Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954)

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

Philip Dunne (written by)
Lloyd C. Douglas (character)

Release Date:

4 November 1954 (West Germany)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History

Tagline:

It begins where "The Robe" left off!

Plot:

The story picks up at the point where "The Robe (1953)" ends, following the martyrdom of Diana and Marcellus...

Plot Keywords:

Caligula | Robe | Messalina | Faith | Arena

Cast

Victor Mature	...	Demetrius
Susan Hayward	...	Messalina
Michael Rennie	...	Peter
Debra Paget	...	Lucia
Anne Bancroft	...	Paula
Jay Robinson	...	Caligula
Barry Jones	...	Claudius
William Marshall	...	Glycon
Richard Egan	...	Dardanius
Ernest Borgnine	...	Strabo
Charles Evans	...	Cassius Chaerea
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Douglas Brooks	...	Cousin (uncredited)
John Cliff	...	Varus (uncredited)
Michael Conrad	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Guard-Escort of Prisoners (uncredited)
Karl 'Killer' Davis	...	Macro (uncredited)
Carmen De Lavallade	...	Slave Girl (uncredited)
George Eldredge	...	Chamberlain (uncredited)
Lyle Fox	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Ed Fury	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Everett Glass	...	Kaeso (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	The Decurion (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Guard (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Senator (uncredited)
Barbara James	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Russell Johnson	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Court Official (uncredited)
Allen Kramer	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Paul Kruger	...	Courtier (uncredited)
David Leonard	...	Marcipor (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis	...	Magistrate (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Potter (uncredited)
Julie Newmar	...	Primary Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Paul Richards	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Dick Sands	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson	...	Gambling Gladiator (uncredited)
Willetta Smith	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Ray Spiker	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Paul Stader	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Court Attendant (uncredited)
Woody Strode	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Gisele Verlaine	...	(uncredited)
Jim Winkler	...	Gladiator (uncredited)
Jeff York	...	Albus (uncredited)

Directed by
Delmer Daves

Writing credits
Philip Dunne		(written by)
Lloyd C. Douglas		(character)

Produced by
Frank Ross	....	producer

Original Music by
Franz Waxman

Cinematography by
Milton R. Krasner		(director of photography) (as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Robert Fritch
Dorothy Spencer

Art Direction by
George W. Davis
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Paul S. Fox
Walter M. Scott

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Joseph C. Behm	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Eckhardt	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Arthur von Kirbach	....	sound (as Arthur L. Kirbach)
Ed Harris	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Bert Ross	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ray Kellogg	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
George Bruggeman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Carson	....	stunt double: Victor Mature (uncredited)
Fred Graham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jean Heremans	....	fencing master (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ray Spiker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eugene Kornman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
James Mitchell	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director (as Charles LeMaire)

Editorial Department
Lyman Hallowell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Ken Darby	....	vocal director
Alfred Newman	....	composer: themes from "The Robe"
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Leonard Doss	....	technicolor color consultant
Stephen Papich	....	choreographer
Herschel Daugherty	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Jean Heremans	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1954) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Fox Films (1955) (Finland) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1961) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #16588, General Audience) | West Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The set of the Christian neighborhood in Rome has previously been used in The Robe (1953) (of which this film is the sequel) as the village of Cana. We can easily recognize the well with old broken columns.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the end of the movie when Peter goes to the house of Messalina to see Demetrius, Messalina throws wine on Peter. The wine stains Peter's under garment on his shoulder and drips on his draped outer toga on his chest. When the camera cuts to another angle, Peter now has a smaller wine spot only on his shoulder with no dripping stains on the chest of the outer toga. When the camera switches back, Peter again has both stains (shoulder and chest) prominently along the front of his outfit.

Quotes:

Claudius:Men do not kill what they despise - only what they fear.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics (2009) (TV)

see this for one of the most amazing performances on film

Once you have seen this movie you will never ever forget Jay Robinson's performance as deranged but cunning Caligula.Is it great acting or just one of the greatest slices of ham ever put on film?I don't know but it proves the maxim that one actor can make a basically routine movie into a personal favourite."Demetrius" is in some ways superior to its predecessor "The Robe" -it lacks the ponderous religiosity,theres more action,and Caligula moves into centre stage.