Helen of Troy
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Movie Reviews of Helen of Troy
Movie Review: Better Than OK
Summary: 4 Stars
First of all, anyone who depends upon films to understand history (especially ancient history) is on a fool's errand. Moreover, both of Homer's epic poems possess a scope and depth which simply cannot be accommodated within a film with a running time of less than 15-20 hours. That said, this is a generally entertaining presentation of the basic plot: Prince Paris of Troy (Jacques Sernas) visits Sparta, falls in love with Queen Helen (Rosanna Podesta) and she with him, they return together to Troy, her outraged husband Menelaus (Nial MacGinnis) organizes an army and follows them, lays siege to the city, and eventually Troy is occupied and then obliterated. Most of the film's tension (such as it is) involves Achilles (Stanley Baker) and his adversarial relationships with Menelaus and Agamemnon (Robert Douglas) and then with Prince Hector (Harry Andrews) whom he slays in hand-to-hand combat. This is an above average spectacle, comparable with predecessors Samson and Delilah (1949) and Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954). By no means a great film, nonetheless Helen of Troy (as directed by Robert Wise) offers generally solid acting throughout its cast and several memorable battle scenes without benefit of digital technologies when filmed in 1955. Yes, that's Brigitte Bardot as Andraste and Eduardo Ciannelli as Andros. And yes, I enjoyed seeing this film again, motivated to do so after seeing Wolfgang Petersen's Troy. The inclusion of various gods and goddesses in the earlier film now seems silly but the absence of a "superstar" such as Brad Pitt in one of its lead roles is (at least for me) refreshing.
Movie Review: Star-crossed lovers and epic battles
Summary: 4 Stars
This rendition of the story of Troy was probably, like last years's miniseries, brought out because of the recent release of Brad Pitt in "Troy". However, this film can well stand on its own with a literal cast of thousands, grand sets, beautifully done action scenes both large and small, and a very good cast of mostly British/European actors. Stanley Baker and Harry Andrews stand out above the rest as Achilles and Hector and they both do well in their single combat scene towards the end of the picture. Rosana Podesta does look like an Aphrodite clone and is far more appealing, in my eyes, than the actress who was in the recent miniseries. Admittedly there is some overacting--especially by Sir Cedric--but these were part of the acting style when the film was made. The first battle between the Trojans and the Greeks is worth the price of the disc---which is pristine and beautiful as only Warnercolor could be!Movie Review: Queen of Beauty
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie I believe was made in the 50's, but even so it's pretty well done. I felt they portrayed Helen in a good light and not just some love struck hussy who leaves her husband for a younger man. They even give her some sort of Spartan reserve which is missing in the newest version Troy.
The acting is well done. I didn't expect it to be as good as it was really and I really enjoyed it. I also felt that the costumes and sets were pretty well done also and that this movie moved along at a good pace. Many movies from this era, and the 60's, tend to bog down in details that were never really needed. This film doesn't do that. I recommend this film to anyone who loves Greek myths or the Trojan War.
Movie Review: Colorful, but ho-hum
Summary: 3 Stars
In the 1950's and lasting well into the early 60's, there was virtual flood of 'sword and sandal' epics. This is one in which Warner Brothers invested a great deal, and were rewarded with a lackluster effort. While "Helen of Troy" is not a bad film, it just isn't that great.
My main problem was with the cast. There's just not any real stand-outs. Stanley Baker (Achilles), who's been a favorite of mine since seeing him in 'Zulu', is limited to acting pissy and having a few emotional outbursts. Even Sir Cedric Hardwicke (King Priam), who did such a fine job in 'The Ten Commandments', barely gets enough screen time to show his talent. Harry Andrews, an instantly likeable British actor who plays Hector. You would expect Troy's greatest warrior to have a buff, youthful and handsome appearance. Instead we have Andrews, who, with his middle-aged looks and beard, would seem more at home behind the wheel of a big rig and wearing a John Deere cap. And then there's Rosanna Podesta as Helen. She is not hard on the eyes, far from being ugly. But unfortunately, she's also far from being the jaw-dropping beauty of legend whose face launched a thousand ships. Her performance, like most others in the film, wavers between wooden and one-dimensional to cautiously restrained. Even composer Max Steiner delivers a sub-par effort, failing to give any memorable flourishes as he did so well with 'Gone With The Wind' and 'A Summer Place'.
