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The death of Marcus Aurelius leads to a succession crisis, in which the deceased emperor's son, Commodus, demonstrates that he is unwilling to let anything undermine his claim to the Roman E... Read allThe death of Marcus Aurelius leads to a succession crisis, in which the deceased emperor's son, Commodus, demonstrates that he is unwilling to let anything undermine his claim to the Roman Empire.The death of Marcus Aurelius leads to a succession crisis, in which the deceased emperor's son, Commodus, demonstrates that he is unwilling to let anything undermine his claim to the Roman Empire.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 2 nominations total
Virgilio Teixeira
- Marcellus
- (as Virgilio Texera)
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As the movie makes clear, the title refers not to a single event, but to a process. Ancient Rome's collapse came about through a combination of nonstop conquest and crass decadence. "The Fall of the Roman Empire" looks specifically at Emperor Commodus's rise, and how his rule contributed to the fall.
The sets are a sight to behold, as is the cinematography. But the true credit should go to Christopher Plummer as Commodus and Sophia Loren as Lucilla. He makes Commodus out to be Machiavellian but likable, while she makes Lucilla out to be someone who just wants to get taken seriously.
It's not a great movie, but you gotta admire the effort that went into it. One might think of it as a prequel to "Gladiator".
The sets are a sight to behold, as is the cinematography. But the true credit should go to Christopher Plummer as Commodus and Sophia Loren as Lucilla. He makes Commodus out to be Machiavellian but likable, while she makes Lucilla out to be someone who just wants to get taken seriously.
It's not a great movie, but you gotta admire the effort that went into it. One might think of it as a prequel to "Gladiator".
The inspiration and source material for GLADIATOR in case you hadn't noticed. This particular historical romp coming very late in the epic cycle in the 60's was a masterpiece of script, direction and set construction. You may have thought the Colosseum in GLADIATOR was impressive - digitised though it was, but compare it to the jaw-dropping scenes in Commodus' Rome - and they BUILT those! Ridley Scott used LESS than 50 people in his Colosseum scenes - every ONE of the thousands of Roman citizens you see, are there! To film this today with the same realism would cost $600-800,000 perhaps one billion plus!
Other scenes, such as the funeral of Aurelius are simply spinal-tap if you have the slightest understanding of what you are seeing. Most people didn't - leaving the theater (even in the 60's) feeling they'd just sat through a history seminar rather than an entertaining movie. I suppose it comes down to WHAT exactly "entertains" you? Master director Martin Scorcese (an extremely literate man himself) singled this movie out as one to study for those interested in the history of American Film...I wonder why?
Curiously the role of Marcus Aurelius was the highlight (acting wise) of both THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE and GLADIATOR. Sir Alec Guinness gave us a totally masterful and benevolent emperor here in just the same way that the late Richard Harris dominated GLADIATOR during his on-screen moments. The film was one to LISTEN to, to reflect on...not too munch popcorn and watch the big men fly! James Mason as Timonides, gave one of his most enduring and touching roles....he was actually injured during that scene with the lance and was unable to film for a few days.
Comments that Boyd was "wooden" and Plummer "over the top," irritate me also. Livius was a noble man of integrity - that's how Boyd portrayed him, these weren't times for off-the-cuff humor. Similarly, evidence exists that Commodus himself was not the "thinking man's choice" of emperor - cruel, vengeful and way left-field of normal! Plummer brought all this out rather well I thought. It doesn't matter a whole lot to me OR Anthony Mann I suppose, what YOU thought about it! Sophia Loren? Not your average "legally blonde" Romanic bimbo either. The epitome of poise and elegance...way too "wooden" for the new millennium!
I believe the FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE is right up there with BEN HUR and Stanley Kubrick's SPARTACUS. Most any intelligent and perceptive person would agree! I would happily have watched it for 280 minutes!
