Sign of the Pagan (1954)

With the Roman Empire divided, Attila the Hun hopes to conquer. In his way are a brave centurion, a beautiful princess...and Christianity.

Director:

Douglas Sirk

Writers:

Oscar Brodney (screenplay), Barré Lyndon (screenplay) (as Barre Lyndon)

Stars:

Jeff Chandler, Jack Palance, Ludmilla Tchérina

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Chandler	...	Marcian
Jack Palance	...	Attila
Ludmilla Tchérina	...	Princess Pulcheria (as Ludmilla Tcherina)
Rita Gam	...	Kubra
Jeff Morrow	...	General Paulinus
George Dolenz	...	Emperor Theodosius
Eduard Franz	...	Astrologer
Allison Hayes	...	Ildico
Alexander Scourby	...	Chrysaphius
Howard Petrie	...	Gundahar
Michael Ansara	...	Edecon
Leo Gordon	...	Bleda
Moroni Olsen	...	Pope Leo I
Fred Nurney	...	Chamberlain
Sara Shane	...	Myra

Storyline

Roman centurion Marcian is captured by Attila the Hun en route to Constantinople, but escapes. On arrival, he finds the eastern Roman emperor Theodosius plotting with Attila to look the other way while the latter marches against Rome. But Marcian gains the favor of Pulcheria, lovely sister of Theodosius, who favors a united Empire. As Attila marches, things look bleak for the weakened imperial forces. But the conqueror has an awe of the power of the Christians' God...

---

Plot Keywords:

constantinople | byzantine empire | theodosian dynasty | marcian | pulcheria | 

---

Taglines:

Against the ravaging hordes of ATTILA...stood a warrior's might and a people's faith! Against his ruthless pagan lusts...the power of a woman's love!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | War

---

Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeff Chandler and Jack Palance would co-star again in "Ten Seconds to Hell" (1959).

---

Goofs

All of the mounted troops have stirrups, which would not come into use in Europe for at least another four hundred years.

---

Quotes

Pope Leo I: Rome is a Christian city, and the Temple of God!

---

Crazy Credits

After the list of actors at the start of the film it says: "AND Statesmen, Citizens, Soldiers of the Armies of the Roman Empire and the Hordes of Attila"

---

Connections

Referenced in The Long Day Closes (1992)

User Reviews

Attila the Hun attacks Rome with his barbarian army.

If Charlton Heston had been born Jewish, he'd have been Jeff Chandler, a lookalike who lost out on both The Ten Commandments AND Ben-Hur to Old Granite Jaw. Had Chandler nabbed those roles, he may have become a superstar himself. As is, he played the leads in studio program pictures, those B+ movies that disappeared with the end of the 'studio contract' system in the early sixties. By then, Chandler was already gone, having died while filming a WWII action flick, Merrill's Marauders, for Sam Fuller in the Phillipines. Anyway, his director for this costume mini-epic was Doug Sirk, an expert out of making magic from routine material. Chandler's the Roman centurion who must push back the invading armies of Atilla the Hun. Ludmilla Tcherina is one of a number of flashy looking women (Blonde Allison Hayes, later the sixty foot woman, is another). Lots of fairly big and semi-spectacular action sequences, with Jack Palance hamming it up even more than usual as Atilla. Nice production values, given a moody atmosphere by the always fascinating Sirk. This is one of those films that have been so completely forgotten that even Turner Movies doesn't revive it. Too bad - for this represents a fun aspect of the Old Hollywood in its final hours that ought to be reclaimed by contemporary viewers.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 December 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sign of the Pagan

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1