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The Fall Of The Roman Empire Details

1964 Certificate U
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 549 members

The success of Mann's widescreen epic El Cid (1961) led to this even grander undertaking, one of Hollywood's periodic infatuations with the decadence of Imperial Rome. After murdering his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius Commodus drifts into a life of wanton depravity as the Gothic hordes gather at the Empire's borders. A .. Read more

Starring Alec Guinness, James Mason, Stephen Boyd, Sophia Loren
Director Anthony Mann
Genres Action/Adventure

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The Fall Of The Roman Empire

The success of Mann's widescreen epic El Cid (1961) led to this even grander undertaking, one of Hollywood's periodic infatuations with the decadence of Imperial Rome. After murdering his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius Commodus drifts into a life of wanton depravity as the Gothic hordes gather at the Empire's borders. A Hollywood spectacular in the grand tradition, but Mann manages to elicit some terrific performances amongst the mob scenes. According to the trailer, the film contains "Not just 3 or 4, but ALL of the known emotions!"

Starring Alec Guinness, James Mason, Stephen Boyd, Sophia Loren, Christopher Plummer, Omar Sharif, John Ireland, Anthony Quayle, Mel Ferrer
Director Anthony Mann
Studio 4 FRONT VIDEO
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 52 mins
Certificate Certificate U
Genres Action/Adventure
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: not available
Production year: 1964
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of The Fall Of The Roman Empire

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Producer Samuel Bronston's legacy of six European-shot epics looks more admirable as the years pass, and leaves one aching to see them once more in their full cinematic glory. Even on TV, though, they tend to impress, thanks to fine casting, superb art direction and majestic scoring. This is no exception — there's excellent chariot action and a wonderful, if brief, performance by Alec Guinness as Marcus Aurelius. Sophia Loren has seldom looked lovelier, and the screenplay with its nods to historian Edward Gibbon is resolutely intelligent. The distinguished support cast ensures that the long movie never palls, and director Anthony Mann supplies his usual finesse, plus some exquisite widescreen vistas.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 2 stars out of 4

    Would-be distinguished epic with an intellectual first hour; unfortunately the hero is a priggish bore, the villain a crashing bore, the heroine a saintly bore, and the only interesting character is killed off early. A chariot race, a javelin duel, some m

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of The Fall Of The Roman Empire

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  • 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Great Movie !!!

    Though Fall of the Roman Empire is now infamous as the epic which destroyed the cinematic 'empire' of producer Samuel Bronston, the film is actually an above-average historical drama, attempting to make sense of the political intrigues which resulted in the dissolution of the Glory That Was Rome. The film begins with wise, diplomatic emperor Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) calling together the various representatives of the many nations within the Empire as a means of securing peace and prosperity for all involved. When Marcus intimates that he intends to turn over his crown to adopted son Livius (Stephen Boyd) rather than the logical successor Commodus (Christopher Plummer), he is poisoned by one of Commodus' cronies. Marcus' daughter Lucilla (Sophia Loren) tries to get Livius to claim the throne, but he wants no part of it; thus, the fate of the empire is in the incompetent hands of the preening Commodus. Despite efforts by cooler heads to save Rome from ruin, Commodus vainly declares himself a god and kills anyone who poses a threat to him. When he learns that Lucilla actually has a stronger claim to the throne than he does, Commodus condemns her to be burned at the stake. Only then does Livius intervene, slaying Commodus and promising to try to pick up the pieces of the disintegrating empire. Attempting to find a common ground between history buffs and action fans, Fall of the Roman Empire has come to be regarded as a classic. Alas, audiences in 1964 had grown weary of epics (especially after the highly touted but disappointing Cleopatra), and failed to turn out in sufficient enough numbers to justify Fall's exorbitant cost. Virtually wiped out, Samuel Bronston would not be able to return to filmmaking until 1971, and then only on a much smaller and more pinchpenny scale.

      • A customer from GLASGOW
      • Posted 04 Mar 2006 15:51

  • Most recent members' review of The Fall Of The Roman Empire

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  • Rated - 5 stars

    Anyone who enjoyed Gladiator

    should see this movie. This is the original! Furthermore, it has something that Gladiator lacks - Alec Guiness!!

      • Peter from London
      • Posted 06 Nov 2005 21:55

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Rating breakdown

549 Member ratings
  • 100
40
  • 90
34
  • 80
73
  • 70
70
  • 60
117
  • 50
70
  • 40
62
  • 30
35
  • 20
33
  • 10
15

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    • The Fall Of The Roman Empire

    • The Fall Of The Roman Empire
      The success of Mann's widescreen epic El Cid (1961) led to this even grander undertaking, one of Hollywood's periodic infatuations with the decadence of Imperial Rome. After murdering his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius Commodus drifts into a life of wanton depravity as the Gothic hordes gather at ...