This is the flaming story of history's most fabulous era, a period of regal splendor, beautiful women, pursued Christians and spectacular combats on the circus arena during the glittering days of pagan Rome. Stage-bound Hollywood rendition based on George Bernard Shaw's great play about a taylor : Alan Young, in imperial Rome who saves Christians from a hungry lion who had formerly befriended.
This attractive film packs sharp dialogue, laughs supreme, entertainment and a lot of fun-midst scenes of sensational wonders into the Roman world . Including a sympathetic, intelligent and charming plot within the bounds of Hollywood. The film is pretty well, but it isn't an extraordinary yarn , but a simple and plain amusement, resulting to be a semi-satisfactory morsel. Harpo Marx was originally cas as Androcles but he was fired by the famous financer and producer Howard Hughes five weeks into the filming. Main and support cast are frankly good, such as : Alan Young as the likeable and silly Androcles , Jean Simmons as Christian damsel in distress , Maurice Evans as the proud emperor and Victor Mature as a Centurion, the latter also played other Colossal films as "The Robe" and "Demetrius and the Gladiators" . Along with an awesome support cast, such as : John Hoyt, Alan Mowbray, Elsa Lanchaster, Gene Lockhart, Noel Willman, Lowell Gilmore, Jim Backus, and several others.
It displays an atmospheric cinematography in black and white by cameraman Harry Stradling Sr, though mostly shot in studio . The motion picture was professionally written and directed by Chester Erskine and uncredited Nicolas Ray . Chester Erskine was a good craftsman, a prestigious writer who made a few movies, such as : "Irish whiskey rebellion" , "A change in the wind" , "A girl in every port", "The egg and I" , "Take one false step" , "A change in the wind" , "Frankie and Johnny" , among others. Rating : 6/10. Passable and acceptable. Well worth seeing.
This attractive film packs sharp dialogue, laughs supreme, entertainment and a lot of fun-midst scenes of sensational wonders into the Roman world . Including a sympathetic, intelligent and charming plot within the bounds of Hollywood. The film is pretty well, but it isn't an extraordinary yarn , but a simple and plain amusement, resulting to be a semi-satisfactory morsel. Harpo Marx was originally cas as Androcles but he was fired by the famous financer and producer Howard Hughes five weeks into the filming. Main and support cast are frankly good, such as : Alan Young as the likeable and silly Androcles , Jean Simmons as Christian damsel in distress , Maurice Evans as the proud emperor and Victor Mature as a Centurion, the latter also played other Colossal films as "The Robe" and "Demetrius and the Gladiators" . Along with an awesome support cast, such as : John Hoyt, Alan Mowbray, Elsa Lanchaster, Gene Lockhart, Noel Willman, Lowell Gilmore, Jim Backus, and several others.
It displays an atmospheric cinematography in black and white by cameraman Harry Stradling Sr, though mostly shot in studio . The motion picture was professionally written and directed by Chester Erskine and uncredited Nicolas Ray . Chester Erskine was a good craftsman, a prestigious writer who made a few movies, such as : "Irish whiskey rebellion" , "A change in the wind" , "A girl in every port", "The egg and I" , "Take one false step" , "A change in the wind" , "Frankie and Johnny" , among others. Rating : 6/10. Passable and acceptable. Well worth seeing.