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The Fall Of The Roman Empire (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (The Miriam Collection) Posters
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Rating:  -
Released one year after "Cleopatra," Anthony Mann's "Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964) is not a great film, but is noteworthy for the quality of the production, the assemblege of a splendid cast, and the fact it truly signified the end of an era in filmmaking.
The film was remade, sort of, as "Gladiator" by Ridley Scott, but it is Mann's film that is far superior cinematically. What is immediately striking about "Fall" is the number of historically accurate sets (over 20 in all) depicting the Roman capital at the time of emperor Marcus Aurelius and Commodus all handcrafted by scores or set designers and craftsmen in Spain long before computer animation was ever heard of.
While critics at the time scoffed at the fact that a film could compress Gibbon's opus into a film over 188 minutes, Mann does succeed in capturing really the "beginning of the end" by depicting the frustrations of a philosophical emperor's (Marcus Aurelius) 20-year reign now in its twilight, filled with small but bitter barbarian battles and frontier wars, who leaves behind a spoiled and twisted son (Commodus) who squanders such ideals and leaves the empire in chaos.
Spending much of his $16 million budgeted for the film on sets (an enormous amount of money circa 1964), we see a vision of Mann's Rome (and the Roman Forum), not only architectually accurate but of tremendous breadth and scope. The Temple of Vesta, the Curia, the Arch of Titus, The Temple of Jupiter, are all rendered with tremendous authenticity. Certainly, a Rome even Nero would be reluctant to burn!
Interior sets are also equally impressive decorated with garlands, frescoes, pools, and columns modelled on the Pompeian style. Like the sets, the costume design, cinematography courtesy of Dimitri Tiomkin, and even the stuntwork (overseen by Yakima Canutt), are all first class. Even noted historian, Will Durant, author of the nine volume opus, "The Story of Civilization," was both a consultant and advisor for the film.
All in all, the film authentically captures all the grandeur and decadance that was Rome, so why only four stars? Perhaps the problem lies with the two leads Livius (Stephen Boyd) and Drusilla (Sophia Loren) with a love story that fails to convice and somewhat drags the principal story down. However, they manage to do what they can with these rather bland roles.
James Mason (Timonides) and Alec Guinness (Marcus Aurelius)are both impressive in their respective roles, and Christopher Plummer, plays a Commodus a bit too refined to be that sinister and half-mad, but it all seems to work apparently well in this film. The final scenes are a subtle reminder that great empires do not fall to outside foreign influences before they first fall from within.
A film like this deserves to have a re-release in a special edition DVD complete with interviews, outtakes, and commentaries.
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This item will be released Dec. 31st, 2025? Well, I sure hope it's worth the wait. I'd better pre-order now before the price goes up. Hopefully DVDs will still be valid technology. And hopefully I'll still be alive!
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This was a dubbing of a damaged original tape with occasional frames streaked by prior playback causing wrinkles in tape that was copied from otherwise good source.
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I really enjoy the moview and the quality of the DVD is very good. I received the DVD within 5 days of my order.
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One of THE great "spectacle" movies....it has it all, including a fanastic re-consruction of the Roman forum. Full scale and three dimensional it is really a marvel of set-design and money well spent. The movie was reviewed poorly in "64" (relase date)but now gets 3 or 4 star ratings, which it deserves !! Alec Guinness gives a truly wonderful performance....Chris Plummer and James Mason not far behind. Of course one has the stalwart hero (Stephen Boyd) and beautiful herione (Sophia Loren) who do the best they can with roles offered. Big battle scenes....beautiful interior sets.... excellent cast...love story....condensed history lesson and then that Forum... enough for ANY history buff to enjoy. So what if it isn't "accurate"? How many movies of any type are ??? Now a few asides....a few years later Alec Guinness professed not to remember making this movie.. Charlton Heston was offered but refused the lead.. movie trailer states "not one not two but 13 great sets including the entire re-construction of the Roman Forum (at the height of its grandur and glory?). Samuel Bronston was to have kept said set as tourist attraction but movie cost some $20,000,000 and made $2,000,000. But before set was torn down, Roman scholors did make visits to it , I did too but in 1971 and by that time it was gone.(a heart breaker!!) I also remember a few words from the Time mag. review..."Bronston's Rome is too new" Foolishly said, I think.
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