Other scenes, such as the funeral of Aurelius are simply spinal-tap if you have the slightest understanding of what you are seeing. Most people didn't - leaving the theater (even in the 60's) feeling they'd just sat through a history seminar rather than an entertaining movie. I suppose it comes down to WHAT exactly "entertains" you? Master director Martin Scorcese (an extremely literate man himself) singled this movie out as one to study for those interested in the history of American Film...I wonder why?
Curiously the role of Marcus Aurelius was the highlight (acting wise) of both THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE and GLADIATOR. Sir Alec Guinness gave us a totally masterful and benevolent emperor here in just the same way that the late Richard Harris dominated GLADIATOR during his on-screen moments. The film was one to LISTEN to, to reflect on...not too munch popcorn and watch the big men fly! James Mason as Timonides, gave one of his most enduring and touching roles....he was actually injured during that scene with the lance and was unable to film for a few days.
Comments that Boyd was "wooden" and Plummer "over the top," irritate me also. Livius was a noble man of integrity - that's how Boyd portrayed him, these weren't times for off-the-cuff humor. Similarly, evidence exists that Commodus himself was not the "thinking man's choice" of emperor - cruel, vengeful and way left-field of normal! Plummer brought all this out rather well I thought. It doesn't matter a whole lot to me OR Anthony Mann I suppose, what YOU thought about it! Sophia Loren? Not your average "legally blonde" Romanic bimbo either. The epitome of poise and elegance...way too "wooden" for the new millennium!
I believe the FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE is right up there with BEN HUR and Stanley Kubrick's SPARTACUS. Most any intelligent and perceptive person would agree! I would happily have watched it for 280 minutes!
This and 'Spartacus' are the best of the Roman Epics, and it's no coincidence that 'Gladiator' is essentially a remake of TFOTRE; Scott was inspired by the best.
This is a beautifully made, intelligent film with great performances, especially from Mason. And quite fitting that it was the last of the 'Epics'...I grew up watching these films on TV with my late father who always explained the history behind them, and they remind me of him when I watch them.
I've just picked it up on Blu-Ray for very little. Although the transfer isn't as great as 'Ben Hur' or 'Cleopatra', which it fully deserves, it still looks good.
This is a beautifully made, intelligent film with great performances, especially from Mason. And quite fitting that it was the last of the 'Epics'...I grew up watching these films on TV with my late father who always explained the history behind them, and they remind me of him when I watch them.
I've just picked it up on Blu-Ray for very little. Although the transfer isn't as great as 'Ben Hur' or 'Cleopatra', which it fully deserves, it still looks good.
It's particularly interesting to compare this movie with Gladiator (2000), as both take the same historical event as a starting point. While the fight scenes are more exciting in Gladiator, and while Gladiator is probably the superior film overall, this film does have three distinct advantages.
First of all, the armies and crowds are better here - it's real people and not computer generated icons. Some of the marching scenes were a bit lengthy for my tastes, but the soldiers, the horses, the armor, the swords and spears, all of it, were very authentic and impressive. Second, as the armies look more realistic, so do the sets. We do not see the coliseum in this film, but we do see the palaces, pools, forts and throne rooms. Very exciting. Third, and perhaps most importantly, this film has superior acting. Christopher Plummer is probably the best thing here - his Commodus is at once more dastardly and more likeable than that of Gladiator; again, this means more realistic. James Mason is also in top form, here; for once, he does not play a slippery philanderer.
There is something flawed about this film that I can't quite put my finger on. It does not reach the heights of other 50s and 60s epics such as The Ten Commandments or Ben-Hur. Still, it is a dramatic and at times moving film. It does convey the gravity (some might say tragedy) of the Empire's fall and the pax romana that never was.
