Hercules Unchained (1959)
"Ercole e la regina di Lidia" (original title)

While negotiating peace between two brothers contesting the throne of Thebes, an amnesiac Hercules is seduced by the evil Queen Omphale.

Director:

Pietro Francisci

Writers:

Aeschylus (play), Ennio De Concini (screenplay),

Stars:

Steve Reeves, Sylva Koscina, Sylvia Lopez

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Reeves	...	Ercole (Hercules)
Sylva Koscina	...	Iole, bride of Ercole
Sylvia Lopez	...	Queen Onfale, of Lidia
Gabriele Antonini	...	Ulisse, son of Laertes
Primo Carnera	...	Anteo, the giant
Patrizia Della Rovere	...	Penelope
Sergio Fantoni	...	Eteocle
Fulvia Franco	...	Anticlea
Carlo D'Angelo	...	Creonte, High Priest of Thebes
Marisa Valenti	...	Blond Slave Girl
Mimmo Palmara	...	Polinice
Elda Tattoli
Daniele Vargas	...	Anfiarao
Andrea Fantasia	...	King Laerte
Gino Mattera	...	Orfeo

Storyline

En route to Thebes for an important diplomatic mission, Hercules drinks from a magic spring and loses his memory. He spends most of the movie in the pleasure gardens of Queen Omphale of Lydia. While young Ulysses tries to help him regain his memory, political tensions escalate in Thebes, and Hercules' new wife Iole finds herself in mortal danger.

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Plot Keywords:

thebes | black magic | hero | seduction | fictional war | 

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Taglines:

See the mammoth war of the chariots!

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy France Spain

Language:

Italian Spanish

Release Date:

13 July 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hercules Unchained

Company Credits

Production Co:

Galatea Film, Lux Compagnie Cinématographique de France, Lux Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 97 min (2005 DVD release)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Her role as Queen Omphale was the most widely seen one for French-born model-turned-actress Sylvia Lopez. At the time she filmed this she had leukemia. She was only able to complete one more film and died in November while working on a second.

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Goofs

At 23 minutes the tiger trainer is seen from the side and he's holding a whip in his right arm. Then there is a short shot of him from the front and he's holding it in his left. When the shot changes angle it is once again in his right hand.

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Connections

Referenced in Desires of the Devil (1971)

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Soundtracks

"Evening Star"
Music by Enzo Masetti
Lyrics by Mitchell Parrish
Sung by Sylva Koscina (dubbed by June Valli in the English version)

User Reviews

Lots of fun

I grew up watching this stuff as a Saturday afternoon matinee 30 years ago & now, it's still as much fun to watch.

Hercules, now married to Ioli, is returning to Thebes to help sort out a dispute over who has the rights to the throne of Thebes. Along the way, Hercules loses his memory & is seduced by the evil Amphale who goes through husbands like Elizabeth Taylor, however, Amphale is something of a black widow & uses a few Egyptians to preserve her ex-husbands in the family crypt.

However, one look at the rugged carved from granite Steve Reeves & all her black widow tendencies fly out the window, but she still wants him for good.

Of course it all ends up in a good ruckus with sword fights, chariot duels, Hercules throwing tables & coffins at rushing troops, 2 insane brothers with a hatred for each other (& their father) & inevitably the faithful sidekick who chimes in with a few vital day-saving moments.

Clint Eastwood may have been the king of the Spaghetti Western, but Steve Reeves was the king of the Spaghetti Swords & Sandals. So if that's your cup of tea, I recommend this movie as an excellent addition to your collection.