Ulysses (1954)

A movie adaptation of Homer's second epic, that talks about Ulysses' efforts to return to his home after the end of ten years of war.

Director:

Mario Camerini

Writers:

Franco Brusati (screenplay), Mario Camerini (screenplay)

Stars:

Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, Anthony Quinn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kirk Douglas	...	Ulysses
Silvana Mangano	...	Circe / Penelope
Anthony Quinn	...	Antinoos
Rossana Podestà	...	Nausicaa
Jacques Dumesnil	...	Alicinous
Daniel Ivernel	...	Eurylochus
Sylvie	...	Eurycleia
Franco Interlenghi	...	Telemachus
Elena Zareschi	...	Cassandra
Evi Maltagliati	...	Ulysses' Mother
Ludmilla Dudarova	...	Arete
Tania Weber	...	Leucantes
Piero Lulli	...	Achilles
Ferruccio Stagni	...	Mentor
Alessandro Fersen	...	Diomede (as Alessandro Ferzen)

Storyline

In the ancient Greek city of Ithaca, many impatiently await the return of their king Ulysses and his warriors from the Trojan War. Among these, Ulysses' devoted wife Penelope and his grown son Telemachus. But Ulysses' return is not eagerly awaited by everyone, especially by his enemies. They openly court Penelope and ask her to give her husband up for dead and re-marry one of the rowdy suitors who have taken up residence in her home since her husband's departure. However, Penelope clings to her belief that Ulysses will soon return. To appease the aggressive suitors, Penelope promises that she would re-marry as soon as she finishes weaving a large tapestry depicting Ulysses' deeds of bravery. In secret, she's unraveling the day's weaving, thus delaying the tapestry's completion. Penelope knows that her trick won't work forever. In Troy, Ulysses and his warriors use the Trojan Horse ruse to conquer the city. In his fervor, Ulysses destroys the Trojans' temple to Neptune, god of the sea,...

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Plot Keywords:

warrior | return home | odyssey | husband wife relationship | greek mythology | 

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Taglines:

History's Greatest Epic...On the Screen at Last!

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original director, Georg Wilhelm Pabst, quit at the last minute. Cinematographer Mario Bava co-directed the film without receiving credit.

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Goofs

Ulysses, in beggar's disguise, is granted permission to draw the bow. As he takes it and moves to another spot to string it, a metal wristband suddenly materializes on his left arm where a few seconds before there was none.

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Quotes

Circe: What are you doing, Ulysses? Do you really think you can leave me?
Ulysses: I left you a long time ago. The day my men died in the storm.
Circe: And do you think your journey will last any longer than theirs?
Ulysses: You will not hold me here.
Circe: Listen to me! I shall give you something that will make you forget all your petty dreams. Your miserable kingdom. Your wife who grows old. Remain, and this very night, Olympus shall welcome a new god: Ulysses!
Ulysses: Immortal?
Circe: This is my gift - the greatest gift that has ever been offered to...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore (2010)

User Reviews

Kirk Douglas larger-than-life and the beauteous Silvana Mangano

In this fantasy-adventure based on Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, Kirk Douglas is larger than life in the title role and Silvana Mangano is spellbindingly beautiful in the dual role of Penelope/Circe. Most importantly, the story & script are compelling. The Cyclops sequence is a highlight and the F/X are surprisingly good for 1954. Moreover, the climax when Ulysses is revealed after posing as a beggar is dynamic. Sometimes it's necessary to temporarily kowtow to the arrogant in order to assess the situation and bide your time for an effective strike.

In my humble opinion this version is better than the 1997 rendition with Armand Assante, "The Odyssey," because it's more streamlined, lacks the eye-rolling manifestations of the gods and it's hard to beat Douglas' imposing portrayal. However, "The Odyssey" is still worth checking out since the effects are more modern and there are some quality cast members and effective sequences, particularly the crew's horrific confrontation with the three-headed monster, Scylla, and the entire final act.

The movie runs 117 minutes and was shot in Italy, the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa.

GRADE: A

Details

Country:

Italy France USA

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

October 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ulysses

Filming Locations:

Ponti-De Laurentiis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lux Film, Paramount Pictures, Producciones Ponti-de Laurentiis

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min 104 min (DVD) 104 min (Blu-ray)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1