Les Horaces et les Curiaces

This international co-production tells of a "famous" duel between two sets of three brothers (one from each side of the Romans and the Barbarians) which was to decide the fate of the ongoing war between them. While the production values sounded promising on paper – co-director Terence Young, American actors Alan Ladd and Robert Keith (whose last film this turned out to be), French star Jacques Sernas, ex-Fellini alumnus Franco Fabrizi, four noteworthy screenwriters, etc – the film comes off as a rather talky and undernourished affair which cannot hope to do justice to its mythical subject.

A visibly tired Alan Ladd, then, is evidently miscast and seems to be playing his role as if he has just stepped in from the American West rather than being at the head of a Roman legion! The hokey, would-be tragic "Romeo and Juliet" subplot involving Ladd's sister and Barbarian Fabrizi doesn't help matters either; on the plus side, however, is a sequence early on where Ladd is teared at by a pack of hungry wolves and the forest hunt by the three barbarian brothers for Ladd (after having killed his two siblings) which rebounds on themselves – with our hero, naturally, emerging victorious at the end to walk off into the sunset with his beloved.

Having read about but not seen I bought this movie on DVD and as the previous reviewer said the transfer is terrible, that is a real shame as this is one of the more enjoyable sword and sandal epics. The great movie writer Steven Shuerer said that Alan Ladd appeared rather foolish in this movie, I disagree, Ladd put's in a nice performance here as one of three Roman brothers who must fight a rival three to try and put an end to years of fighting with the Albans, I think how the film works is that most of the cast are speaking in English, not badly dubbed from Italian as most of these films are, agreed Ladd looks rather tired and the effects of his long term alcoholism are evident, but I don't think he got a good deal from reviewers who concentrated more on his size and his personal problems. I do wish the makers of these films would take more time to try and restore the movie to a better print on DVD, some of these Italian epics are highly regarded by their fans, myself included so in this day and age of digital restoration these things should be brought in by them.

A duel takes place in order to put an end to the long and bloody war between the Romans and the Albans. Three valiant brothers are chosen for each side. The Romans choose three brothers: the Orazi. The Albans are represented by the Curiazi.

Alan Ladd plays Horatio, a Roman general fighting in a war against the Albans. In battle, Horatio tries to lead a small party of soldiers on a guerrilla flanking maneuver. When the Romans are defeated, he is accused of having fled the battlefield. Of course, he returns to fight with his brothers against the Albans, but only after some drama.

Yes, Alan Ladd looks tired and puffy-eyed, and maybe someone else could've been chosen for the lead, but he acts quite well, his tired looks fits the world-weariness and dejectedness his character feels. After all, he accused of cowardliness, loses his love to his brother - his scenes with the character who plays his former girlfriend is well-emoted. The supporting cast is very good, especially Robert Keith ( father of Brian) as the intelligent and weary emperor.

The tone of this peplum is serious, it has a certain glumness and expresses the futility of war - but it also has some decent battle scenes such as in the beginning around the mountain and in the last twenty minutes. It's not a bad film, it has more drama than action, and the story idea is really good, it just needed a sharper screenplay and more liveliness. It lacks that punch, that's all, but its drama is decent.

In the ancient Rome , during the pre-Republic period , general Horatio (Alan Ladd) is wounded and imprisoned by Albanos and accused as cowardice by Romans. The prodigal Horacio fled and he has come home but the Romans distrust . Then Horacio is redeemed on the final confrontation . Then , a combat takes place in order to put an end to the long and bloody war between the Romans and the Albans . The king of Rome , Tulio Hostilio (Robert Keith) accords King of Alba-Longa a challenge between three members of Horatius family (Jacques Sernas , Ladd) and three brothers Albanos (Franco Fabrizi , among others). They fight a duel to decide who will rule . At the ending happens the fierce and lethal battle . This unforgettable heroic action was immortalized by French painter Louis David in the painting titled 'Under oath of the Horacios' .

This is a sword and sandals movie with action , adventures , fighting and based on legendary deeds in which three different brothers are chosen for each side : the Romans choose the Orazi and The Albans are represented by the Curiazi . The film shows difference between cultured Romans and savage and illiterate Albanos , but this question is historically contradictory . The Paramout star , Alan Ladd , was in frank decadence , he plays with apathy and indifference and acted without wage various weeks when the production was declared insolvency . After that , he played 'Carpetbaggers' and suddenly died by alcoholism . His sister Alana Ladd plays as Scilla . The screenplay is written by prestigious writers with future and important careers , such as : Carlo Lizzani , Guliano Montalvo and Luciano Vincenzoni (Sergio Leone's usual) . Spectacular musical score by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino (Peplum's habitual) . The film was directed by Terence Young and Ferdinando Baldi . Subsequently , Young directed successful James Bond films : ¨Bond vs Dr No¨ and ¨From Russia with love¨. In the Italian version only appears as filmmaker Ferdinando Baldi , he's an expert director of Peplum (Arminius , massacre in Black Forest , Son of Cleopatra , David and Goliath) and Spaghetti Western (Viva Django, Adios Texas).

The picture set during first Roman epoch with the king Tulio Hostilio. Formerly ruled Romulo and Numa Pompilio (events developed in 'Romulo and Remo' by Sergio Corbucci with Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott) , after succeeded the king Tarquino (deeds narrated in 'Mucius Scevola' by Giorgio Ferroni with Gordon Scott , also starring of 'Coroliano'). Other movies about the Roman pre-Republic , the Roman monarchy , are the followings : 'Kidnapping of Sabinas' (1961 , Richard Pottier with Jean Marais and Roger Moore) and 'Virgins of Rome' (1966, Vittorio Cottafavi with Louis Jordan) , among them.

Decent Roman sword and sandal epic, a bit of an international effort with an American star, British director and an Italian production. Alan Ladd acquits himself well enough, I had doubts about seeing him in a Roman toga, he looks more convincing than John Wayne as Genghis Khan (not that, that would be difficult!)