The Fall of the Roman Empire

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The Fall of the Roman Empire

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The Fall of the Roman Empire

Sophia Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guinness, James Mason, Christopher Plummer, Omar Sharif

The second and last of Anthony Mann's historical epics is a smart, handsome spectacle of the decadence, corruption, and intrigue that tears apart the greatest empire the world has seen. The sprawling ...( read more  read more... )story spreads itself thin over a number of characters and stories. At the center are handsome but stiff Stephen Boyd as Livius, the loyal soldier and symbolic son of the aging emperor (Alec Guinness), and Christopher Plummer as Commodus, the corrupt heir to the throne--boyhood friends turned enemies when the latter accedes to the throne and sells out the values of his father for greed and hedonistic pleasures. The three-hour running time is filled out with the tales of Sophia Loren (as the beautiful Lucilla in love with Livius but coveted by greedy Commodus) and a gallery of heroes and villains that includes James Mason, Mel Ferrer, Anthony Quayle, John Ireland, Omar Sharif, and Eric Porter. The film is highlighted with spectacular scenes (a grandiose funeral fit for an emperor, brutal battles in the provinces as the barbarians threaten the empire, and a climactic duel to decide the destiny of Rome), which Mann weaves into the shadowy intrigue of the halls of power. Like his previous epic El Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire remains one of the best of the 1960s epics: well written (and largely historically accurate) with strong performances and a consistently elegant style, but it lacks a central core and the magnetic hero of its superior predecessor. --Sean Axmaker

Id: 10887766

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The Fall of the Roman Empire Recent Reviews
  • YosemiteSamFan
    July 31, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Remade as an action film called "Gladiator". This one was a historical epic piece of cinema, with slightly cheesy production values.
  • DrLappos
    April 27, 2009
    DrLappos
    Beautiful classic and Loren is and always will be a stunner.
  • umanakka2
    May 26, 2009
    umanakka2
    An excellent movie of good olden days
  • amr26
    April 16, 2009
    amr26
    Quite good, if a little long on talk, Hollywood version of the end of the mighty Roman Empire in the 5th Century AD.
  • 339z
    February 22, 2009
    339z
    wow umn just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a good movie 2 watch its got a great cast of actors/actressess thorughout this movie..i think that andrew keir, stephen boyd, omar shariff play good parts throughout this movie..i think that the director of this Act...( read more)ion & Adventure, Drama, Classics
    movie had done a good job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie..its a good Action & Adventure, Drama, Classics movie 2 watch n its got some good scenery throughout this movie..i think that the fight scenes/sword fights were pretty kewl throughout this movie..its a good movie 2 watch
  • TheJuniorEbert
    January 27, 2009
    TheJuniorEbert
    An uncommonly cerebral version of a sword-and-sandal epic. Not quite as good as it's progeny Gladiator but well-made and very entertaining, nevertheless. Alec Guiness was a natural choice for Marcus Aurelius and Plummer really established himself in Hollywood in a superb performa...( read more)nce as Commodus. A bit long considering it's emphasis on dialogue over action but I would rather watch 4 hours of this than 2 hours of most contemporary historical epics.
  • jjnxn
    January 18, 2009
    jjnxn
    Overlong, plodding spectacle. Good and great actors alike trapped in this ponderous bore.
  • Ghw12158
    November 18, 2008
    Ghw12158
    amazing cast good stuff
  • machinemolle
    August 17, 2008
    machinemolle
    The least of Anthony Mann's movies, though every dollar that didn't get stolen is on the screen. Still, some startling moments amidst the general sprawl and turgid set-pieces. Boyd and Loren cannot carry the movie. Christopher Plummer is wonderfully evil as Commodus. The great Ja...( read more)mes Mason is an embarrassment in the thankless role of a second century hippie. Alec Guinness is actually pompous and uninteresting as the historically fascinating Marcus Aurelius. (Who'd know that Guinness was the greatest comic actor of his generation?) As for much of the movie. "Here we are on the German frontier. Oops, I've been summoned to Rome." Scenes of travel. "Here I am in Rome. Ooops---" Despite all of this, it succumbs to ridiculousness, but never to tedium. Worth watching, really.
  • grayavec
    July 16, 2008
    grayavec
    Alec Guiness's performance is the only good thing about this overly long and depressing film.
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