Le colosse de Rhodes

In "Airplane," when Captain Oveur asks young Joey, "Do you like gladiator movies?" he is slyly and salaciously referring to films like "The Colossus of Rhodes." While technically not a gladiator movie, Sergio Leone's directorial debut is rife with scantily clad men whose rippling muscles and impeccable abs are fully exposed while they wrestle with each other or undergo whippings, torture, and bondage. The national pastime of Rhodes must have been doing crunches and lifting weights, because even the mature men have flat tight stomachs and bulging biceps. Meanwhile, the women, while lovely of face, remain chastely clothed and relegated to the sidelines. The homo-erotic visuals of this tale of ancient Rhodes call into question the film's intended audience. Were there enough closeted gays in the early 1960's to make a success of mediocre movies such as this?

Despite some good action sequences that hint at Leone's directorial talents, the film's dialog is stilted, the special effects dated, and the performances generally wooden. In desperate need of judicious editing, the film drags on far too long, and the plot sags in the middle. American actor, Rory Calhoun, a fading western hero who was obviously hired only for his name, wanders through the proceedings like a stranger in a strange land in more ways than one. Portraying the Greek Darios as an American on holiday, Calhoun remains nonplussed in the face of death, torture, and the lures of beautiful women. Decidedly less buff than his Italian counterparts, Calhoun nevertheless overwhelms men whose physical strength obviously exceeds that of his own lean build. Perhaps his attire gave him self-confidence. The stylish mini-togas with colorful scarves thrown over one shoulder and white, laced boots to the mid-calf make Calhoun resemble Captain Marvel more than an ancient warrior.

When viewers tire of Calhoun's costume changes and the sight of bare male flesh, they can amuse themselves watching the actors' mouths move without once matching the words that they supposedly utter. In the scenes between Calhoun and Lea Massari as Diala, there is little doubt that neither performer knows what the other is saying. Calhoun recites his lines in English while Massari recites hers in Italian, which was later ineptly dubbed. However, even Italian sandal epics can be entertaining, and "Colossus" is no exception. If expectations are kept low or the viewer is an undying fan of Rory Calhoun, then "Colossus" provides some camp moments and decent action in addition to its legions of male Italian bodies.

Now that this film is at last available on DVD (having never been issued on tape or laserdisc), more people will get a chance to see it and hopefully it will be better appreciated. Until now, the only way to see it was to wait for it to show up on TCM, which happened once or twice.

While this is Sergio Leone's first credited film as a director, you won't see the hallmarks of the distinctive Leone style. He's working here more as a director for hire, just as Stanley Kubrick had done the year before with "Spartacus." Rory Calhoun is woefully out of place, his hairstyle wildly anachronistic (full of that greasy kid stuff), he grins idiotically at inappropriate moments and gives his inane dialogue all the gusto it deserves. The story is fairly straightforward, although refreshingly free of the ersatz piety that infects so many epic Hollywood films of the era. There's a lip-smacking taste for brutality, as some of the heroes are fiendishly tortured; this appears to have been a hallmark of Italian epics of the time.

Where this movie works --- and it does --- is in the spectacle itself. You might not think that set decoration, production design, costumes, and cinematography can carry a picture, but in this case these elements are so well done it more than offsets Calhoun's dorky performance and the weaknesses of the plot. Bear in mind when you watch this that Leone did not have a computer to work with. Everything that you see had to be built or painted, and it's remarkably effective.

The film is perhaps a bit overlong, but the story has enough energy to carry the action sequences and bring all those incredible sets to life. The supporting cast is good enough to make up for Calhoun, although the dubbing is poorly done.

It's not as sophisticated as "Spartacus", but it's certainly more effective than, say, "Clash of the Titans." If you like sword-and-sandal films, this one is well worth your time.

After dying Alexander the Great , his empire was split itself, originating some independent kingdoms ruled by descendants of the Alexander's generals, this one was called the Hellenistic time. In fact , this is one of the few films to be set in the Hellenic period that spanned the period from the death of Alexander the Great to the rise of Rome as a world power . It's set in 280 B. C , the starring is Dario (a likable Rory Calhoun , though the original choice for the role of Darios was John Derek) an Athenian on holidays living in Rodi with his uncle Lisipo (Jorge Rigaud) . There he meets a good girl (Mabel Karr, wife to Fernando Rey, starring in The last days of Pompeii) and a bad girl (a gorgeous Lea Massari) . A tyrant (Roberto Camardiel) and his hoodlum (Conrado San Martin) govern tyrannically the town . But rebels led by Peliocles (Georges Marchal) fight against the nasty rulers . Meanwhile, a Phoenician army attempts to attack Rodi . Dario trying to clean up the doomed Rodhes town from enemies and a foreign invasion .

Some years before conducting a master class on the art of widescreen composition in The good , the bad and the ugly , Sergio Leone directed his credited directorial debut , though he had previously stepped in to finish most of The Last Days Of Pompeii when the original director fell ill, with this equally epic sword and sandal film starring American cowboy actor Rory Calhoun. Ample cast formed by American Rory Calhoun and familiar faces as Spanish as Italian actors ; Rory was in Italy for the title role in MGM's Marco Polo (1962), stepped into the lead role of "Colossus" on only one day's notice . Roy is solid and sympathetic though uninspired in the lead role as a honest adventurer caught up in the prior momentous to earthquake that threatens noblemen and slaves alike , but acting honors go to the villains played by Roberto Camardiel and Conrado San Martin . It's an European co-production by Spain/Italy/France with several actors from various countries , the screenplay was reportedly the work of nine screenwriters and filmed in lavish Budget . Leone's dynamic framing of the towering statue at the center of the film combined with the frenetic action scenes set on top of it made sure the Saturday matinée crowd stayed glued to their seats for the film's excessive 128 min. Running time . This historical epic about the Hellenistic time bears no relation whatsoever to real events and much of the dialog is of the wooden variety . In fact some scenarios contain abundant anachronism such as 'the Garden of the Granja of Segovia' built in XVIII century . The highlights are the images of the Colosso , one of the marvels of the world . The real Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was 32 meters high and stood on a hill , the cinematic version stands 110 meters and its legs bestride the harbor . In the pier of Laredo (Cantabria, Spain) was built feet , and head and shoulders were made in ordinary size and a maquette reflecting its whole splendor . Some spectacular scenes including the explosive climax when ground shaking and the town blows its top .

