Lang Jeffries looks good in this ambitious tale of a Roman Centurion returning to the Eternal City only to find himself at odds with his mad emperor Nero's persecution of the Christians. To his horror, Marcus eventually learns that both his mother and his fiancee are numbered among those Christians destined to become Nero's human torches and resulting in Fire Over Rome. This glossy spectacle looks good and is well acted until it reveals its budget constraints with laughable burning models supposed to represent Rome burning. (Stock footage from the same sequence in "Quo Vadis? would have answered better) If the viewer overlooks this flaw the film is otherwise admirable.
9 Reviews
"If you use your head you will go a long way"
hwg1957-102-2657048 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Consul Marcus Valerius returns to Rome after some successful soldiering and falls foul of emperor Nero and gets involved with the local Christians including the apostles Peter and Paul. In the end Rome catches fire and everyone has to flee, though Peter and Paul have a "Quo Vadis?" experience which sends them back.
Enjoyed this loosely historical story. The acting is fine, some of the scenes of panic in the fire are well staged and there are lots of sword fights. The model of the burning city looks too much like a model of a burning city but otherwise the costumes and sets look suitable and Guido Robuschi and Gian Stellari give a rousing music score.
It must be fun for an actor to play the "divine" Nero and Vladimir Medar looks like he is having a wonderful time.
Enjoyed this loosely historical story. The acting is fine, some of the scenes of panic in the fire are well staged and there are lots of sword fights. The model of the burning city looks too much like a model of a burning city but otherwise the costumes and sets look suitable and Guido Robuschi and Gian Stellari give a rousing music score.
It must be fun for an actor to play the "divine" Nero and Vladimir Medar looks like he is having a wonderful time.
Unexpectedly Interesting (No Spoilers)
dishlady6920 May 2018
While I'm not partial to the insanity of the Nero storyline (no spoilers), I love the tie-ins with the infamous Seneca and Sts Peter and Paul. What gets me about this film is the strong ethical pull and the fact that having ethical principles is immediately misunderstood as being Christian -- which at the time is an accusation punishable by death, usually without evidence or trial in Nero's time. (No more on this so as not to include any spoilers, BUT it's fair to mention that this line of action ultimately leads to the great fire of Rome.)
The acting and costumes are quote good. My favorite character is the mother (NO SPOILERS).
The acting and costumes are quote good. My favorite character is the mother (NO SPOILERS).
I remember this film...Romans against each other...
RealLiveClaude12 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I remember seeing this movie in French in the mid-70s. By end of afternoons in the summertime, they were showing "popcorn movies" like this one.
What shocked me first was the fact we saw Romans going into each other, like a civil war between two ideologies: the "perfect" Romans and the "rejected" Christians. As a rejected centurion having his conquest denied, the hero of this story refuses to participate in Emperor Nero plan to decimate the Christian community. As he is forced to be a gladiator for the rest of his life, his girlfriend and his mother, caught as secret Christians, are captured and crucified at stake, then burned alive... As the ashes of the bonfire goes by the wind, it arrives on the wood dwellings of Rome and caused the Great Fire...
With the French dubbing, many performances were wooden and almost laughable. And catch the late circus queen Moira Orfei in an early role...
If I can watch this, only for what it's worth...
What shocked me first was the fact we saw Romans going into each other, like a civil war between two ideologies: the "perfect" Romans and the "rejected" Christians. As a rejected centurion having his conquest denied, the hero of this story refuses to participate in Emperor Nero plan to decimate the Christian community. As he is forced to be a gladiator for the rest of his life, his girlfriend and his mother, caught as secret Christians, are captured and crucified at stake, then burned alive... As the ashes of the bonfire goes by the wind, it arrives on the wood dwellings of Rome and caused the Great Fire...
With the French dubbing, many performances were wooden and almost laughable. And catch the late circus queen Moira Orfei in an early role...
If I can watch this, only for what it's worth...
A poor man's "quo Vadis"
dbdumonteil2 June 2015
This movie was given a rough ride by historians and we find little fault with their opinions: the persecutions began AFTER the great fire ;Nero needed scapegoats to calm things down among the plebs,and the Christian were ideal .Anyway ,he was not in Rome when the fire started.
The lack of means is obvious and the great fire is not impressive at all:the town which's burning looks like a model .The screenplay is incredibly poor,even for an Italian sword and sandals ;it consists of murders,tortures,orgies and stakes ,without a firm narrative line; Lang Jeffries ,later secret agent Coplan in Riccardo Freda's spy thriller (1967)),does not seem to care about the situation,even about his mom's fate,a cardboard character ;and the heroine's hairdo is horrible.
Historic figures are featured and they easily steal the show from the principals (but is there anything to steal?):the pagans ,Petronius and Seneca ,the latter showing himself to be a wise philosopher;Peter and Paul,preaching in the catacombs;Peter tells about his denial and he urges his flock to return good for evil:which is not easy to do in those troubled times.
