The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
- Directed by
- Anthony Mann
- Genre
- drama film, war film, sword-and-sandal film
- Country
- United Kingdom, Italy, United States
- Runtime
- 2h 53m
- Rated
- NR
- Rating
- 6.5 of 10 from 227 voters
- Elsewhere
- IMDb
The catalogue in 3D
The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.
How it feels
This is a historical drama about the political and personal conflicts that lead to the decline of the Roman Empire. It follows several key figures including Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus as they deal with power, betrayal, and ambition.
epicdramaticgrandsomberhistoricalslow-pacedvisually expansivemelancholic
What happens
The Fall of the Roman Empire is a 1964 American epic historical drama film directed by Anthony Mann and produced by Samuel Bronston, with a screenplay by Ben Barzman, Basilio Franchina and Philip Yordan. The film stars Sophia Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guinness, James Mason, Christopher Plummer, Mel Ferrer, and Omar Sharif. When the filming of El Cid (1961) had finished, Anthony Mann saw a copy of Edward Gibbon's 1776–1789 six-volume series The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire inside Hatchards bookshop. He pitched a film adaptation of the book to Samuel Bronston, who then agreed to produce the project. Philip Yordan was enlisted to write the script while Charlton Heston was initially set to star. However, Heston backed out of the film and agreed to star in 55 Days at Peking (1963). Prominent actors were cast to portray multiple roles in the film. The final screenplay was written by Ben Barzman and Basilio Franchina with a prologue written by historian Will Durant. Filming began in January 1963 and wrapped in July. The film featured the largest outdoor set in the history of film at that time, a 92,000 m2 (990,000 sq ft) replica of the Roman Forum. The film's name refers not to the final fall of the Western Roman Empire, which did in fact survive for centuries after the period depicted in the film, but rather to the onset of corruption and decadence which led to Rome's demise. It deals extensively with the problem of imperial succession, and examines both the relationship between father and son on the background of imperial politics, as well as the nature and limits of loyalty and friendship. On March 24, 1964, the film premiered at the London Astoria. Critics found the script lacking in emotion and humanity and the direction misguided, but accorded a degree of praise for the large spectacles. The film was a financial failure at the box office, earning $4.8 million on a budget of $16 million. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)
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The Last Days of Pompeii (1950)
Sign of the Pagan (1954)- More like this film, on a shelf you can walk up to.It's the lit case on the top shelf.