Helen of Troy
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Movie Reviews of Helen of Troy
Movie Review: Beware of Greeks Etc.
Summary: 3 Stars
I see that this 50s spectacle, "Helen of Troy", has attracted a number of favourable reviews--although a couple of these reviews seem to be as "epic' as the story in the film ! Very loosely based on Homer's "Iliad", and released on DVD no doubt to coincide with the new version of this tale in theatres,
"Troy", "Helen of Troy" remains an enjoyable experience. It has fine production values--sets, costumes, cinematography--and an experienced director in Robert Wise.
The plot is not too complicated, at least in this "Coles Notes" adaption of Homer's work. The Trojan prince, Paris, visits Greece on a peace mission and meets Helen, the wife of the Greek king, Menelaus. Paris and Helen fall for each other, and run off back to Troy. Of course, " this means war "--besides, the Greeks wanted war anyway ! The second half of the film is taken up with the siege of Troy, and there are some spectacular battle scenes here, with real people ! No digital effects in those days ! There is also a large, wooden horse--but you knew that, didn't you ?
The supporting cast is mostly British--Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Harry Andrews, Janette Scott, Niall McGuinness, Torin Thatcher, Ronald Lewis and, as a perpetually-glowering Achilles, Stanley Baker, are all solid and professional. The two leads, however, went to unknown non-Brits, and perhaps this is what interests me the most about "Helen of Troy". This must have been an expensive production--why did the lead roles not be given to big names ? The beautiful, curvaceous Italian actress, Rossana Podesta, is Helen--while not a great actress, it is not difficult to imagine grown men fighting over her ! As Paris, we have French actor, Jacques Sernas, billed of course as "Jack". While he has a striking appearance, his acting skills--at least in this film--appear to be zero. If I had Rossana Podesta throwing herself at me ( yes--I know--sweet dreams ! ), I think I would be a little more animated than Mr. Sernas. While he continued to enjoy a long career in European productions, it's easy to see why Hollywood did not come calling again ! Speaking of France, a young French actress plays Helen's handmaiden--within a year, Brigitte Bardot would become more famous than any actor in "Helen of Troy".
The colour, wide-screen DVD is gorgeous. There is also a trailer, and some black and white promotional material released at the time, featuring actor, Gig Young.
Overall, I would give "Helen of Troy" three and a half stars--it is not as grand as say " The Ten Commandments", also released in 1956--but if you like old-fashioned historical spectacles, where entertainment takes precedent over authenticity or literary merit, you will find this DVD an enjoyable addition to your collection.
Movie Review: Pomp and circumstance
Summary: 3 Stars
Warner Bros.' Cinemascope rendition of the events of the Trojan War has been pretty much forgotten now, thanks in large part to its cast of mostly unknowns: though Sir Cedric Hardwicke is here (inevitably), the rest of the cast was pretty unknown to movie audiences then as it still is today. The Italian actress Rossana Podestá is Helen, and the French actor Jack (Jacques) Sernas is her lover Paris, who somehow is turned into the movie's hero. Both Podestá and Sernas were probably chosen for the extreme beauty of their chests, but they're both exceptionally likeable in their roles. There are a lot of British stage actors in the other familiar parts: Stanley Baker is Achilles, Robert Douglas is Agamemnon, Niall MacGinnis is Menelaus, and Nora Swinburne is Hecuba. (The latter's particularly exquisite enunciation affords many of the film's unintentional comic highlights.)
It all could have been fairly disastrous, and the familiar events of legend are collapsed as much as possible so as all to be fitted into two hours. But it helps immensely that Robert Wise is the director and keeps things moving at a fair clip, and that the studio went pretty much all out on the sets and extras. Troy is made to look much like the reconstruction of the Palace at Knossos in Crete, with tapered red columns and bull-horn decorations (the latter more appropriate to the palace of King Minos than that of Priam, but what the heck). It's all every bit as silly as TROY, the 2004 telling of the same basic story, but this version is much more compulsively watchable.
Movie Review: Ordered as a gift, did not view
Summary: 3 Stars
Received the DVD very promptly but did not view, as it was a gift to a friendMovie Review: script full of silliness
Summary: 2 Stars
The script of "Helen of Troy" is so full of improbable silliness and stilted dialogue it is matched only by the wooden acting that in the 50s seemed a requirement of Hollywood epics. In the end it spoils the spectacular sets and occasionally effective cinematography. The sack of Troy sequence at the end of the movie almost redeems it, and I am almost tempted to raise my rating for that alone. But then I remember the hash they made of the actual seige, with medieval seige engines and uninspired choreography. Paris is played as a 50's hunk who completely upstages Hector. There's no hint of the spoiled, self-indulgent womanizer. Worse, the romance between him and Helen fell a little flat. It's worth having a look at if you are a fan of this genre, as I am, but otherwise it disappoints.