Themes: Rise To Power, Crowned Heads, Heroic Mission
Main Cast: Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn, Peter Ustinov, Patricia Laffan
Release Year: 1951
Country: US
Run Time: 171 minutes
Plot
Originally advertised as "Colossal Quo Vadis," this opulent MGM production is far and away the most elaborate of the many versions of Henryk Sienkiewicz' novel. The plot, as always, concerns the romance between a beautiful early Christian woman (Deborah Kerr) and the initially agnostic Roman soldier Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor). This love story is laid against the larger intrigues of the debauched emperor Nero (Peter Ustinov), who hopes to gain immortality by destroying Rome with a fire and remaking it in his own image. Part of Nero's master plan is the elimination of the Christian "threat," leading to the climactic lion picnics in the arena. In spite of the many more celebrated highlights (the burning of Rome, the rescue of Lygia [Deborah Kerr] from a rampaging bear, the upside-down crucifixion of Simon Peter), the scene that remains most vivid in the memory is the posthumous "final insult" delivered to Nero by his contemptuous former aide Petronius (Leo Genn). Sophia Loren can be briefly spotted as an extra during one of the crowd scenes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Many critics found this MGM spectacular bloated and tedious; others found the magnificent sets and costumes, and the production's fantastic scale, a lustrous example of the Hollywood historical epic. The story, based on a classic novel by Henryk Siekiewicz, concerns the Roman emperor Nero and his persecution of early Christians. It centers on a love affair between a Roman commander (Robert Taylor) and a young Christian woman (Deborah Kerr). Peter Ustinov plays Nero with a thunderous, depraved, over-the-top bravado. The film contains scenes of horrible brutality and is never subtle. Quo Vadis? received eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Ustinov, but won none. This is one of several films based on the novel, including silent epics in 1913 and 1925 and an update in 1985. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Edward C. Carfagno - Art Director, Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, William McCoy - Art Director, Marta Obolensky - Choreography, Auriel Millos - Choreography, Hugh Gray - Consultant/advisor, Herschel McCoy - Costume Designer, Mervyn LeRoy - Director, Ralph Winters - Editor, Ralph F. Winners - Editor, Miklos Rozsa - Composer (Music Score), William Horning - Production Designer, William Skall - Cinematographer, Robert Surtees - Cinematographer, Sam Zimbalist - Producer, Hugh Hunt - Set Designer, Arnold A. Gillespie - Special Effects, Tom Howard - Special Effects, Donald Jahraus - Special Effects, S.N. Behrmann - Screenwriter, Sonya Levien - Screenwriter, John Lee Mahin - Screenwriter, Henryk Sienkiewicz - Book Author
