Androcles and the Lion (1952)

Story of a Christian in ancient Rome who befriends a lion.

Directors:

Chester Erskine, Nicholas Ray (uncredited)

Writers:

Chester Erskine (screen adaptation), Ken Englund (screen adaptation)

Stars:

Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Alan Young

Cast

Cast overview:
Jean Simmons	...	Lavinia
Victor Mature	...	Captain
Alan Young	...	Androcles
Robert Newton	...	Ferrovius
Maurice Evans	...	Emperor Antoninus (Caesar)
Elsa Lanchester	...	Megaera
Reginald Gardiner	...	Lentulus
Gene Lockhart	...	Menagerie Keeper
Alan Mowbray	...	Editor of Gladiators
Noel Willman	...	Spintho
John Hoyt	...	Cato
Jim Backus	...	Centurion
Lowell Gilmore	...	Metellus
Woody Strode	...	The Lion

Storyline

Androcles is a Christian who follows that religion's teachings even as they apply to the treatment of animals. Seeing a lion in pain, he removes a huge thorn from the beast's paw, creating a friend for life. Androcles and a number of other Christians are evenutally arrested and condemned to death in the arena. They are to die by being eaten by lions. Is it too much to hope that one of the lions may have a paw that has healed recently and might remember who helped heal it?

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Plot Keywords:

christians vs. lions | lion | arena | ancient rome | soldier | 

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Taglines:

Barbaric Revalry to fire the senses of the world...in the story of history's most sin-swept era!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 January 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bernard Shaw's Androcles and the Lion

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

American feature film debut for Jean Simmons.

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Goofs

The Christians sing "Onward, Christian Soldiers" - a hymn published in 1871.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: ROME 161 A.D. IN THE REGION OF THE EMPEROR ANTONINUS

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)

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Soundtracks

Onward, Christian Soldiers
(uncredited)
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Words by Sabine Baring-Gould
sung by the marching Christian martyrs

User Reviews

Satire? Comedy? It's a riot either way!

Androcles is a devout Christian, all creatures are friends of the Earth. During an encounter with a lion, who is roaring in pain, he removes a huge thorn from the beasts' paw, thus creating a friend for life. A short time after the incident, Androcles and a number of other Christians are arrested and condemned to death in the arena. They are to die by fighting with gladiators or eaten alive by lions, is there any chance that Androcles and his companions can survive their fate?

During my viewing of this film I was eating some soup and bread, I literally nearly choked on the bread and expelled the soup via my nose! Such is the hammy comedy on offer here, Androcles And The Lion, adapted from a George Bernard Shaw play, is an enjoyable picture if one is prepared for just what a ham sandwich it is. The cast, featuring Victor Mature, Jean Simmons, Alan Young and Robert Newton, play it as cardboard cutouts {Simmons possibly the only one taking it serious}, with the technical aspects so bad I dare you not to laugh out loud as Young dances with a man in a Lion suit!!

Don't take it serious and you should be OK, and I'm certainly not annoyed that I sat thru it, but I would rather wrestle a Lion and two Tigers before I had to sit and watch it again! 4/10