First of all, the armies and crowds are better here - it's real people and not computer generated icons. Some of the marching scenes were a bit lengthy for my tastes, but the soldiers, the horses, the armor, the swords and spears, all of it, were very authentic and impressive. Second, as the armies look more realistic, so do the sets. We do not see the coliseum in this film, but we do see the palaces, pools, forts and throne rooms. Very exciting. Third, and perhaps most importantly, this film has superior acting. Christopher Plummer is probably the best thing here - his Commodus is at once more dastardly and more likeable than that of Gladiator; again, this means more realistic. James Mason is also in top form, here; for once, he does not play a slippery philanderer.
There is something flawed about this film that I can't quite put my finger on. It does not reach the heights of other 50s and 60s epics such as The Ten Commandments or Ben-Hur. Still, it is a dramatic and at times moving film. It does convey the gravity (some might say tragedy) of the Empire's fall and the pax romana that never was.
In the year 180 A.D., the emperor Marcus Aurelius, who led his Roman legions against the Germanic tribes along the Danube frontier, has been at war for 17 years and lived under very difficult conditions
Now he invited every governor, every consul and every prince in the whole empire for one particular purpose All responded to his call coming from the deserts of Egypt, from the mountains of Armenia, from the forest of Gaul and the prairies of Spain
Marcus Aurelius greets them as friends, and tells them that in the whole world, only two small frontiers are still hostile to Rome One, here in the north which separates the Roman Empire from those who are called barbarians, the other, in the east of Persia Only on these two borders Rome is finding walls, palisades, forts and hatred But these are not the frontiers he wants He wants and needs human frontiers, the vision of a family of nations
For the great emperor time is short, and there is a decision which he can no longer delay He has sacrificed the love of his son as Commodus will never be his heir His wish is that Livius, the commander of the northern army, should succeed him, and he intends to present him to the leaders of the empire openly as his successor... He has hope that the position and responsibilities would make his son grow up as Commodus is interested only in games and gladiators...
Guiness' ailing Marcus Aurelius had hope that his daughter would not have a marriage without love And he knows better than anyone what a marriage without love can mean But his fears for the empire are reasonable The east is where the danger lies He must make an alliance that will show the whole world what value Rome place on her eastern frontier An alliance with Armenia
Boyd's weary Galius Livius saw suddenly his world has become strange He's not sure where he is He knows only the ways of war He would not know how to make allies out of the barbarians But if he has to choose between being Caesar's heir or Lucilla's love, he chooses her love
Loren's lovely Lucilla makes it hard for her father to take leave of this life She knows that her father loves her, but how could her life mean anything without love? It is out of love that she dared so much
Plummer's slimy Commodus pushes the eastern provinces to rebellion in smashing and destroying everything his father did He makes it clear to his sister that he refused to give her anymore chances to prop against him
Mason's genteel Timonides has been a slave, but he's not accustomed to pain He is a philosopher and he is weak
Ferrer's treacherous Cleander knows that Caesar will accept fruit from him He also knows that his blade carries a deadly poison
Quayle's gladiator Verulus snores, in the moment of truth, a deep family secret
Sharif's king Sohamus hopes for a lovely part of Rome
With a cast of thousands, massive battle sequences, exciting chariot races, brutal hand to hand combat, gorgeous scenery, impressive set design, Anthony Mann's motion picture is a long ride of epic proportions not designed only to entertain but to expose how gold and corruption can undermine the biggest empire the world has ever known
Now he invited every governor, every consul and every prince in the whole empire for one particular purpose All responded to his call coming from the deserts of Egypt, from the mountains of Armenia, from the forest of Gaul and the prairies of Spain
Marcus Aurelius greets them as friends, and tells them that in the whole world, only two small frontiers are still hostile to Rome One, here in the north which separates the Roman Empire from those who are called barbarians, the other, in the east of Persia Only on these two borders Rome is finding walls, palisades, forts and hatred But these are not the frontiers he wants He wants and needs human frontiers, the vision of a family of nations
For the great emperor time is short, and there is a decision which he can no longer delay He has sacrificed the love of his son as Commodus will never be his heir His wish is that Livius, the commander of the northern army, should succeed him, and he intends to present him to the leaders of the empire openly as his successor... He has hope that the position and responsibilities would make his son grow up as Commodus is interested only in games and gladiators...
