's possible that it's not going forward because of the competing film.  Bummer. I don't know that for sure though.

 

(4-1-04) MONSTER OF LONGWOOD - NEW ZEALAND HERALD ARTICLE

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/entertainmentstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3557921&thesection=entertainment&thesubsection
=film&thesecondsubsection=general 

    Al Pacino to play Napoleon, 31.03.2004
    Al Pacino is to portray Napoleon Bonaparte in a movie called The Monster of Longwood.
    It tells about the French dictator's last days and his relationship with a British girl who befriended him after he was exiled to the South Atlantic isle of St Helena.
    The movie, which is being written by Paul Auster, is already facing tough competition.
    A rival project called Napoleon and Betsy will feature Scarlett Johansson as the same British beauty in a similar storyline, and the two movies are already battling it out in court and in the pages of the trade press.
    "They are doing something outrageously and grossly malicious," said Longwood producer Howard Rosenman, who accused principal figures from the rival movie, including Johansson and her producer mother Melanie, of copying his film's script.
    Melanie Johansson has strenuously denied the charges. "This comes out of jealousy," she told Variety. "Our project is based on a true story. I would say that Howard Rosenman is a psychotic person."

(from another article...)
'The Monster of Longwood' is to shoot on Fiji and the Isle of Man.

 

FILM GUARDIAN

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1183242,00.html 

Rival films portray life of Napoleon

    Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
    Thursday April 1, 2004
    The Guardian
    The list of screen Napoleons makes unlikely reading: Marlon Brando, Douglas Fairbanks, Rod Steiger, Ian Holm (three times), Dennis Hopper. In all, more than 200 actors have portrayed the diminutive general.
    This year the total will increase by two, as rival versions of the same chapter of Napoleon's life - his exile in St Helena and his friendship with a British girl - go into production. But a row has erupted over who got there first.
    One version is The Monster of Longwood, an adaptation of a novel, starring Al Pacino as Napoleon. The other is called Napoleon and Betsy, and is envisaged as a vehicle for the Lost in Translation star Scarlett Johansson.
    Now the lawyers have been called in. "Their project is completely tainted by copyright infringement," Longwood producer Howard Rosenman told Daily Variety.
    "I would say that Howard Rosenman is a psychotic person," responded Melanie Johansson, a producer of the other film and Scarlett's mother.
    The bad blood stems from the accusation by the
    Longwood camp that their ideas, script and lead actress have moved from one film to the other. Scarlett Johansson read for the Longwood film last year, her mother was one of its producers, and the scriptwriter for Napoleon and Betsy helped to write an early draft of The Monster of Longwood.
    "Neurotic, I'll admit to, but I'm not psychotic," said Mr Rosenman. "Their project is completely tainted by copyright infringement. Our lawyers think they are doing something outrageously and grossly malicious."
    Mr Rosenman said he hoped Johansson would still appear in his film. "We think Scarlett is a great actress. Her mother, on the other hand ..."
    Melanie Johansson countered: "This comes out of jealousy. Our project is not based on any novel; it is based on a true story that is in the public domain. It is entirely original."
    But the last word in screen portrayals belongs to Danny DeVito as the actor playing Napoleon in Get Shorty. "I have him telling jokes, mimicking his generals ... I moon Josephine a couple of times," he says in the film.
    It seems unlikely that Pacino will play Napoleon for laughs.

VARIETY

    Variety
    Al Pacino is Napoleon in Monster of Longwood
    Monday, March 29, 2004
    Al Pacino will play Napoleon Bonaparte this fall in The Monster of Longwood, an adaptation of a Staton Rabin novel about the French dictator's last days and his relationship with a young British girl who befriended him after he was exiled to the isle of St. Helena.
    According to Variety, Patrice Chereau (Queen Margot) is on board to direct, and he is overseeing a polish of Michael Tolkin's last draft with scribe-author Paul Auster.
    However, the story is essentially the same as that of Napoleon and Betsy, a project that was just set up at Lions Gate as a star vehicle for Scarlett Johansson, with Rebecca B. Kennedy writing the script.
    "Longwood" producer Howard Rosenman has retained litigator Martin Singer to halt the other project. Rosenman claims Kennedy wrote the first draft of his "Longwood" project and said Scarlett Johansson has flirted with his film since she did a reading with Pacino last fall. Furthermore, Rosenman said, Melanie Johansson, Scarlett's mother and manager, was attached as associate producer to his film and Gilles Arondeau was supposed to be its production designer.
    Shooting on "Longwood" is scheduled to begin on the Isle of Man and Fiji.

(3-30-04) MONSTER OF LONGWOOD - ADVOCATE ARTICLE

http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=11856&sd=03/30/04   Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Patrice Chéreau to direct Al Pacino as Napoleon
Out director Patrice Chéreau (Son Frére, Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train) will direct The Monster of Longwood, starring Al Pacino as Napoleon Bonaparte, according to Variety. The film will be an adaptation of the Staton Rabin novel about Napoleon's last days and his friendship with a young British girl during his exile. Chéreau will also collaborate with screenwriter-novelist Paul Auster on a polish of the script's most recent draft, written by Michael Tolkien (The Player).