Demetrius and the Gladiators poster & wallpaper

Anne Bancroft, Debra Paget, Jay Robinson

Amid a cast of all-stars in 1953's The Robe, Victor Mature made the strongest impression as the Greek slave, Demetrius. It was only natural, then, that Mature should star in this 1954 sequel, i...( read more  read more... )n which the newly liberated Demetrius forges an alliance with his Christian brethren to hide the sacred robe of Christ, coveted for its "magic" by the vile emperor Caligula (Jay Robinson, also reprising his role in The Robe). Captured and manipulated into believing his beloved Lucia (Debra Paget) has been killed, Demetrius rejects his pacifist faith, plots vengeance while becoming a rising star in the bloody arena, and falls prey to the scheming senator's wife Messalina (Susan Hayward), who craves his... affection. It all leads to a crisis of faith that will determine Demetrius's fate as a noble Christian or downfallen hedonist.

Inheriting The Robe's CinemaScope production values, Demetrius and the Gladiators has everything you'd want in a Biblical epic, riding the wave that would crest two years later with Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments. It's campy, of course--Robinson is outrageously over-the-top; Mature is too contemporary (preceding the absurdity of Richard Gere's King David by 30 years); and Hayward seems closer to Rodeo Drive than ancient Rome. Still, there are abundant pleasures here, from the lavish arena battles (a bit cheesy, but still impressive) to a straightforward morality tale that doesn't compromise its themes of religious loyalty. You don't watch movies like this for historical accuracy, but for the combination of thrills, passion, and glory that were Hollywood trademarks of 1950s epics, long before the more secular ambition of Gladiator. --Jeff Shannon

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49% liked it

323 ratings

Unrated, 101 min.

Directed by: Delmer Daves

Release Date: June 18, 1954

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DVD Release Date: February 27, 2001

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Stats: 57 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (57)

  • Phonex
    October 6, 2009
    Phonex
    Dowfall of an empair.
  • terris85017
    July 4, 2009
    terris85017
    (1954 Director: Delmer Daves) One of the very deeply moving epics from a bygone ear... Worth see! Take a glimpse at the talents and beauty of young Anne Bancroft & Susan Hayward as seductive Roman temptresses....
  • alexceasar
    July 3, 2009
    alexceasar
    Enjoyed it very much. Sword and sandel movies at their best.
  • 89Richter
    May 15, 2009
    89Richter
    Gran clásico. Buen diseño de producción
  • 01MovieMan
    July 26, 2008
    01MovieMan
    This is a good movie
  • jmiguelasturias
    March 20, 2008
    jmiguelasturias
    the second part of "The Robe" this is very nice
  • mkayla33
    March 14, 2008
    mkayla33
    Wounderful-... it was so sad :-(
  • hugonar
    November 2, 2007
    hugonar
    Classified as a classic = Interested.
  • disantonancy
    September 3, 2007
    disantonancy
    Another classic; speculative but alot of truth of the Roman Empite and Christianity
  • Dawnbin1
    April 2, 2007
    Dawnbin1
    I love Romans....bible stories mixed with Romans...how can you miss?

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  • Who was killed in the beginning of Demetrius And The Gladiators ?  Answer »
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  • Who was Narcellus's former slave in Demetrius And The Gladiators ?   Answer »
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