Der Untergang des Römischen Reiches

The movie deals with the great emperor of Rome , Marco Aurelio (Alec Guinness) , of the dynasty of Antoninos , formed by : Nerva , Trajano , Adriano , Antonino Pio , Marco Aurelio and Commodo (Christopher Plummer , though Richard Harris was originally cast and he withdrew because of artistic differences with the director) . After that , there happens several riots and coups d'etat until Diocleciano , who imposed peace and order with the Tetrarchy . Being dead Marco Aurelio , succeeded his son Commodo , a nutty gladiator emperor , he'll take on his sister Drusilla (Sophia Loren) and Livio (Stephen Boyd replaced Charlton Heston and he blamed the massive commercial failure for ruining his career) . They'll have to fight against German barbarians (commanded by John Ireland) and Persians (ruled by Omar Shariff).

In the picture there are struggles , epic events , a love history and being very interesting , in spite of the fact that the runtime is overlong : about three hours . Budgeted at about $20 million , this was Paramount's biggest flop of 1964 , its failure cost producer Samuel Bronston his Spanish production facility . Cast and support are frankly well . As Alec Guinness as a stoic and thoughtful philosopher emperor craving the ¨Pax Romana¨ (Latin for the "Peace in Rome¨) is top-notch . Christopher Plummer's interpretation as the nut-head son is first-rate , he was 33 at the time of filming , although his character Commodus became Emperor at the age of 19 ; while other main actors as Stephen Boyd and Sophia Loren are a bit wooden . James Mason as Marco Aurelio's broody and good adviser is excellent . This lavishly financed film was originally intended to be made after El Cid and to reunite Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren . The set for the Forum Romanum was actually being built when Heston rejected the script but expressed an interest in '55 Days at Peking' instead . Samuel Bronston immediately ordered that the work on the Forum be stopped and the landscaping and foundation work be adapted for the Peking set . After filming , the Peking set was torn down and replaced by the Forum , if you look carefully , both sets share a very similar topography . Colosanti and John Moore production design is breathtaking . Battles staged by Yakima Canutt are incredible and impressive . Scenarios are overwhelming : the Roman Forum , Roman Capitol , the temples...the sets are spellbound . Colorful cinematography by the great cameraman Robert Krasker is awesome , similar to Dimitri Tiomkin's fascinating and romantic musical score . Anthony Mann's direction in his last film is spectacular and outstanding . The motion picture didn't achieve success at the box office , it was a real flop and collapsed Samuel Bronston's empire . Rating : Above average . Well worth Watching . Very Good .

It's particularly interesting to compare this movie with Gladiator (2000), as both take the same historical event as a starting point. While the fight scenes are more exciting in Gladiator, and while Gladiator is probably the superior film overall, this film does have three distinct advantages.

First of all, the armies and crowds are better here - it's real people and not computer generated icons. Some of the marching scenes were a bit lengthy for my tastes, but the soldiers, the horses, the armor, the swords and spears, all of it, were very authentic and impressive. Second, as the armies look more realistic, so do the sets. We do not see the coliseum in this film, but we do see the palaces, pools, forts and throne rooms. Very exciting. Third, and perhaps most importantly, this film has superior acting. Christopher Plummer is probably the best thing here - his Commodus is at once more dastardly and more likeable than that of Gladiator; again, this means more realistic. James Mason is also in top form, here; for once, he does not play a slippery philanderer.

There is something flawed about this film that I can't quite put my finger on. It does not reach the heights of other 50s and 60s epics such as The Ten Commandments or Ben-Hur. Still, it is a dramatic and at times moving film. It does convey the gravity (some might say tragedy) of the Empire's fall and the pax romana that never was.

In the year 180 A.D., the emperor Marcus Aurelius, who led his Roman legions against the Germanic tribes along the Danube frontier, has been at war for 17 years and lived under very difficult conditions…

Now he invited every governor, every consul and every prince in the whole empire for one particular purpose… All responded to his call coming from the deserts of Egypt, from the mountains of Armenia, from the forest of Gaul and the prairies of Spain…

Marcus Aurelius greets them as friends, and tells them that in the whole world, only two small frontiers are still hostile to Rome… One, here in the north which separates the Roman Empire from those who are called barbarians, the other, in the east of Persia… Only on these two borders Rome is finding walls, palisades, forts and hatred… But these are not the frontiers he wants… He wants and needs human frontiers, the vision of a family of nations…

For the great emperor time is short, and there is a decision which he can no longer delay… He has sacrificed the love of his son as Commodus will never be his heir… His wish is that Livius, the commander of the northern army, should succeed him, and he intends to present him to the leaders of the empire openly as his successor... He has hope that the position and responsibilities would make his son grow up as Commodus is interested only in games and gladiators...

Guiness' ailing Marcus Aurelius had hope that his daughter would not have a marriage without love… And he knows better than anyone what a marriage without love can mean… But his fears for the empire are reasonable… The east is where the danger lies…He must make an alliance that will show the whole world what value Rome place on her eastern frontier… An alliance with Armenia…

Boyd's weary Galius Livius saw suddenly his world has become strange… He's not sure where he is… He knows only the ways of war… He would not know how to make allies out of the barbarians… But if he has to choose between being Caesar's heir or Lucilla's love, he chooses her love…

Loren's lovely Lucilla makes it hard for her father to take leave of this life… She knows that her father loves her, but how could her life mean anything without love? It is out of love that she dared so much…

Plummer's slimy Commodus pushes the eastern provinces to rebellion in smashing and destroying everything his father did… He makes it clear to his sister that he refused to give her anymore chances to prop against him…

Mason's genteel Timonides has been a slave, but he's not accustomed to pain…He is a philosopher and he is weak…

Ferrer's treacherous Cleander knows that Caesar will accept fruit from him… He also knows that his blade carries a deadly poison…

Quayle's gladiator Verulus snores, in the moment of truth, a deep family secret…

Sharif's king Sohamus hopes for a lovely part of Rome…

With a cast of thousands, massive battle sequences, exciting chariot races, brutal hand to hand combat, gorgeous scenery, impressive set design, Anthony Mann's motion picture is a long ride of epic proportions not designed only to entertain but to expose how gold and corruption can undermine the biggest empire the world has ever known

As the movie makes clear, the title refers not to a single event, but to a process. Ancient Rome's collapse came about through a combination of nonstop conquest and crass decadence. "The Fall of the Roman Empire" looks specifically at Emperor Commodus's rise, and how his rule contributed to the fall.

The sets are a sight to behold, as is the cinematography. But the true credit should go to Christopher Plummer as Commodus and Sophia Loren as Lucilla. He makes Commodus out to be Machiavellian but likable, while she makes Lucilla out to be someone who just wants to get taken seriously.

It's not a great movie, but you gotta admire the effort that went into it. One might think of it as a prequel to "Gladiator".

This film really should be seen on a big screen, in Panavision. The spectacle is breathtaking, immensely aided by Robert Krasker's superb photography, ranging from the misty forests and snowscapes of Northern Europe to the brilliant sunlit colours of Rome.

But the actors aren't outdone. Alec Guinness and James Mason lend the production a touch of class, whilst Christopher Plummer's dissolute emperor is a splendidly monstrous figure. Watch out too for old Finlay Currie, Magwitch in "Great Expectations", as an aged Senator.