This six part miniseries about the early years of the Roman empire has many great elements to it including the performances. You start off with a dignified Roland Culver as Augustus Caesar and then go on to four episodes where André Morell as Tiberius, and he's the most fascinating character in the series. Ralph Bates as Caligula, Sonia Dresdel as Livia, Barrie Ingham as Sejanus and Freddie Jones as Claudius (the only actor in all six parts) are fine in supporting parts, but it's Morell who dominates and makes the audience care about him. However, the character of Tiberius here is not presented historically accurate, looking like a perfectly healthy old man while in other portrayals, he was covered in scabs and definitely not of sound mind.
The black and white photography and the low budget did not bother me as I am used to videotaped shows of this nature from the Golden age of television, both American and British. But this is basically a cliff notes version of Roman history under the Caesars, and thus I didn't feel I learned anything new or earth-shattering about them. The 1975 miniseries "I Claudius" is much more famous, and it's obvious as to why. In spite of its low budget, greater detail went into the creation of each of the characters. I could get a better education out of the encyclopedia in regards to the subject covered here. Not un-entertaining, but a major disappointment.
The black and white photography and the low budget did not bother me as I am used to videotaped shows of this nature from the Golden age of television, both American and British. But this is basically a cliff notes version of Roman history under the Caesars, and thus I didn't feel I learned anything new or earth-shattering about them. The 1975 miniseries "I Claudius" is much more famous, and it's obvious as to why. In spite of its low budget, greater detail went into the creation of each of the characters. I could get a better education out of the encyclopedia in regards to the subject covered here. Not un-entertaining, but a major disappointment.