Désirée is a 1954 American historical romance film directed by Henry Koster and produced by Julian Blaustein from a screenplay by Daniel Taradash , based on the best-selling novel Désirée by Annemarie Selinko . The music score was by Alex North and the cinematography by Milton R. Krasner . The film was made in CinemaScope .
It stars Marlon Brando as Napoleon Bonaparte and Jean Simmons as Désirée Clary . It also stars Merle Oberon and Michael Rennie with Cameron Mitchell , Elizabeth Sellars , Charlotte Austin, Cathleen Nesbitt , Carolyn Jones and Evelyn Varden .
The film was nominated for two Academy Awards , for Best Art Direction (color) (Lyle R. Wheeler , Leland Fuller , Walter M. Scott , Paul S. Fox ) and Best Costume Design (René Hubert and Charles LeMaire ).