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War drama

Waterloo (1970): Cast & Plot

Waterloo (1970) movie poster

Waterloo is a 1970 war drama directed by Sergey Bondarchuk, starring Christopher Plummer as Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, Pauls Butkevics and Rod Steiger. It runs 2 hours 14 minutes.

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Waterloo (1970) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 14m (134 min)
Director
Sergey Bondarchuk
Genres
Drama , War , History
Original language
English
Studio
Mosfilm
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Waterloo About?

The premise of Waterloo without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

On an unforgettable afternoon at Waterloo, Napoleon confronts the Duke of Wellington. After his defeat and exile to Elba, Europe is stunned when he escapes, wins back the loyalty of the French army, and threatens the restored monarch. Wellington, who had outmaneuvered Napoleon’s forces in Spain and Portugal, now leads an Anglo‑Allied army to meet the French emperor in a decisive battle.

Waterloo Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • french empire
  • prussian
  • cannon
  • prussian soldier
  • prussia
  • military uniform
  • cavalryman
  • dead soldier
  • bayonet charge
  • duke of wellington
  • napoleon bonaparte character
  • period drama
+38 more
  • paris france
  • epic war
  • epic history
  • 1810s
  • france
  • docudrama drama
  • cavalry
  • napoleon
  • victory
  • waterloo
  • general
  • duke
  • french army
  • fate
  • battle
  • duchess
  • aristocrat
  • english country dance
  • waltz
  • bagpipes
  • kilt
  • period piece
  • costume drama
  • empire fashion
  • 19th century
  • firearm
  • campaign
  • patriot
  • flag
  • british flag
  • march
  • englishman
  • frenchman
  • white flag
  • end of war
  • final battle
  • truce
  • surrender
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Cast & crew

Waterloo Cast & Characters

Christopher Plummer leads the cast as Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, with Pauls Butkevics as Officer with Wellington (uncredited) and Rod Steiger as Napoleon Bonaparte. Directed by Sergey Bondarchuk; 49 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Waterloo

· 45 more
Show all 49 cast members
From the director

More from Sergey Bondarchuk

More films directed by Sergey Bondarchuk: Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World and Red Bells Part I: Mexico on Fire.

Full filmography
Plot

Waterloo Plot Summary

What happens in Waterloo from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Following the collapse of the 1814 campaign, Napoleon Bonaparte, Rod Steiger, is forced to abdicate under pressure from his marshals and is exiled to Elba with a small guard. After a year, he escapes and once more rallies the French to his banner. In the same upheaval, Louis XVIII flees the throne, a shift that sends the European powers back toward war. In Brussels, at the Duchess of Richmond’s ball, the looming threat becomes real as the Duke of Wellington, Christopher Plummer, learns that Napoleon is marching into Belgium, a revelation that pushes him to coordinate a strategy that could split the allied forces. The decision, ultimately, is to halt Napoleon at Waterloo, a moment that will redefine the balance of Europe.

Full summary

The whole story of Waterloo, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Waterloo Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Waterloo.

Original Movie Trailer 'Waterloo'(1970)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Waterloo?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrayed Napoleon Bonaparte in the film?
Details

Waterloo Also Known As

14 alternative titles, including “Ватерлоо” and “워터루”.

Also known as
  • Ватерлоо
  • 워터루
  • 워털루
  • La batalla de Waterloo
  • ワーテルロー
  • Βατερλό
  • ווטרלו
  • Ватерло
  • 滑铁卢战役
  • 滑鐵盧之役
  • Chiến Trường Waterloo
  • واترلو
+2 more
  • Vaterlo mūšis
  • วอเตอร์ลู สมรภูมิสงคราม

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FAQ

Waterloo FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Waterloo, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Waterloo?

Waterloo runs 2 hours 14 minutes (134 minutes).

When was Waterloo released?

Waterloo was released on October 26, 1970.

Who directed Waterloo?

Waterloo was directed by Sergey Bondarchuk.

More films by Sergey Bondarchuk

Who is in the cast of Waterloo?

Waterloo stars Christopher Plummer as Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, Pauls Butkevics as Officer with Wellington (uncredited) and Rod Steiger as Napoleon Bonaparte, among 49 credited actors.

Does Waterloo have a post-credit scene?

No. Waterloo has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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