Colorful cinematography by Antonio Ballesteros , the widescreen process used is TotalScope, an Italian version of Cinemascope and evocative musical score by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino . The film bears remarkable resemblance to 'Last days of Pompeii' by Mario Bonnard and Sergio Leone, such as the earthquake in which numerous images are taken , repeat several actors actors as Mimmo Palmara , Carlo Tamberlani, and of course, technicians, producers, writers : Ennio De Concini, Duccio Tessari, same cameraman : Antonio L. Ballesteros and assistant direction, Jorge Grau, among others . The motion picture was professionally directed by Sergio Leone . Although he had experience directing other films, this was the first to give full on-screen credit to Sergio .

Word was that director Sergio Leone who stepped in during 1959 and took over directing "The Last Days of Pompeii" with Steve (Mr. Hercules, himself) Reeves wanted to make a sword and sandal film...at that time Italy was churning out the musclebulgers by the dozens.....Steve Reeves with that physique carved from granite was the king of these musclebulgers.....and to a lesser degree by another musclebulger named Mark Forrest. Leone employed all the members of "Last Days of Pompeii" he could hire....the one exception was he wanted Steve Reeves with that bulging physique to star but Reeves was committed to making "The Giant of Marathon" and "The Great White Warrior" and was not available.....How did I get this info??? I knew a friend of Reeves who talked to him and how Leone liked him and offered him the role in Colossus...... Rumor was a rather handsome but undernourished John Derek was the choice for Dario in the lead role...but a feud developed between Leone and Calhoun who was making another costume "epic" nearby in Italy was suddenly available. Calhoun had made his reputation during the 50s making westerns and was hired......anyhow, story is a typical Italian sword and sandal epic of evil rulers, mob scenes, tortures with whips and chains and a few lovely women to look at.....main story line concerns a giant erected statue called the Colossus which stands over the entrance of the harbor to the island of Rhodes in 280 BC. The Colossus drops oodles of fire and brimstone from it's bottom on any invading ships and invaders who try and enter unwelcome...... Calhoun in leading role as Dario looks out of place....he has that greased up hair do from the 50s he wore and those white shiny boot sandals he had on...ugh!!!! Lea Massari his off and on again love interest is very wooden with a large skin blemish right in the middle of her forehead!!! Where was the make up department????? Massari has all the charm of a wooden box and little to no sex appeal.....in most sword and sandal movies the women are skimpily dressed to the extreme to attract the male audience.....in Colossus the women are covered with full length togas and long dresses....go figure.....Mylene Demengeot who co starred with Steve Reeves in "Giant of Marathon" would have been a better female leading lady for this film....anyhow....there are still legions of sword and sandal fans out there who remembers all those gladiator films....the genre was resuscitated briefly in Russell Crowe's 2000 film "Gladiator".....word was the director wanted Steve Reeves to come out of retirement and play a role but Reeves was in declining health at the time and could not commit....so sad to see the king of these S&S films decline the role......only real criticism is this film is about 20 minutes or so too long coming in at 2 hrs and 15 minutes.......still not bad to see for sword and sandal fans.

...there was the movie that probably should not have been. It's not THAT bad, it's just surprising to see the director is Sergio Leone. But we all have to start somewhere don't we? And Leone started with this sword-and-sandals epic.

In the year 280 BC, Rhodes is a rich and powerful seaport island nation. King Serse (Roberto Camardiel) has just unveiled the Colossus, a massive metal statue of the god Apollo that stands over the port entrance. Greek hero Dario (Rory Calhoun) is in town for the festivities when he's approached by Peliocles (Georges Marchal) to join in a slave uprising against the Rhodesian oppressors. Dario is reluctant until he learns that the Phoenicians are plotting to overthrow the king and take the city's treasures.

This handsome production strives more for Ben-Hur or Spartacus style epic grandeur than Hercules Unchained B-movie pablum. Calhoun is a very dubious casting choice as the hero, and the French star Marchal is a more suitable lead. The costumes are nice and colorful, and the sets are very impressive, especially the Temple of Baal. At 127 minutes, this goes on about a half hour too long. However, there are some good action scenes, including an extended gladiator arena sequence. Unfortunately, a guy in a gorilla suit glimpsed briefly near the beginning never returns. This was the first credited directing job from spaghetti western maestro Sergio Leone, but his skill was not readily evident from this effort. Still, there's enough spectacle to keep this from being a complete waste of time.

Warner Brothers actually restored this and put this one on DVD, with commentary even. And yet they never got around to doing the same for Showboat. The speed in technology changes - DVD to Blu, physical to streaming, and throw in the Great Recession of 2008, and you see what seems like some strange choices by the studios. This one is often on Turner Classic Movies since Warner Bros. owns the rights. It is probably worth a watch for the novelty of it all.