La carga de los gladiadores

Only ruins remain of Palmyra today, but it was once one of the greatest cities in the east dominating the eastern part of the Roman empire from Ancyra down to Egypt. Zenobia was always the object of myths and legends, she was not stupid but highly cultivated, and Palmyra was second only to Alexandria for culture and civilisation. However, Rome would not allow it but had to swallow it all down in its own imperial preponderance and bring Zenobia a prisoner to Rome. There she was apparently granted some freedom and worthy sustenance unto her dying day. The film makes a romance out of it, making a Roman soldier a prisoner in Palmyra, whom Queen Zenobia falls in love with, thus complicating both the lives of herself and her Roman lover. Eventually they find each other in peace at Rome. The film is a monumental typical Peplum feature with very much pomp and circumstance and a great battle in the end. The music tries to equal the pompous ostentation without succeeding. It is no more than a superficial entertainment with Anita Ekberg at the centre of it with plenty of space for the admiration of her beauty, but she was never a great actress. Her best performances were in totally different genres.

Made at a time when the popularity of the Sword and Sandal sub-genre was at its height, before giving way to the Spaghetti Western, this is a rare example of romance and court intrigue taking precedence over mindless, muscle bound heroics.

At one would expect it plays fast and loose with historical fact for although Queen Zenobia was defeated by the Romans and her life spared by Emperor Aurelian, there is no record anywhere of a relationship with a Roman General whilst the makers have gone so far as to give him the name of Marcus Valerius whose military exploits took place a century later!

The film's poster promises 'a wondrous spectacle bigger than anything you've seen before' which certainly applies to Anita Ekberg's chest whilst the exotic Chela Alonso, affectionately known as the Cuban H-Bomb, performs one of her hoochie-coochie dances guaranteed to quicken the pulse and send a rush of blood to the corpora cavernosa.

The film itself is something of a hotchpotch and betrays the input of various contributors. Credited director Guido Brignone became ill during production, fatally as it turned out so Riccardo Freda and a certain Michelangelo Antonioni were drafted in whilst the cinematography by uncredited Mario Bava is evident, especially in the dungeon scenes. Heaven only knows which segments Antonioni directed but there is no doubt that Freda was responsible for the climactic battle scene which will have animal rights activists foaming at the mouth. Credited composer Angelo Lavagnino provides a truly magnificent score.

The production is certainly well mounted and lavishly decorated whilst the version I saw has mercifully been spared the dreaded mid-Atlantic dubbing with Ekberg's Zenobia and Aurelius of Georges Marchal voiced by the ubiquitous Lydia Simoneschi and Emilio Cigoli.

Zenobia was a fascinating woman and by the standards of her time an enlightened ruler and one would hope that one day a film will emerge that will do her justice but that alas hardly seems likely.

A joint venture of many countries get together to bring the famous Queen Zenobia, who ruled the large and powerful Palmyrene Kingdom around 270 AD, dealing with real events the movie exposes the Roman Consul Marcos Valerius (George Marchal) that instead attack Palmira would rather tries convince her a peace agreement with Rome, due it will cost many lives, however the dubious Zenobia (Anita Ekberg) insanely entrapped the Roman emissary as slave, advised by her Prime Minister Zemanzius (Folco Lulli) actually a grey eminency who nourish an alliance with Palmira's enemy the Persians.

Soon arises a mutual romance interest of the voluptuous and gorgeous Queen and the Roman nobleman's, it triggers a jealous of the bleak Zemanzius, meanwhile a Roman legion led by General Marcelus (Alberto Farnese) headed to Palmira aiming for release Marcus Valerious and seize the city, in the meantime Zemanzius set up a plot at behest of Persia that the battle between Palmira and Rome weaken both enabling Persia takes the whole Palmira's territory.

Aside all happenings worthwhile a look on the sexy dance provides by Chelo Alonso, as usually in those Peplum and Sword genre, the battles also exposes the roman machinery of war, years ahead of their enemies, as moving catapults throwing flaming stones and also spears, further a flawless strategic warfare, lastly rather than less important the wiser filmmakers tried capitalize on the beauty and sexy figure of Anita Ekeberg often exposing those voluminous airs bags and couple of legs to mesmerizing the viewers slobbering in every single frame where the Nordic Goddess appeared.

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First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: Youtube / Rating: 6.

I assume this isn't the easiest film for people to see. It isn't on video (to my knowledge), doesn't turn up at cinema's. In Australia it turns up occasionally on our foriegn language channel as part of their "sword & sandal" series. And my God, Anita Ekberg. Already a fan of her....um, talents. This film offers a rare view of more of her talents than before. Her outfits are very sensuous. Given the chance to meet her, I think my manhood would have shrunk away, as she is a very powerful icon, yet watched from a far, she is an Amazonian entity to adore. For serious film fans, you shouldn't feel guilty for watching this "trash", as Sergio Leone's name can be glimpsed in the writers credits!

I believe it is. Even reduced in it's intended length, the film has a number of curious elements to make it worth while even today. It was one of the first great productions from the "peplum" film industry, in this case in association with German, French, and Jugoslav studios. The army action relied entirely on men and horses, and also the war machines and traps that are here quiet realistic - catapults and multi-spear throwers, mainly (Stalin Organs, avant la lettre). Then, for arty fans, this is a good way to see where did Michelangelo Antonioni start perfecting his interior shots of dialogue; if you watch the German video copy (one of the best colors and editing around) without knowing the language (as I did), you'll notice that the interior shots are never boring - although you get to see some very poor "Egyptian" wall paintings... Finally, the two most prominent topics for most male viewers: Anita Ekberg riding a horse in mini-skirt, wearing daring low-cut evening dresses, and getting her man with a kiss, and a vengeful spear; Chelo Alonso proving in 4 minutes (longer, in the original version) how to be the focus of attention of the film industry with just one choreography... She mixes hand movements from Indian dance, with minimalist ballet and Turkish belly-dance to a perfection; she was famous as a dancer when discovered by film-makers, and with good reason.