Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hatches a cunning plan to return from exile and reclaim control of France. When he encounters a sailor who bears an uncanny resemblance to him, he arranges to swap places so he can make his way to Paris unnoticed. However, the double gets a little too used to living the life of an emperor, leaving the real Bonaparte stuck as a commoner. Drama, starring Ian Holm, Iben Hjejle and Tim McInnerny.

Napoleon, exiled, devises a plan to retake the throne. He'll swap places with commoner Eugene Lenormand, sneak into Paris, then Lenormand will reveal himself and Napoleon will regain his throne. Things don't go at all well; first, the journey proves more difficult than expected, but more disastrously, Lenormand enjoys himself too much to reveal the deception. Napoleon adjusts somewhat uneasily to the life of a commoner while waiting, while Lenormand gorges on rich food.