The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) YTS

Reviewed by CinemaSerf 7 / 10

It's amidst the frozen forests of Germany that

It's amidst the frozen forests of Germany that we meet Caesar Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) who is pondering a crucial question. He is ailing, aware that he'll be with his gods soon and that his son "Commodus" (Christopher Plummer) should not be entrusted with the empire. That honour ought to go to his childhood friend, and the emperor's commander "Livius" (Stephen Boyd). When he announces this, it leaves the honourable general with a conundrum - not helped by his love for the princess "Lucilla" (Sophia Loren). Thanks to an apple and a very dodgy paring knife, things come to an head and what might have seemed like the honourable thing to do at the time soon comes home to bite "Livius" as his new boss turns out to be every bit as bad as his father had feared. With the empire facing battles on many fronts, the scheming Armenian king "Sohamus" (Omar Sharif) up to mischief in the East - he's now also married to "Livilla", it looks like a battle royal will have to take place to save Rome from itself and it's foes. This is a great looking and sumptuously staged drama with loads of attention to detail both in the wilderness of the trees and with the lavishness of the Imperial court. A veritable all-star cast support too - James Mason, a slightly wooden Anthony Quayle and a brief appearance from Mel Ferrer all add colour to the thing, but it's the surfeit of writing that slows down the pace. There's just way too much chat and not enough action. That said when it does liven up then the grand-scale battle scenes are superbly photographed by Robert Krasker. In the end, the whole just isn't the sum of it's parts, and though gorgeous, Loren doesn't look remotely interested in much, if any, of the proceedings. It'd be hard to shave much from it's three hour running time and make much difference, I think it just doesn't quite work often enough.

Reviewed by brogmiller 7 / 10

"If you listen carefully, you'll hear the Gods laughing."

At a cost of roughly $20,000,000 this has the dubious distinction of being the most expensive Sword-and-Sandal movie ever made. For this kind of film to even recoup its costs in the cinematic climate of the 1960's would have been a miracle and its poor showing marked the end of Spanish-based Samuel Bronston productions.Thirteen centuries after the events depicted here, Machiavelli referred to Marcus Aurelius as the last of the 'five good emperors'. His reign was beset with every kind of calamity but during his campaigns against Germanic tribes he was sufficiently stoical to write his 'Meditations' which ranks as one of the greatest works of ancient philosophy. When he died his megalomaniacal son Commodus effectively ended the two hundred year old Pax Romana and began the Empire's decline.He is played here by Alec Guinness who by all accounts re-wrote many of his lines. Sir Alec is excellent of course and his customary 'detached' persona suits the role admirably. His character actually died of natural causes but in this he is poisoned which is obviously far more interesting 'filmically'! Aurelius fathered thirteen children, just two of whom are featured here. His daughter Lucilla is played by Sophia Loren and crackpot Commodus by Christopher Plummer. Apparently it might at one stage have been Gina Lollobrigida and Richard Harris so let us at least be grateful for small mercies. La Loren and Sir Alec got along splendidly which benefits their scenes together. Her love scenes with the Livius of Stephen Boyd however are alas as cold as yesterday's mashed potatoes. She is portrayed here as a beacon of virtue but was in reality, like her mother Faustina, a real goer.Mr. Plummer relishes his role and is absolutely mesmerising. James Mason comes out well as Timonides but his character is somewhat 'preachy'. The roles played by Omar Sharif, Mel Ferrer and Anthony Quayle are underwritten but might very well have been edited out as the film is long enough as it is.Visually it is simply stunning courtesy of Robert Krasker who had previously worked with director Anthony Mann on 'El Cid'. Special mention must be made of second unit directors Yakima Canutt and Andrew Marton whilst the film's massive budget allowed art directors Moore and Colasanti to recreate a 900,000 square foot Roman Forum. For those who appreciate lavish scores Maestro Dimitri Tiomkin has turned up trumps.This is essentially a film of two halves. Once the presence of Guinness has gone it suffers alas the same fate as does 'Cleopatra' after Rex Harrison's Caesar is bumped off. It seems to lose focus, becomes empty and uninvolving and is redeemed only by Plummer's histrionics.As a postscript this film prompted me to read the 'Meditations' of Marcus Aurelius. They helped him through troubled times and looking at the world today they might very well do the same for you. When reading them it would be wise to keep the image of Guinness as the philosopher-emperor and not that of Richard Harris in Ridley Scott's risible remake of 2000.05/02/2021: Farewell Christopher Pummer. "May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

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The Fall of the Roman Empire

1964

Action / Drama / History / War

The Fall of the Roman Empire

1964

Action / Drama / History / War

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It's amidst the frozen forests of Germany that

"If you listen carefully, you'll hear the Gods laughing."

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