Ulysses (1954) Ulisse (original title)

Director:

Mario Camerini
(more)

Writers:

Franco Brusati (screenplay) &
Mario Camerini (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

October 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Tagline:

One of the greatest adventures of world literature! Packed with fury...excitement...cunning and tempestuous love!

Plot:

A movie adaptation of Homer's second epic, that talks about Ulysses' efforts to return to his home after the end of ten years of war. |

Plot Keywords:

Bow And Arrow | Odyssey | Amnesia | Historical Fiction | Island

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Ulysses
Silvana Mangano	...	Circe / Penelope
Anthony Quinn	...	Antinoos
Rossana Podestà	...	Nausicaa
Jacques Dumesnil	...	Alicinous
Daniel Ivernel	...	Euriloco
Sylvie	...	Euriclea
Franco Interlenghi	...	Telemachus
Elena Zareschi	...	Cassandra
Evi Maltagliati	...	Anticlea
Ludmilla Dudarova	...	Arete
Tania Weber	...	Eucalicanto
Piero Lulli	...	Achille
Ferruccio Stagni	...	Mentor
Alessandro Fersen	...	Diomede (as Alessandro Ferzen)
Oscar Andriani	...	Calops
Umberto Silvestri	...	Polifemo / Krakos
Gualtiero Tumiati	...	Laerte
Teresa Pellati	...	Melanto
Mario Feliciani	...	Eurimaco
Michele Riccardini	...	Leodes
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrea Aureli	...	(uncredited)
Andrea Bosic	...	Agamemnon (uncredited)
Walter Brandi	...	Agelao (uncredited)
Lucia Brusco	...	(uncredited)
Daniele Dentice	...	Euriade (uncredited)
Giovanni Di Benedetto	...	Demolteleno (uncredited)
Mirella Di Lauri	...	(uncredited)
Jenny Folchi	...	(uncredited)
Piero Ghione	...	Anfimedonte (uncredited)
Sergio Giovannucci	...	Polibos (uncredited)
Ettore Jannetti	...	(uncredited)
Victor Ledda	...	(uncredited)
Alberto Lupo	...	(uncredited)
Enzo Maggio	...	(uncredited)
Renato Malavasi	...	Medonte (uncredited)
Piero Mastrocinque	...	(uncredited)
Carlo Mazzoni	...	(uncredited)
Vera Molnar	...	Girl (uncredited)
Claudio Morgan	...	(uncredited)
Corrado Nardi	...	(uncredited)
Piero Pastore	...	Leocrito (uncredited)
Massimo Pietrobon	...	(uncredited)
Aldo Pini	...	Polites (uncredited)
Mimmo Poli	...	Procio (uncredited)
Roberto Rai	...	(uncredited)
Amerigo Santarelli	...	(uncredited)
Goliarda Sapienza	...	Eurimione (uncredited)
Gino Scotti	...	(uncredited)
Benito Stefanelli	...	Elatos (uncredited)
Edoardo Toniolo	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Mario Camerini
Mario Bava		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Franco Brusati		(screenplay) &
Mario Camerini		(screenplay) &
Ennio De Concini		(screenplay) &
Hugh Gray		(screenplay) &
Ben Hecht		(screenplay) &
Ivo Perilli		(screenplay) &
Irwin Shaw		(screenplay)
Homer		(poem: Odyssey)

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer
Carlo Ponti	....	producer

Original Music by
Alessandro Cicognini

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson

Film Editing by
Leo Cattozzo

Production Design by
Flavio Mogherini

Set Decoration by
Andrea A. Tomassi

Costume Design by
Giulio Coltellacci
Mme. Gres

Makeup Department
Iole Cecchini	....	hair stylist
Goffredo Rocchetti	....	makeup artist
Eugen Schüfftan	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Fernando Cinquini	....	production supervisor
Ralph Serpe	....	production supervisor
Bruno Todini	....	general manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ottorino Franco Bertolini	....	assistant director (as Ottorino Bertolini)
Guidarino Guidi	....	assistant director
Serge Vallin	....	assistant director

Art Department
Italo Tomassi	....	manager of art department (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mario Amari	....	sound mixer
Mario Morigi	....	sound engineer

Special Effects by
Eugen Schüfftan	....	special effects (as Eugen Shuftan)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Bava	....	camera operator
Mario Parapetti	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Joan Bridge	....	color consultant
Tatiana Casini Morigi	....	assistant editor (as Tatiana Casini)

Music Department
Franco Ferrara	....	musical director

Other crew
Lidia Simoneschi	....	voice dubbing: Silvana Mangano
Giovannella Zannoni	....	script supervisor
Georg Wilhelm Pabst	....	preparatory phases (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Lux Film

Distributors

• Archway Film Distributors Ltd. (1955) (UK) (theatrical)
• Europa-Filmverleih AG (1955) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Paramount Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Union-Film-Verleih (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV)
• Aquarius TV (2000) (Greece) (TV)
• Cinemax (Brazil) (video)
• Colosseo-Film (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Stablecane Ltd. (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• UFA Video (1993) (Germany) (VHS)
• Video Film Express (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Ulisse" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

Germany:100 min | USA:94 min | Argentina:116 min | Italy:117 min | Portugal:91 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 | USA:Not Rated | UK:U

Company:

Lux Film

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Ulysses and his men crush the grapes to make wine for Poliphemus, Ulysses gives the juice directly to him. It hasn't had time to ferment. So, Poliphemus is getting drunk from just grape juice.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Colgate Comedy Hour: Episode #5.37" (1955)

A Decent Version of Homer's Oddisey

Homer's tale goes that after his brilliant idea of a huge wooden horse that decided the Greek's victory in the Troyan war, Ithaca's King Ulysses challenged the sea god Poseidon and he was punished to sail around for 10 years before he could get back to his island and his faithful wife Queen Penelope. During the hero's long absence many ambitious men have settled in his palace with the intention of marrying the supposedly widow Queen and rule Ithaca with her. The picture is about Ulysses's trip and all the tasks he has to go through before reaching home and, once there, how he deals with the men that are trying to take his place.

Though the film is sort of slow by the middle part of the story and perhaps a little exceeded in its running time, it doesn't lack adventure, action and entertainment. Ulysses faces the cyclops who wants to have him and his crew for lunch, survives the seducing singing of the mermaids, visits the kingdom of the dead and escapes the spell of sorceress Circe who plans to retain him for herself. Arrived at last in Ithaca after loosing all his mates, he faces the pretenders to his throne in a memorable action and fighting sequence.

"Ulysses" is pure entertainment and adventure in ancient Greece. The film is well done and easy to watch (its excess in duration apart)with a correct direction by Mario Camerini. It shows well chosen locations and carefully designed settings. Special effects are more than acceptable for 1955. But perhaps the main feature is a well selected main cast.

Kirk Douglas is the perfect choice for Ulysses and his performance is strong and convincing. Silvana Mangano renders a believable Penelope and Anthony Quinn is at his best playing the main pretender Antinoos ("the first in pride").

It could be true that this picture inspired the sword and sandals sub genre that started a bit later with Steve Reeves's "Hercules", but you can be sure that fortunately this one doesn't belong to that category.

A fine product in its genre.