Product Details

• Actors: Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Alan Young, Robert Newton, Maurice Evans
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Homevision
• VHS Release Date: June 16, 2000
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303346316
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,000 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Based on George Bernard Shaw's sparkling play, this satire of ancient Rome is a triumph of comic dialogue and acting. The fable of the tailor who removes a thorn from a lion's paw is retold magnificently with Maurice Evans as Caesar, Robert Newton as a hilarious zealot, and the radiant Jean Simmons.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a GOOD Movie!, July 26, 2003

By 

Nancy Rushing - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Androcles & The Lion [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie is highly entertaining and very funny. I had laughed at some scenes in this movie. Even kids will enjoy this movie.
"Androcles and the Lion" is about a meek tailor befriending a lion by removing a thorn out of his paw (his mean wife ran away though). Androcles named the lion "Tommy". The tailor, Androcles, gets captured by the Roman army because he's a Christian, and makes friends with a beautiful woman and a burly man named Fevvorus (sp?), among other Christians with them. The beautiful woman, named Lavina, falls in love with a Roman Captain (played by Victor Mature), but she still keeps her faith in God. Later when all the Christians arrived at the Colluseum where the fighting to kill the Christian men, and the lions are for the ladies to die, Fevvorus slays all the fighters and won the affections of Ceaser. Androcles was picked to be killed by the lions...and guess who he met? The lion named Tommy! Ceaser gets impressed once more because Tommy and Androcles danced together in the arena and the lion is tame. :) Ceaser finally lets all the Christians go free, Fevvorus gets to be a guard at the palace, and Tommy and Androcles walk the streets together at the end.
Very good movie and it's highly recommended!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Androcles The Great, July 13, 2003

By 

Dave Godin (Sheffield United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Androcles & The Lion [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This Hollywood adaptation of Shaw's play came as a very pleasant surprise indeed since as Shaw's plays are always about ideas, I was gratified to see those outlined in the play were faithfully retained in the film. It is also one of Shaw's wittiest tracts on behalf of his abiding belief in animal rights, (the theological debate about whether animals have souls being retained and convincingly presented), as well as his mistrust of any religious dogma that isn't constantly on the side of the here-and-now and the Life Force. Although obvious budget constraints show here and there, all concerned certainly display a grasp of what Shaw was trying to say, and acquit themselves with distinction in all department. Full of Shavian irony and compassion, (the sadness and poignancy in Shaw's work is seldom noted these days), it turns accepted values upside down and helps you on the road to thinking laterally and, hopefully, autonomously. Subversive stuff as always with Shaw! Highly recommended.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining movie, March 6, 1999

By 

Karen Baker - See all my reviews

This review is from: Androcles & The Lion [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A very funny, entertaining black and white movie. It's quite lively and I would recomend it!