Ulysses (1954)
(Ulisse)
Country: IT
Technical: col 103m
Director: Mario Camerini
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, Anthony Quinn, Rossana Podestà
Synopsis:
While Penelope fends off the advances of the suitors that have invaded her house, Ulysses finds his return from Troy blighted by misfortune brought about by his own hubris and the ensuing wrath of Poseidon.
Review:
This energetic early peplum makes a reasonable fist of the Odyssey, commencing promisingly with Telemachus on Ithaca and thence to Ulysses on Phaeacia. It introduces, however, an unnecessary and time-wasting stratagem involving Ulysses losing his memory and falling in love with Nausicaa, and then conflates Circe, Calypso, Charybdis and the Land of the Dead. Nevertheless, at least it follows the basic structure of Homer and boasts an atmospheric Cyclops, a psychological approach to the Sirens and a suave Antinous in the shape of Quinn. The pace is energetic but some of the acting a bit hammy (Douglas included) and the dubbing atrocious; the costumes, especially Nausicaa's, raise more than one eyebrow in their interpretation of fashions. The decision to have Mangano play Circe as well as Penelope cannot only have been dictated by ingenuity (her husband was one of the producers!).
(Ulisse)
Country: IT
Technical: col 103m
Director: Mario Camerini
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, Anthony Quinn, Rossana Podestà
Synopsis:
While Penelope fends off the advances of the suitors that have invaded her house, Ulysses finds his return from Troy blighted by misfortune brought about by his own hubris and the ensuing wrath of Poseidon.
Review:
This energetic early peplum makes a reasonable fist of the Odyssey, commencing promisingly with Telemachus on Ithaca and thence to Ulysses on Phaeacia. It introduces, however, an unnecessary and time-wasting stratagem involving Ulysses losing his memory and falling in love with Nausicaa, and then conflates Circe, Calypso, Charybdis and the Land of the Dead. Nevertheless, at least it follows the basic structure of Homer and boasts an atmospheric Cyclops, a psychological approach to the Sirens and a suave Antinous in the shape of Quinn. The pace is energetic but some of the acting a bit hammy (Douglas included) and the dubbing atrocious; the costumes, especially Nausicaa's, raise more than one eyebrow in their interpretation of fashions. The decision to have Mangano play Circe as well as Penelope cannot only have been dictated by ingenuity (her husband was one of the producers!).
(Ulisse)
Country: IT
Technical: col 103m
Director: Mario Camerini
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, Anthony Quinn, Rossana Podestà
Synopsis:
While Penelope fends off the advances of the suitors that have invaded her house, Ulysses finds his return from Troy blighted by misfortune brought about by his own hubris and the ensuing wrath of Poseidon.
Review:
This energetic early peplum makes a reasonable fist of the Odyssey, commencing promisingly with Telemachus on Ithaca and thence to Ulysses on Phaeacia. It introduces, however, an unnecessary and time-wasting stratagem involving Ulysses losing his memory and falling in love with Nausicaa, and then conflates Circe, Calypso, Charybdis and the Land of the Dead. Nevertheless, at least it follows the basic structure of Homer and boasts an atmospheric Cyclops, a psychological approach to the Sirens and a suave Antinous in the shape of Quinn. The pace is energetic but some of the acting a bit hammy (Douglas included) and the dubbing atrocious; the costumes, especially Nausicaa's, raise more than one eyebrow in their interpretation of fashions. The decision to have Mangano play Circe as well as Penelope cannot only have been dictated by ingenuity (her husband was one of the producers!).