The lack of means is obvious and the great fire is not impressive at all:the town which's burning looks like a model .The screenplay is incredibly poor,even for an Italian sword and sandals ;it consists of murders,tortures,orgies and stakes ,without a firm narrative line; Lang Jeffries ,later secret agent Coplan in Riccardo Freda's spy thriller (1967)),does not seem to care about the situation,even about his mom's fate,a cardboard character ;and the heroine's hairdo is horrible.
Historic figures are featured and they easily steal the show from the principals (but is there anything to steal?):the pagans ,Petronius and Seneca ,the latter showing himself to be a wise philosopher;Peter and Paul,preaching in the catacombs;Peter tells about his denial and he urges his flock to return good for evil:which is not easy to do in those troubled times.
Peter, Paul and (where's) Mary?
scottwelton-174314 February 2022
Only see this if you're forced by spear point... Nero's a bright ginger-haired fem, Marcus is as wooden as a spanking paddle... they keep showing a model of Rome burning or not, that should have been left on the cutting room floor but favorite is the actors frozen breath... no heated soundstage, costs money!
Extra laugh... at the end, Peter and Paul come out the gate of a medieval castle!
Extra laugh... at the end, Peter and Paul come out the gate of a medieval castle!
Lang Jeffries defends persecuted Christians against Nero--OK historical adventure
django-12 November 2003
Perhaps because of the success of his earlier film REVOLT OF THE SLAVES, Lang Jeffries was cast again as a man fighting for the persecuted Christians against the Roman Empire in this film made two years later. While in the first film Jeffries was a slave, here he is a Roman military leader who loses his commission and is taken into custody for his defense of Christians who are tortured and persecuted by Nero and his henchmen. Jeffries is not featured particularly well in this film and he is not allowed to dub his own (very distinctive!) voice. His hairstyle also is not particularly flattering. Still, he plays the role convincingly and looks concerned, although he disappears for stretches of time throughout the film. Nero is once again depicted as an over-the-top yet effeminate dictator-clown. While he does not fiddle as Rome burns, he does pluck his lyre while Rome burns! I don't have a problem with the cheesy animation/model depiction of the fires--after all, this is a low budget film. One interesting detail is that in the indoor scenes shot on soundstages (and there are few exteriors here), the steam from the actors' mouths is visible when they talk! Some of the apostles are also worked into the plot of this film as is God, but you'll have to see it yourself to see how. Overall, this is a slightly above average "persecuted Christians" Roman empire costume drama and features an above average American star, Lang Jeffries, who is unfortunately not used that well in the film. It's probably only for the serious peplum (and by the way, Jeffries keeps his shirt on for virtually the whole film) and Italian historical-adventure fan.
Fire over Rome
coltras355 February 2024
After successfully campaigning in Gaul for several years, Consul Marcus Valerius arrived back in Rome with his legion. He and his men were looking forward to celebrating their return with their families and friends. The fearless warrior expected his Emperor to be pleased with his conquests, but Nero showed little interest. Other priorities were far more important. Nero ordered Marcus to assist Menecrate, the hated leader of the Praetorian Guards, in cleansing the city of its Christian presence but he refused and resigned as Consul in protest. He was immediately sentenced to death and his legion disbanded. Marcus Valerius is a valiant soldier and the killing of innocent people goes against all his principles. The former hero is now the hunted.
Fire over Rome is a smaller scale Quo Vadis, obviously on a much lower budget, but despite this, it's a neat little peplum with good performances from Lang Jeffries as the consul who realises that Nero is a Christian killing nut job and other actors, too. It moves briskly, wastes no time in over padding and its focus is more on the conflict than the romance (Quo Vadis lingered on this). There's some good swordplay. Yes, the overview of Rome burning is obviously models, but the fire scene within city is well-done, as well as can be for a B-picture.
Fire over Rome is a smaller scale Quo Vadis, obviously on a much lower budget, but despite this, it's a neat little peplum with good performances from Lang Jeffries as the consul who realises that Nero is a Christian killing nut job and other actors, too. It moves briskly, wastes no time in over padding and its focus is more on the conflict than the romance (Quo Vadis lingered on this). There's some good swordplay. Yes, the overview of Rome burning is obviously models, but the fire scene within city is well-done, as well as can be for a B-picture.
Fire Over Rome (1965) (aka Revenge of the Gladiators)
trimbolicelia23 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Pretty OK mid 60s sword-and-sandal semi-historical film. A consul and his legion return to Rome after a victory to deal with a crazed Emperor Nero, his ambitious, cruel Praetorian Guard leader, and a bunch of persecuted, put upon Christians. Somewhat historically inaccurate but a good time-passer. At 82 minutes it doesn't drag. The Reel Vault DVD-R is very good quality. Recommended for fans of the genre.
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