Alexander the Great (1956)

Director:

Robert Rossen

Writer:

Robert Rossen (written by)

Release Date:

31 August 1956 (West Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

The colossus who conquered the world!

Plot:

An epic film that follows the life of Alexander the Great, the macedonian king that united all ancient...

Plot Keywords:

Empire | Persian | Macedonian | King | Epic

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Richard Burton	...	Alexander
Fredric March	...	Philip of Macedonia
Claire Bloom	...	Barsine
Danielle Darrieux	...	Olympias
Barry Jones	...	Aristotle
Harry Andrews	...	Darius
Stanley Baker	...	Attalus
Niall MacGinnis	...	Parmenio (as Niall Macginnis)
Peter Cushing	...	General Memnon
Michael Hordern	...	Demosthenes
Marisa de Leza	...	Eurydice (as Marisa De Leza)
Gustavo Rojo	...	Cleitus
Rubén Rojo	...	Philotas (as Ruben Rojo)
Peter Wyngarde	...	Pausanias
Helmut Dantine	...	Nectenabus
William Squire	...	Aeschenes
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	Antipater (as Friedrich Ledebur)
Virgilio Teixeira	...	Ptolemy (as Virgilio Texeira)
Teresa del Río	...	Roxane (as Teresa Del Rio)
Julio Peña	...	Arsites
José Nieto	...	Spithridates (as Jose Nieto)
Carlos Baena	...	Nearchus
Larry Taylor	...	Perdiccas
José Marco	...	Harpalus (as Jose Marco)
Ricardo Valle	...	Hephaestion
Carmen Carulla	...	Stateira
Jesús Luque	...	Aristander (as Jesus Luque)
Ramsay Ames	...	Drunken Woman (as Ramsey Ames)
Ellen Rossen	...	Amytis
Carlos Acevedo	...	Ochus
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Manuel Arbó	...	(uncredited)
Mario de Barrios	...	(uncredited)
Enrique Diosdado	...	(uncredited)
Sergio Orta	...	(uncredited)
Robert Rietty	...	Cleitus / Philotas (voice) (uncredited)
Gérard Tichy	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Rossen

Writing credits
Robert Rossen		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Rossen	....	producer
Gordon Griffith	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Mario Nascimbene

Cinematography by
Robert Krasker		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ralph Kemplen

Art Direction by
Andrej Andrejew		(as André Andrejew)

Costume Design by
David Ffolkes

Makeup Department
David Aylott	....	makeup artist
Gordon Bond	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Forlong	....	second unit director
Bernard Vorhaus	....	assistant director (as Piero Mussetta)

Art Department
Dario Simoni	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Gerry Hambling	....	sound editor (as Gerald Hambling)
Stan Hawkes	....	sound editor (as Stanley D. Hawkes)
Claude Hitchcock	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Cliff Richardson	....	special effects

Stunts
Ken Buckle	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jock Easton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Sullivan	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Harris	....	camera operator
Theodore J. Pahle	....	director of photography: second unit (as Ted Pahle)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John McCorry	....	wardrobe (as John McCory)

Music Department
Franco Ferrara	....	conductor

Other crew
H.R.H. Prince Peter of Greece	....	technical advisor
Robert Rossen	....	presenter
Elaine Schreyeck	....	continuity
Michal Waszynski	....	assistant to producer (as Michael Waszynski)
David Paltenghi	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Elaine Schreyeck	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Tadeo Villalba	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Friedrich von Ledebur	....	horse master (uncredited)

Production Companies

• C.B. Films S.A.
• Rossen Films

Distributors

• United Artists (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Adams Filmi (1956) (Finland) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films S.A. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1967) (1997) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Curci-Milan  music published by
• Officials and People of the Various Localities in Spain  grateful acknowledgement is made of the co-operation shown by
• Spanish Government, Its Army, The Ministry of Informacion y Turismo, The  grateful acknowledgement is made of the co-operation shown by
• Technicolor  color
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation  CinemaScope is the registered trademark of

Also Known As:

Runtime:

136 min (TCM print) | Spain:143 min | USA:135 min (Turner Library Print) | USA:141 min

Country:

USA | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (PCA #17782) | New Zealand:G | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

CEA Studios, Madrid, Spain

Company:

C.B. Films S.A.

Trivia:

Peter Wyngarde was originally tested for the lead role of Alexander, but ended up in the smaller role of Pausanias.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the soldiers find Darius' chariot, there are dual cutting blades attached to the wheels. Seconds later, when the chariot is driven away, the blades are gone. Not enough time elapsed for the blades to be removed.

Quotes:

Philip of Macedonia:Alexander. In your first act as regent, send your mother away.
Alexander:Exile my mother?
Philip of Macedonia:Back to her kinsman in Epirus, she'll be happy there.
Alexander:Is that the cost of my prove to you?
Philip of Macedonia:How do you think I came to power? My own two brothers...
Alexander:I know, you slew them, you want me to do that too?

Movie Connections:

Edited into Film socialisme (2010)

Handsome to look at, but dull in the telling...

When a film is more of a chore to sit through than a pleasure, you know something is wrong. "Alexander the Great" is lavishly produced and handsome to look at with impressive sets and costumes, but even the battle scenes are dull, as staged by director Robert Rossen.

RICHARD BURTON is physically impressive as Alexander (with blonde wig), but recites his lines without any real passion or conviction. FREDRIC MARCH is better as his father, but when he dies midway through the story, the film suffers and goes downhill until the end. CLAIRE BLOOM is spirited in the leading femme role and has a few scenes that she plays very well.

But too many talky speeches between battles are part of the problem. The script never allows any of the characters to be really fleshed out. In the end, one is left with the feeling that whatever history has been told is on the modest side, and instead there's a sand and sandal type of feeling--a Hollywoodized version of history--that one is left to ponder.

Burton uses his voice effectively at times, but it's not one of his best performances.

Summing up: History on the dull side.