A gladiator named Rocca (Dan Vadis) and his band of fellows gladiators (Sal Borgese, Vassili Karis, Pietro Torrisi, Jeff Cameron, Ivano Staccioli ,alia John Heston, among others ) leave his work in the arena from Coliseum placed at Antioquia. They're received by the consul of Syria who assigns them a mission as spies. They join forces with Glauco (Stanley Kent) to spy and kidnapping the Queen Moluya (Helga Line) who is allegedly allied Partos to attack Antioquia. The ten gladiators are faced at every turn by dangerous enemies. Meanwhile, Rocca falls in love with Moluya (in the second entry Vadis and Line did a likable couple as well) and then they must rescue the damsel in distress (Halina Zalewska) and defeat the Roman's enemies, the Partos who attempt to conquer Syria.
This is the third part in the ¨ Ten gladiators trilogy¨ with a silly plot but full of struggles in the arena and sword-play. It packs action,tortures, fights , adventures and some touches of humor in charge of Sal Borgese . And as a brief historical reference there is the famous battle of Carrhae, that was fought in the year 53 BC between the Roman Republic and the Parthian Empire, in which Crassus himself was defeated, his army annihilated and he was taken prisoner, as well as executed by being made to swallow liquid gold. Ample support cast formed by muscle-men and regular from Western and Peplum, such as Enzo Fiermonte, Jeff Cameron, Pietro Torrisi who in the 80s as Peter McCoy played several sword and witchery movies and the veterans Carlo Tamberlani and Enzo Fiermonte who performed numerous Peplums. As comic relief appears Sal Borgese, a sympathetic secondary playing a deaf-mute. Good production values with spectacular final battle full of extras and stock-shots from previous Roman films . It's shot in Rome, Lazio and Barcelona, Cataluña, because it's a co-production Spanish/ Italian produced by Alfonso Balcazar. Atmospheric musical score by Carlo Savina with catching musical leitmotif, he's usual of Western and here replacing Angelo Francesco Lavagnino as composer . The motion picture was professionally directed by Nick Nostro. He directed this passable adventure film , a genre in which he would not only excel but one where he would spent much of the rest of his career , as he directed all kinds of genres , most of them co-produced with Spain : Italian crime/mystery as "Web of Violence" , "Operation Counterspy" , "Vendetta at Sorrento" , "Superargo Against Diabolicus" ; Peplum as "Triumph of the Ten Gladiators" , ¨Spartacus and 10 gladiators¨ and Spaghetti as "One Dollar of Fire" and Day After Tomorrow¨ also titled ¨One After Another or ¨Von Django¨ . Rating : 5.5/10. Acceptable and passable.
The best installment is the first titled ¨I dice gladiatori (1963) or Ten gladiators¨ by Gianfranco Parolini with Roger Browne, Jose Greci and Dan Vavis as Rocca who dies at the end , here the gladiators taking on Nero: Gianni Rizzo, and his henchman Tijelinus . It's followed by ¨Spartacus and ten gladiators¨ by Nick Nostro set in Italy during Spartacus rebellion and a gorgeous Helga Liné as the love interest , there appears seven gladiators fighting habitual evil villain Gianni Rizzo. And, finally this ¨Il trionfo dei dieci gladiatori (1964).