French actor Jacques Sernas as Paris (listed as Jack Sernas in the credits) and Torin Thatcher as Ulysses had two of the better roles. Torin in particular seemed right at home and very much at ease in front of the camera. Sernas much less so, but still gave a decent performance.
Director Robert Wise had the unenviable job of squeezing a legendary event, which transpired over the course of several years, into a 2 hour movie. He managed to produce a surprisingly balanced effort. The blood and battle scenes, although well filmed, were tame by today's standards and lasted just long enough to see the true chaos that any ancient war would have been. These scenes were counterbalanced by the internal political conflicts taking place in Greece and Troy, caused by the ill-fated lovers Paris and Helen, as well as their own romance. Their relationship never develops any real sparks, probably a result of 1950's morality, but it never sinks to the level of soap opera stupidity either. The DVD transfer looks really good. The colors seem muted but bright, and overall picture and sound quality is excellent. Even the special effects, limited as they were, looked quite good for a film of this era. And done back in the day when special effects had to be done the hard way, not by some geek sitting at a computer.
Overall, a pretty decent film. Not outstanding, but a good choice for a rainy day when there's nothing better to watch. A movie that's worth at least one good viewing, and that will probably be enough.
Movie Review: Here's the sin that inspired time's greatest treachery!
Summary: 3 Stars
Of all the great stories handed down through the ages, few can equal Homer's Iliad - a towering epic of warrior heroes, squabbling gods, and anger that destroyed nations...
This is the source for Robert Wise's film... All the elements of a magnificent spectacle exist in Homer's work - a lavish and decadent court life, the tension of the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon, the most beautiful woman in Greece, and a drama of love and seduction...
Thousands of weapons are used: spears, bows, arrows, body armor, helmets, shields, maces and ships of the period l200 B.C., plus a tremendous wooden horse...
Paris, on a diplomatic mission to Sparta to arrange peaceful trade, is washed up on the Spartan shore after being shipwrecked during a storm... He is helped by the lovely Helen who claims to be a handmaiden to the queen... She takes her leave, directing him to the court of King Menelaus... Paris is greeted and honored in a 'cesti' combat with Ajax... Secretly, however, Menelaus plots to kill his guest...
Helen warns Paris of the danger to his life and urges him to run away... Herself in danger for revealing the plot, she succumbs to Paris' pleadings to flee with him... The lovers make their way to Troy...
From that point the spectacular elements - the massing of the ships and men, and the battles outside the walls of Troy, take over...
Rossana Podesta - a natural brunette given a blonde wig and the classical Grecian look - plays Helen, the indirect cause of the Trojan War, but for Paris, she is the goddess of love and beauty, "Aphrodite."
Jacques Sernas plays Paris... His seduction of Helen and refusal to return her, started the Trojan War...
Robert Douglas is Agamemnon, the commander in chief of the Greek forces... He calls on the kings and princes to unite in a war of revenge against the Trojans... He was a very ambitious man, dreaming of Troy's treasures...
Stanley Baker is Achilles, the unbeatable warrior, the greatest and most tragic of the Greek heroes...
Harry Andrews is Hector, the eldest son of king Priam, and the husband of Andromache... He is the chief warrior of the Trojan army...
Niall MacGinnis is the furious Menelaus, King of Sparta, who calls on his brother Agamemnon to gather an army and avenge the mark of shame...
Torin Thatcher is Ulysses, king of Ithaca, the man of outstanding wisdom...
Sir Cedric Hardwicke is the powerless but kindly King of Troy...
Janette Scott is Cassandra, daughter of Priam, loved by the goddess Athena... With a great spirit of prophecy she warns her father to burn the wooden horse...
Robert Wise makes a brave attempt to marry the intimate with the spectacular - a difficult task - but "Helen of Troy" is an epic movie, a superior entertainment filmed in CinemaScope and Technicolor..