Guiness' ailing Marcus Aurelius had hope that his daughter would not have a marriage without love And he knows better than anyone what a marriage without love can mean But his fears for the empire are reasonable The east is where the danger lies He must make an alliance that will show the whole world what value Rome place on her eastern frontier An alliance with Armenia
Boyd's weary Galius Livius saw suddenly his world has become strange He's not sure where he is He knows only the ways of war He would not know how to make allies out of the barbarians But if he has to choose between being Caesar's heir or Lucilla's love, he chooses her love
Loren's lovely Lucilla makes it hard for her father to take leave of this life She knows that her father loves her, but how could her life mean anything without love? It is out of love that she dared so much
Plummer's slimy Commodus pushes the eastern provinces to rebellion in smashing and destroying everything his father did He makes it clear to his sister that he refused to give her anymore chances to prop against him
Mason's genteel Timonides has been a slave, but he's not accustomed to pain He is a philosopher and he is weak
Ferrer's treacherous Cleander knows that Caesar will accept fruit from him He also knows that his blade carries a deadly poison
Quayle's gladiator Verulus snores, in the moment of truth, a deep family secret
Sharif's king Sohamus hopes for a lovely part of Rome
With a cast of thousands, massive battle sequences, exciting chariot races, brutal hand to hand combat, gorgeous scenery, impressive set design, Anthony Mann's motion picture is a long ride of epic proportions not designed only to entertain but to expose how gold and corruption can undermine the biggest empire the world has ever known
Did you know
- TriviaThe symbol Timonides wears around his neck is a staurogram, an early symbol of Christianity. It's the only mention of Christianity in this movie.
- GoofsIt is general opinion that Marcus Aurelius was not assassinated, neither by poison, as in THE FALL, nor by asphyxiation, as in Ridley Scott's GLADIATOR. Instead the general conclusion is that MA died of disease, aggravated by exhaustion after endless years of constant fighting.
- Quotes
Closing Narrator: This was the beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire. A great civilization is not conquered from without, until it has destroyed itself from within.
- Crazy creditsThe Paramount logo did not appear on American prints.
- Alternate versionsThe film was cut a number of times, from 187 minutes to 185 to 165 to 158. The very first scene to go was one between Commodus and Livius in the middle of their drinking session on arriving at the German fort. As they go upstairs to pick out two of the hostage German women, Commodus explains that he is on the horns of not a dilemma by a trilemma - if there are gods, they have decided what he will do so it doesn't matter whether he is good or bad; if there are no gods, then it simply doesn't matter if he leads a good or a bad life; and if he himself is a god, then he gets to decide what is good or bad. That is why, if you listen carefully, you can hear the gods laughing... The omission of this scene explains that incredibly abrupt cut from them going upstairs to Commodus trying to force a drink on the German girl. There are a number of cuts in the other versions, most notably the second scene with Marcus Aurelius and Lucilla; most of Timonides' big speech to the Senate about accepting the barbarians into the Empire; and the scene where Livius tries to appeal to the Senate after failing to sway Commodus in the temple only for them to turn against him and arrest him. In some prints, the first scene after the intermission, of Lucilla leaving Marcus Aurelius' meditations in the temple for safekeeping is also dropped. Sadly, the only version that was ever released uncut was the Super 8mm feature release back in the early 1990s, which was taken from the original 16mm neg that was struck before any of the cuts were made but which was prohibitively expensive.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Claudius: Boy of Ancient Rome (1964)
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Fall of the Roman Empire
- Filming locations
- Sierra de Guadarrama Mountain Range, Segovia, Castilla y León, Spain(opening sequence - battle)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $19,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime
- 3h 8m(188 min)
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