LOS ANGELES: 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 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 Betty 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. -Dawn/The Guardian News Service.