Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

The legendary Greek hero leads a team of intrepid adventurers in a perilous quest for the legendary Golden Fleece.

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Jan Read (screenplay), Beverley Cross (screenplay)

Stars:

Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Todd Armstrong	...	Jason
Nancy Kovack	...	Medea
Gary Raymond	...	Acastus
Laurence Naismith	...	Argos
Niall MacGinnis	...	Zeus
Michael Gwynn	...	Hermes / Priest
Douglas Wilmer	...	Pelias
Jack Gwillim	...	King Aeetes
Honor Blackman	...	Hera
John Cairney	...	Hylas
Patrick Troughton	...	Phineas
Andrew Faulds	...	Phalerus
Nigel Green	...	Hercules

Storyline

Jason has been prophesied to take the throne of Thessaly. When he saves Pelias from drowning, but does not recognize him as the man who had earlier killed his father, Pelias tells Jason to travel to Colchis to find the Golden Fleece. Jason follows his advice and assembles a sailing crew of the finest men in Greece, including Hercules. They are under the protection of Hera, queen of the gods. Their voyage is replete with battles against harpies, a giant bronze Talos, a hydra, and an animated skeleton army, all brought to life by the special effects wizardry of Ray Harryhausen.

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Plot Keywords:

golden fleece | giant monster | argonaut | greek mythology | mythology | 

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Taglines:

Greatest Odyssey Of The Ages - for the first time on the screen

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jason and the Golden Fleece

Filming Locations:

Campania, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Charles H. Schneer Productions, Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Colchis, the location of the Golden Fleece, is an actual place on the east coast of the Black Sea, in western Georgia.

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Goofs

After Jason's fight with Acastus, when Medea is telling Jason of the flower which can heal his wound, if you look past Medea you can see a mountain in the distance. On top of the mountain you can see a lighted building of some sort that appears to be a modern structure.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Pelias: Well?
Priest: Zeus, king of the gods of the Greeks, brighten the ashes that I may read the future. I see... a great tree at the end of the world. And in its branches there hang the skull and skin of a ram. They gleam and shine for it is a prize of the gods, a Golden Fleece.

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Alternate Versions

A brief scene was cut from the skeleton fight where the decapitated skeleton is seen feeling around for its head. In addition the UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to remove the shrieking made by the skeletons from a face-on shot during the initial charge, and video versions featured the same print. DVD versions are uncut.

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Connections

Featured in Hewy's Animated Movie Reviews: The Top 12 Harryhausen Creatures (2013)

User Reviews

Never ever gets old, magical movie with a big mythical heart.

To regain his rightful place as the King of Thessaly, Jason must traverse deadly seas to the land of Colchis where a Golden Fleece of magical powers is housed. Assembling a crew of the toughest men around, and aided by the Goddess Hera, Jason and his Argonauts set sail unbeknown that perils await at every port.

Directed by Don Chaffrey and featuring some of stop motion genius Ray Harryhausen's best work, Jason And The Argonauts is still entertaining families over 50 years since its original release. For sure it's got a "B" movie heart, and no film in this genre is without a high cheese quota, but it's technically one of the genres best and for daring do shenanigans it has no peers. The gorgeous Meditteranean photography courtesy of Wilkie Cooper (Dynamation 90) goes hand in hand with the boisterously mythical score from Bernard Hermann, while Chaffrey's direction of the human aspects is solid and safe in preparation for Harryhausen's magic to move in and take over.

The cast may not cover themselves in glory, and yes at times some of them are a touch wooden, with only Honor Blackman (Hera) and Nigel Green (Hercules) seemingly able to grasp the sense of fun that is meant to be had. But really it's a minor itch, for when you have a big quest adventure containing harpies, a hydra, a giant bronze statue intent on destroying all, clashing rocks, angry gods and a brilliant Harryhausen skeleton army - well it's all good really isn't it! 9/10