Italian-American co-production based on Homer's immortal poem about the mythological hero Ulysses

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Odysseus' journey told in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. After fighting in the Trojan War, Odysseus spends years trying to return home to Itaka. This is the story of a man who left his home , his wife and his son to go away to war.. He destroyed the city of his enemies and started back home . But Neptune , protector God of the conquered people , pursued him with his anger and kept him murdering for ten years . It is the story of Ulysses who dared defy the god and continued his journey to Ithaca , his home, where his wife Penelope was waiting.. and waiting.. The dust of centuries has not dimmed the glories of Ulysses' heroic deeds. the cave of Pholiphemus still reverberates with the with the bellowing roars of the son of Neptuno . The sorrowful face of Penelope still gazes longingly across the open sea. And on a distant shore Circe still casts her spill . For the immortality that Ulysses refused of a goddess was later given to him by a poet ..And the epic poem that Homer sang of the hero's wanderings and of his yearning for home will live for all time .

Good rendition deals with Ulysses on his Odyssey home to Penelope and Telemaco after the Trojan War . The classic version ever of Homer's epic produced by two greatest Italian producers as Carlo Ponti and Dino De Laurentis . Based on Homer's Odyssey adapted by seven writers ,including the American prestigious Irwin Shaw and Ben Hecht , Billy Wilder's usual. As a tale , the Odyssey is an unparalleled metaphor of the struggles of a man's life. The cast is brilliant and international with American as Kirk Douglas , Anthony Quinn and Italian actors as Silvana Mangano , Rossana Podesta and Franco Interlenghi. Silvana Mangano gives us a typical Greek tragedy style performance in a double role as Penelope and Circe , but most amazing is Kirk Douglas acting as the brave and valiant Ulysses , really good looking , impulsive and totally convincing, it seems the role was really written for him . Partially shot in natural locations in the Mediterranean and Ponti-Laurentis studios. The exteriors of this Lux motion picture were filmed on the Mediterranean coast and islands described in Homer's Odyssey . The sea and the sky are strikingly blue, the islands green and wild . Colorful and spectacular cinematography by Harold Rosson . Evocative and impressive original score by Alessandro Cicognini , well conducted by Franco Ferrara . The motion picture is professionally directed by Mario Camerini and some scenes by Mario Bava though uncredited . Rating : Better than average take on that will appeal to classic film lovers and Kirk Doglas fans . Another excellent adaptation results to be ¨L'Odissea¨ (1968) TVseries directed by Franco Rossi and also by Mario Bava with Bekim Fehmiu as Ulysses and Irene Papas as Penelope.

score 7/10

ma-cortes 8 June 2011

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2440479/