Oedipus the King (1967)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Philip Saville

Writers:

Michael Luke (writer)
Paul Roche (translation)

Release Date:

December 1967 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

An unsurpassed cast in one of the great plays of the ages -- now on the screen!

Plot:

This classic (Greek) tale tells how a noble youth accidentally marries his own mother, kills his own...

Plot Keywords:

Tragedy | Ancient Greece | King | Based On Play | Character Name In Title

Cast

Christopher Plummer	...	Oedipus
Lilli Palmer	...	Jocasta
Richard Johnson	...	Creon
Orson Welles	...	Tiresias
Cyril Cusack	...	Messenger
Roger Livesey	...	Shepherd
Donald Sutherland	...	Chorus Leader
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	King Laius
Dimos Starenios	...	Priest
Alexis Mann	...	Palace Official
Oenone Luke	...	Antigone
Cressida Luke	...	Xemene
Minos Argyrakis	...	Chorus
Manos Destounis	...	Chorus
George Dialegmenos	...	Chorus

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15 | UK:PG | Australia:PG

Company:

Crossroads World Film Services

Trivia:

'Donald Sutherland''s voice was dubbed by an another actor.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Vradya epitheorisis: (#1.8)" (1984)

Superb entertainment

Sophocles on cinema is a delight; but with a dream cast that includes the lovely, talented Lili Palmer, the great Orson Welles, the charming Cyril Cusack, the arresting Donald Sutherland in a most unusual role, and of course stalwarts Christopher Plummer and Richard Johnson, the effect can be heady.

I recommend the film to anyone who cares for drama and acting. I am amused that the film has not been marketed intelligently by the studios and remains unseen by many who would have loved to see the film.

The scenes where Oedipus unknowingly kills his own father is captured on film in a truly remarkable way, suggesting the fleeting moment where recognition between father and son is totally implausible.

Jocasta's (Lili Palmer) performance is top notch--probably her best role ever. Cyril Cusack, Orson Welles, and Donald Sutherland add additional flavour to this remarkable effort.

I have always wondered why the famous cinematographer Walter Lassally did not choose to film the movie in the letterbox or cinemascope format, which would have given the subject an epic sweep it deserved. The format used by Lassally restricted the film to the level of a play on film rather than cinema capturing the great play on celluloid. Even with this fault, the film will remain one of my favourites. I commend Phillip Saville for his casting--bringing together great actors on both sides of the Atlantic.

I doubt if the ancient Greeks could have enjoyed the play any better than on a technicolor screen with special effects.