El Gran Julio Cesar

One of the better films in Mill Creek's Warriors 50-Pack. It isn't a "clean" copy but you can see and hear the film just fine - but the color of the film is a quite a bit faded. If you are a fan of the film I would recommend finding a stand alone copy that has been cleaned up and color adjusted.

This is the story of how Julius Caesar conquered The Gauls. It's a decent film and account of what happened and how it happened. I am not going to say this is an accurate of what happened because I wasn't there when it happened and really don't know, nor do I claim to know Roman and German history - I'm still learning more about it.

I can say from the stand point of Italian "Hollywood" entertainment - the film is entertaining and is well acted out. Lavish costuming, props and sets the way most all the peplum films are.

5/10

If Julius Caesar were to have had a publicist back in the day, he could have done worse than have had this created as an example of his military prowess. Cameron Mitchell plays the eponymous Roman autocrat who must rally his troops in the face of an open rebellion at the hands of Gaulish tribal leader Vercingetorix (Rik Battaglia). The story is a bit wobbly - there are some rather unnecessary romantic elements centring around his ward "Publia" (Raffaella Carrà) and the Queen of the Gauls "Astrid" (Dominique Wilms) which offers up a bit of feminine rivalry that doesn't work at all well, but the battle scenes are authentic enough and unlike so many films set around this time, the sets and look of the film come across as more genuine too. Buildings made of brick rather than marble, and the fight scenes more randomly staged (less choreographed) which all helps keep this flowing quite well. Sadly, the dubbing is largely out of synch, the editing seems more as if it had been hacked rather than cut and the budget doesn't quite facilitate the ambitions of director Nino Scolaro. Still, I didn't hate it and fans of the genre ought to get enough from the slightly overlong 1¾ hours to keep it interesting.

It concerns Julius Caesar and his famous existence on Gaul , including feats , fights , political events , betrayal , wars and lovers . Vercingetorix (Rik Battaglia) provokes a popular rebellion against Roman domination , he rallies his people and Gaul tribes when they are threatened by an army commanded by Julius Caesar (Cameron Mitchell) . Caesar asks for senator Pompeius (Carlo Tamberlani) to lead some troops for fighting the Barbarians . But Caesar's protégée (a very young Raffaela Carrá) is kidnapped by Vercingetorix and later on , her lover Claudius (Ivo Payer) is also taken prisoner . But they're freed by Queen Astrid (Dominic Wilms) . Although the deeds described are historically inaccurate , some events are vivid and authentic .

This is a fairly Sword and Sandals standard from the 60s . It's made middling scale with some spectacular scenes and in Peplum style . The action is regularly done and the story occasionally drags , however to be liked for Peplum's hardcore lovers . The motion picture was regularly directed by Americo Anton or Tanio Boccia . He directed some Spaghettis : Saguara , Kill or be Killed , Deadly Trackers and this Dio non paga il sabato (1967), but usually made Peplums, adventures and mini-epics , such as : Vendetta of Ivanhoe , La valle dell'eco tonante , Il dominatore del deserto , Maciste alla corte dello zar , I predoni della steppe , Sanson against pirates , Julio César,conqueror Gaul , Il trionfo di Maciste , Il conquistatore d'Orient , among others . Rating : 5/10 , mediocre .

The picture is partially based on real events . These are the following ones : Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix (dead at 46 b.c) was an insightful and valiant warrior , whose father was captured and executed by Romans , he was leader a rebellion against Roman domination . He seeks justice by winning freedom for Gaul from the Romans , and soon he raises an army of his own to defeat Caesar . Vercingetorix was definitely vanquished in Alesia , where took place a long siege . He was taken prisoner and led to Rome . Then he's coerced to a handcuffed parade throughout the Rome streets , being killed after six years in prison . Later on , Caesar, married Calpurnia, and is appointed Consul for life and then he crossed river Rubicon . His history is written by the same Julius Caesar in 'Comments about War of Gaul' or 'De Bello Galico', also he wrote in brilliant and elegant style 'Comments about Civil War' or 'De Bello Civili'.

Other adaptations about Caesar and Vercingetorix is as follows : 'Vercingetorix (2001)' by Jacques Dorffman with Chistopher Lambert and Klaus Mara Brandauer ; 'Julius Caesar (2004 TV) ' by Uli Edel with Jeremy Sisto as Caesar and Heino Ferch as Vercingetorix . Furthermore , known Shakespearian renditions as 'Julius Caesar(1953)' by Joseph L Mankiewicz with Louis Calhern as Caesar and Marlon Brando as Marcus Antonius and Stuart Burgue version (1970) starred by Charlton Heston .

As far as Caesars go, Cameron is better than Calhern, the Caesar in the Brando version of Julius Caesar. And that black and white version was too talky and had little romantic complication. This version is not much better, but at least the performance of Cameron lifts up the Caesar persona a bit higher than the Calhern version. Production values were terrible in both films, so it is like comparing rotten apples to rotten oranges. Cannot recommend either. Even the leaden Cleopatra was almost as bad with full production values. No good film has ever been made about Caesar. Not recommended.

Here's a low-budget but epic-looking peplum movie which begins with lots of suspenseful court intrigue as the Roman senate conspire against Caesar, and ends with a predictable but rousing battle sequence which leaves bodies strewn asunder. Now to many people this will just seem like another typical peplum movie with not much to distinguish it from dozens of others. There's one difference - for a change we have a strong acting performance from Cameron Mitchell, resplendent in a grey wig as Julius Caesar. Mitchell's character is actually explored in the movie and given motivation, while the scriptwriters go behind the scenes to show the powerful, occasionally cruel, but just, man that he was (being an Italian movie this is obviously on Rome's "side" and depicting the Gaul as bloodthirsty barbarians).

The costumes and sets are immaculate, giving the film a really authentic look which is one of the strong points, and there's plenty of action to keep the drama moving along nicely. Bloody battles are done in style on wide grassy plains and with good choreography and lots of bloodshed and death. This is a surprisingly grisly film for the time in which it was made, with some strong moments of torture via red-hot pincers and scenes like when a soldier is axed in the head with blood pouring down his face which act as a forerunner to the atrocity movies they were making in the early '80s. Arrows drive into heads and through necks and bodies are impaled and stabbed on swords, so this definitely isn't a movie for children. Whoever said that BRAVEHEART paved the way for historical war violence was obviously mistaken!

The supporting cast is a strong one and the film gives Mitchell a worthy opponent in the form of Rik Battaglia, an Italian actor who would enjoy relative success later on in his career. Battaglia shows us the human side of Vercingetorix which makes him a likable screen villain. Assorted Italian beauties flesh out the rest of the cast along with good supporting turns from Ivo Payer as the torture victim and various double-crossers and traitorous allies.

I found this to be a pretty involving movie in that we learned to care for the characters instead of simply not giving a damn as in so many films. I would even go so far as to say that some moments - like a pan over a field littered with the mutilated bodies of the dead - are pretty humbling as the film-makers intended while the action is both stirring and exciting. Sure, the low budget is evident in the occasional use of stock footage but nonetheless, CAESAR THE CONQUEROR is an enjoyable, old-fashioned yarn which could stand up with the best of them.