Il re dei barbari

An enjoyable spectacle, though some of the plot was a bit unconvincing. For a tough guy, Marcian was very eager to volunteer details of his mission when he was captured by Attila, and I don't know he he got intelligence of the pagan hordes' move on Rome and was able to rush some of his troops to its defence across considerable distances. And I was also puzzled by how Attila came to be in awe of Christianity. But Palance made an excellent Hun, and was every bit as good a villain as he was in Shane and Arrowhead. And Chandler has never looked better, thanks to his Roman armour and longer hair than usual. It was also fun to try to recognise lesser actors such as Pat Hogan and Leo Gordon in their barbarous costumes. A good 90 minutes of entertainment.

Overall production value is not very high on this film; I seem to recall the film's inability to pass off studio sets as exterior locations. My recollection is of a very "TV-like" production on the level of a "B" movie with a large then usual budget. However, Jack Palance is excellent as Attila the Hun. He really does come across as a barbarian, giving a very intense performance that compares well with his earlier role as Toriano in "Arrowhead" with Charlton Heston. Some great supporting roles, also, with Jeff Morrow (This Island Earth) playing the grizzled Roman General, and Alexander Scourby (famous for his narration/voiceover work) playing Chrysaphius the Eunuch, advisor to Theodosius II. Jeff Chandler's subdued performance is a good match for the stoic Christian Roman he plays. It's a good counterpoint to Palance's growling Attila. For years, I thought Palance was short of stature, based on his sword fighting here with Jeff Chandler, but it was just that Chandler was several inches taller than Palance who was himself 6' 2"...

Interesting trivia:

The uncredited narrator of the film is Rex Reason who co-starred with Jeff Morrow in "This Island Earth."

Very enjoyable Douglas Sirk one and only foray into the sword and sandal genre. Competently made, it has a lush look though obviously made on a small budget. With the stilted dialogue one might expect of such a saga, it somehow remains credible though at times teeters precariously on the borders of camp.

Jeff Chandler turns in a solid performance delivering his lines with diction suited to Shakespeare. Panther like Jack Palance sporting a Fu Manchu moustache is perfectly suited to playing Atilla the Hun which he does with much relish. Despite the numerous forgettable roles in equally numerous trivial movies, one senses that there was something there that never quite came to fruition. The closest he came to really great acting was "The Big Knife" made the following year.

Although Sirk wasn't originally allotted to this movie, it would seem he was willing to try his hand in a genre new to him. As with his only western "Taza Son of Cochise", he proved himself able to work in the genre as well as most, though added little extra of any note.

Expertly filmed by the great Russell Metty who Sirk wisely used on most of his movies.

This is a 1954 Universal International film titled Sign of the Pagan , full of historic inaccuracy and being well starred Jack Palance as Attila . It results to be an epic adventure yarn set in 5th-Century about the chieftain Attila the Hun who was a leader of the Hunnic Empire , a tribal confederation consisting of Huns , Ostrogoths , and Alans among others, on the territory of Central and Eastern Europe . There a Roman centurion called Marcian (Jeff Chandler) is captured by en route to Constantinople , but he flees . On arrival, he meets the eastern Roman emperor Theodosius (George Dolenz) scheming with Attila to look the other way while the latter marches against Rome . But Marcian (who really was emperor and succeeded Teodosio) gains the favor of Pulcheria (Ludmilla Tchérina of Red slippers) , lovely sister of Theodosius , who favors a united Empire and plotting against Attila . As Attila marches across Empire to Rome and things look bleak for the weakened imperial forces . Emperor Valentinian III sent three envoys, the high civilian officers Gennadius Avienus and Trigetius , as well as the Bishop of Rome Leo I (Moroni Olsen) , who met Attila at Mincio in the vicinity of Mantua and as the conqueror had an awe of the power of the Christians' God , he obtained from him the promise that he would withdraw from Italy and negotiate peace with the Emperor . Against the ravaging hordes of Attila stood a warrior's might and a people's faith! . Against his ruthless pagan lusts , the power of a woman's love!

This spectacular movie contains action , breathtaking battles , thrills , romance , hokey historical events and the crowed scenes of the Huns are impressively made . Big production design , lavishly produced , brilliant photography and rousing soundtrack as you'd expect from Universal International at the time . There takes place a fictitious battle of wits and wills between Attila/Jack Palance and Marcian/Jeff Chandler . Jack Palance dominates with his overacting this historical adventure , while Marciano being grumpily performed by Jeff Chandler . Marcian's character bears remarkable resemblance to General Aecio who vanquished Attile in Chalons . And Pulcheria , who really married emperor Marciano , being decently played by Ludmilla Tchérina . Great support cast provide some solid secondary interpretations such as Allison Hayes as Ildico who was actually wife wife to Attila , Rita Gam , Alexander Scourby , Michael Ansara , Leo Gordon , Eduard Franz as Astrologer , Jeff Morrow and final film of Moroni Olsen . Colorful cinematography in Cinemascope by Russell Metty . Evocative as well as thrilling musical score by two Hollywood classic composers , Hans J. Salter and Frank Skinner . The motion picture was professionally directed by melodramas expert , Douglas Sirk , though it has several flaws , gaps and historical mistakes .

The picture is partially based on historical events about Attila , Marciano , Valentiniano , Pulcheria and emperor Teodosio . During his reign , Attila was one of the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires . He crossed the Danube twice and plundered the Balkans, but was unable to take Constantinople . His unsuccessful campaign in Persia was followed in 441 by an invasion of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire , the success of which emboldened Attila to invade the West. He also attempted to conquer Roman Gaul (modern France) , crossing the Rhine in 451 and marching as far as Orleans before being defeated at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains . He subsequently invaded Italy , devastating the northern provinces, but was unable to take Rome. He planned for further campaigns against the Romans but died in 453 . After Attila's death his close adviser Ardaric of the Gepids led a Germanic revolt against Hunnic rule, after which the Hunnic Empire quickly collapsed . Other films dealing with this historical character are the followings : ¨Attila¨(1953) Pietro Francisci with Anthony Quinn , Sofia Loren and Henry Vidal as general Aecio . ¨The Nibelungos , vengeance of Siegfried¨ (1967) by Harald Reinl with Herbert Lom as Attila . And "Attila" (2001) miniseries by Dick Lowry with Gerard Butler as Attila the Hun , Powers Boothe as Aetius , Simmone Mackinnon as Ildico and Red Rogers as Valentinian .

Even for an epic, at 92 minutes this movie is quite short, but hey it is a very enjoyable movie regardless. Yes even with the occasionally muddled plot and dull performance of Jeff Chandler.

Sign of the Pagan is an example of a movie that is strikingly photographed in early CinemaScope, lustily staged by the director Douglas Sirk and terrifically scored. And there is some nice dialogue as well, not Oscar-worthy material perhaps but nice enough and the pacing wasn't too bad either. It is the performance of Jack Palance though that takes centre stage, he portrays Atila the King of the Huns as a ruthless and ferocious barbarian, and Palance seems to be having a whale of a time, it was quite simply a hugely enjoyable performance.

Overall, not absolutely brilliant but very enjoyable even with its faults. 7/10 Bethany Cox