Herodes, el grande

It's one of those Italian Peplum productions, for once without any Steve Reeves, but Edmund Purdom as Herod is convincing enough, although maybe slightly too handsome for a Herod, like Massimo Girotti also is a bit too dashing for Augustus. The story is the grim drama of Herod killing off his own family - Augustus observed on one occasion that no one needed to threat Herod's family as he would soon have killed them all himself. It has the character of a melodrama, there is very little action and mainly only theatrical acting, but the actors are all good and attractive - like in all Peplum films the set designs are perfectly stylish. But that's all - no cinematography, nothing special, only drama and tears and paranoia, which Herod drives to extremes - which he also did in reality.

When Marco Antonio is defeated by his enemies, his former allied King Herod of Judea (Edmund Purdom) travels to convince Augustus to support his government by the Romans. He makes his chief commander and friend Aaron (Alberto Lupo) swear that he would kill his beloved Queen Miriam (Sylvia Lopez) if he died. When Herod is arrested by the Romans, one of his men returns to Judea and lies, telling that he was killed by the Romans. However Aaron is not able to keep his promise and Miriam stays alive. When Herode returns to his palace, his son Antipater, poisons Herode with the lie that Aaron has betrayed him and had an affair with Miriam. The madness of Herode destroys his friends and his kingdom.

"Erode il grande" is a good epic of betrayal and revenge in a nest of snakes. The theatrical performance of Edmund Purdom is very exaggerated and quite ridiculous in the love scenes with Sylvia Lopez, but in the rest of the movie he works well. The character of Antipater seems to be inspired in Iago of Shakespeare's Othello. Unfortunately the DVD released in Brazil by the distributor London Films is horribly dubbed in English, and the quality of the image is awful. But this movie is a worthwhile entertainment if the viewer disregard the previously mentioned problems. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Herodes o Grande" ("Herode The Great")

The biblical story of the Herod, King of Judea. Herod is captured by the Pagan Romans and held prisoner. Herod's lieutenant, Aaron, believes that he is dead. Aaron had orders from Herod to kill the Queen when he dies, but Aaron could not do it and brought her into the desert to hid her. Herod pleas to Augustus enough that Herod was able to go back to his palace. When Herod arrives, he is told by his son, Antipater, that Aaron has betrayed him and the Queen is still alive. Now Herod must find his wife and face her pursuers.

It's an alright film. One of the better movies in the Warriors 50-pack by Mill Creek. Herod was a person that really lived and there is plenty of proof of that. So in it's way, the film is a History and Biographical film as well as being a Bible Story.

I will say it again, I do not rate these types of films based on how accurate to history they are or how true they are or not. I base my ratings on how well entertained I was by the film.

4.5/10

A lazy and failed Italian peplum of the fifties.

The film is inspired by the sadly famous king of Judea Herod the Great, considered a villain in the gospels for being responsible for the massacre of the innocent saints, although some historians question the truth of these events.

Regarding the film the figure of Herod, here is embodied by the Englishman Edmund Purdom, who gives presence to the character but who never manages to give true intensity to his interpretation. The same goes for the rest of the cast who fail to emerge in their characters by offering soulless and passionless performances.

Although it may seem so. This is not a biography of the mythical king, because he does not pay attention to his work as a builder and the prosperity that he brought to the Jewish people but that the film focuses only on his family dramas, there is hardly any action his always complicated relations with Octavio are touched superficially and it has become tedious and uninteresting for a historical figure that gave more of itself.

Their photography costumes and decorations recreated with some luxury are saved.

Otherwise a forgettable film.

Thank you.,

As with almost every Sword and Sandals movie, you get some historical thing or figure and than the movie runs with it. In this case it does not take it and runs completely away with it, which has been the case before. No it does stay in a timeline that is quite close to History.

Having said that, do not take anything that happens at face value. This is her to entertain and while the 60s proved to be filled even more with Sword and Sandals in Italy, this has the formula/bluepring down