Neros tolle Nächte

The epoch of the Roman Empire has inspired many film makers to produce movies set in this age. This is one that'll never be matched. I do not mean that it is of a superb quality, but it stands out as being one of the very few films that make fun of this civilization. The storyline is quite thin - everyone makes his best to stop Nero from singing. Everyone tries to kill everyone: Nero tries to kill his mother Agrippina, Agrippina tries to kill Seneca and Poppea, these two in turn try to kill her too. Agrippina's trials always fail to work - the others' though, work every time. They put vipers in her bed, they give her poison to drink, they drop ceilings on her bed, they flood the ship on which she is travelling. But each time she always appears back as a demon from hell unable to die. Her appearance after each attempt is ghastly, especially the one after Nero orders her ship to be drowned - she appears in the palace dresses in a pale blue dress with lightning flashing behind her. Gloria Swanson is just about the best thing is this film. Her acting is superb as the plotting mother of the mad emperor. The charm she had in the 1920s is still present as late as 1956. Alberto Sordi is fine as the childish mad emperor, Vittorio de Sica is funny as the all-sapient Seneca while Brigitte Bardot fits excellently as the bitchy, wealth-seeking Poppea. All in all it is a fine comedy set in ancient times, bound to be enjoyed by those who watch it.

A very easy portrait of episodes of Nero reign. The names of actors are the basic motif to see it. But the acting is very nice, seductive , the irony is well crafted and Alberto Sordi as immature emperor is just admirable.

A comedy without high ambitions, giving not exactly revelation but good open window to the parody of Italian sandals and sand films , for a beautiful self irony of Gloria Swanson and for the young Brigitte Bardot proposing a lovely Poppea. And, not the last Vittorio De Sica as a Seneca proposing the joy of acting.

In short, a charming film for the dose of irony, for remind of cliches about Nero and for the sparkles about Nero proposed, in Quo Vadis, by Sienkievicz and ...Peter Ustinov.

A colorful parody or persiflage on the Roman Empire, made with some production value and some known actors - Barbara Shelley, Gloria Swanson and Bridget Bardot among some known Italian actors like Vittorio De Sica or Alberto Sordi (at least if you know a tiny bit of Italian movies). Nero's Mistress will be an entertaining ride - if the kind of humor provided strikes you, if not, you won't enjoy this ride. For sure Nero's Mistress aka Mio figlio Nerone does not play in the same league as the immortal and ueber-delicious Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), but this one was made decades before that masterpiece.

Nero's Big Weekend / Mero's Mistress / Mio Figlio Nerone

Nero is normally used as a bad guy opposite a (comic) hero, but here he is himself at the centre of the story. Tension rises when his mother Agrippina visits him in his seaside villa and tries to coerce him into tending to state affairs. She has to rival with Seneca and Poppea who try to manipulate him in the opposite direction. The latter two try to have her murdered but she seems to be immortal. Meanwhile, Nero has taken to singing. An international cast in a unique comedy. I do not mean that it is an all-time masterpiece. Rather, it is a strangely factual comedy. The attempts at Agrippina's life are all taken literally from the writings of Suetonius. All they did was make it all happen in one weekend. Somehow, you get the feeling this is almost exactly what history was like.

The movie was dubbed in several languages. The German dub or the UK version are unavailable. The US version puts more emphasis on Poppea than on Agrippina, but what is worse, it is missing the final punchline - shame! Try the French or the Italian version, which are anyway the only ones available on DVD (as of 2010). English subtitles have appeared on the internet.

This somewhat outdated comedy from Italy somewhat anticipates the coming boom in Italian sword and sandal films. The well-known stories about the crazy Roman Emperor Nero are told. The topic is still very popular, as can be seen impressively in the current film SENECA by Robert SCHWENTKE.

This film by Stefano VANZINA /STENO (PLATTFOOT with Bud SPENCER) impresses with colorful images (on camera: Mario BAVA!!!) and excellent actors. Alberto SORDI (GOLDEN GLOBE for IL DIAVOLO / AMORE IN STOCKHOLM) can be seen as Emperor Nero. Vittorio De SICA (ACADEMY AWARD nomination for A FAREWELL TO ARMS) portrays the poet Seneca. As a big Hollywood surprise, Gloria SWANSON (ACADEMY AWARD nomination for SUNSET BOULEVARD, among others) plays the emperor mother Agrippina. This cast is truly a show! But the main eye-catcher is of course the very young BAMBI AWARD winner Brigitte BARDOT, who as Poppäa gets to bathe beautifully in donkey milk. Mon Dieu! The BB!

The actors are probably also the ones who made it possible for the global streaming service NETFLIX to bring this Italian classic out of obscurity. It doesn't hurt to look!