Il ratto delle sabine

This wasn't a bad film, another take on those horny Roman guys and the Sabine women they kidnap. (I often wonder what really happened back then, as you get myths, stories, songs by Howard keel, etc. But you'll never know unless you time travel.)

It was nice to see Roger Moore in his pre-Bond days (was this pre-Saint, too?) he made a good Romulus, though a bit on the fickle side, and a bit tactless when he told his soon-to-be-discarded girlfriend "I no longer want you." (That's right Rom, break it to her gently!) Just his luck, his second love is a dedicated vestal virgin, torn between her love for him and duty to her vows.

There was some action as well as comedy, and I like the way the kidnapped ladies remained independent and feisty, rejecting Romulus's plan to have a lottery to assign partners, no way! These ladies were choosing their own husbands! Just because they were kidnapped, didn't mean they'd be bossed around!

A fun movie !

There are many versions of this movie kicking around but the original is still the best. LBX and all the topless scenes included. If you watch the TRAILER on Y/T you can see glimpses of the topless bits. If you watch any of the movies, those breast scenes are all cut out. I have the original with everything showing. Plus in LBX and great colour it fantastic. Roger Moore is perfect for the role of the Roman leader.

Below-par peplum which, more than anything else, serves to demonstrate that Roger Moore (playing Romulus, ruler of Rome and the son of a deity!) is as ill-suited to the genre as John Wayne or Alan Ladd had been!! Dealing with the popular legend of the Rape Of The Sabine Women - which also inspired the musical SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954) - the film is strictly a potboiler, with colorful scenery but little real action and obligatory hit-or-miss comedy relief provided by Moore's pint-sized, myopic spokesman. Mylene Demongeot - who seemed to have been a fixture with this type of film - is, as ever, a most lovely heroine (sparring for Moore's attentions with the duplicitous Scilla Gabel, who eventually expires in an incredible manner by way of a deflected arrow); meanwhile, Giorgia Moll and Marino Mase' fill in for the secondary romantic interest - while the thing is given some measure of dignity by the presence of Folco Lulli, playing the jovial Sabine king, and cameos (in the film's most interesting scene) by Jean Marais and Rosanna Schiaffino as Roman Gods, respectively Mars and Venus, who appear before the sleeping Romulus - pretty much in the style of the Tom & Jerry cartoons! - to 'influence' his thoughts (i.e. whether to pursue the path to war or love). While not quite as bad as the similar (and similarly-titled) COLOSSUS AND THE AMAZON QUEEN (1960), the best film to incorporate the Battle Of The Sexes into the peplum genre remains AMAZONS OF ROME (1961; co-directed by Vittorio Cottafavi).

For those of us who love Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and want to know just what inspired those Pontipee Brothers to court their women the way they did we have Romulus And The Sabines out of Roman legends to tell us. Least that's what Plutarch said.

Romulus And The Sabine Women is a cut above the usual peplum product from Italy at the time. It stars Roger Moore as Romulus one of the legendary founders of Rome and we're at the pioneer days of Rome when Romulus who is the son of Mars and therefore half divine has talked a bunch of men to pull up stakes and settle on a promising site on the banks of the Tiber River. But like pioneers depicted in such films like Westward The Women or Paint Your Wagon these guys have cleared the land and made a city, but there aren't any women.

Even the leader is feeling some pangs and he does realize that we do need the other sex if the city is to grow and prosper. Those folks from Sabinia in the next county have women, so get women from them one way or another.

The story is presented accurately as has come down to us. Roger Moore is definitely nice to look at, but for once the leading man in a peplum is not dependent on his physique for attention. The particular object of his affection Mylene Demongeot, Sabine princess and consecrated vestal virgin and French cinema legend is also an eyeful.

Speaking of eyefuls Romulus And The Sabines has as a real treat a meeting with the Gods. In a dream sequence Romulus seeks advice from dear old dad, Mars the God of War, but that other Roman deity Venus insists on putting her two cisterces in. They're played by Jean Marais and Rosanna Schiaffino and they have the best dialog in the film, even dubbed.

This is not bad and might even prompt a reading of the classics by some young viewers. That's always worthwhile, at least that's what Plutarch said.

Roger Moore (of "The Saint" and 007 fame) toplines this all but forgotten Sword and Sandal excursion, assaying the role of Romulus, the founder of Rome. As King, his mission is to find women for his ragtag (and nearly 100% male) congregation of Roman "citizens".

So what does he do? He sets his sites on a vestal virgin from nearly Sabinia, along with as many unattached women he can round up. Successful in corraling an army of lasses, he presides over their pairing off with his host of horny men (this is where the raping starts, I guess, although most of the captured women seem happy with the prospect of hitting the sack in no time flat with their new mates).

But the men of Sabinia, deprived of their wenches, mount an attack against Rome to rescue the damsels, leading to a conflagration of swordplay as the film winds it's way towards conclusion.

Yet another poorly dubbed Italian Peblum, one of hundreds produced in the late 50's and early 60's in the wake of the success of "Hercules" starring Steve Reeves. This one is mostly bereft of action, replaced instead with much wooing and pseudo lovemaking. Several of the ladies appear quite fetching, however, as their bosoms heave with desire in their low cut frocks.

Not much to recommend it, other than the guilty pleasure of watching a future James Bond, in his salad days, slumming about the Italian countryside.