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I checked this movie out of the library, watched it once, and immediately ordered my own copy. Like _All About Eve_, _Bringing Up Baby_, _Casablanca_ and _Double Indemnity_, this is a film I will be watching over and over. Excellent actors, consummate attention to historical detail, lavish sets, fine choreography and beautiful costuming all add to the viewing pleasure.
Yes, you'll be watching a fabulous spectacle depicting the plight of early Christians during the reign of the Emperor Nero. But it is the script of _Quo Vadis_ that makes the film rank high in my list of perfect movies. Clever and multi-layered, the dialogue encourages us to explore our own attitudes towards madness, faith, and sense of duty by listening in on the conversations of such varied characters as the Apostles Peter and Paul, a cast-off mistress of Nero, a Roman Senator and a Greek soothsayer.
But, ultimately, the lion's share (oops, couldn't help that little pun!) of the cast is involved in a discovery of what it is to love and be loved. We encounter a slave desperately in love with her indifferent master; an emperor who longs for the approval of his people, even while despising them; a young foreigner torn between her earthly love for a handsome Roman officer and her spiritual longing for the Word of God; a slave who will kill to protect his mistress even though he believes killing is a sin; and an advisor to the Emperor who finds that he must ultimately cast off his role of peacemaker and nursemaid to Nero if he is ever to gain self-respect.
The dialogue is antique without being precious, literate without being pretentious. It does not feel at all self-conscious, as I have found to be the case with some costume dramas. It is not an impediment to enjoying the story; it is an enhancement.
Even the most polished script, however, will flounder without actors of the proper calibre and everyone in the cast is more than equal to the task at hand. To my mind, however, Peter Ustinov's performance as the petulant, insecure, outrageous Emperor Nero is nothing short of astonishing. Alarmingly manic one moment, Nero segues into a most royal, self-pitying sulk in a couple of breaths. Ustinov makes it believable, portraying the Emperor as a spoiled and frightened child who can react one moment with pure instinct and, the next, justify inexcusable crimes with clever and convoluted argument.
Nero, who rationalizes "a man's acts may be cruel when he himself is not cruel," will eventually burn Rome and kill scores of innocents in the arena. But throughout the first half of the movie, his worst tendencies are held in check by his friend and advisor Petronious, a nobleman who describes himself as "indestructible." Petronious, portrayed with masterful irony by Leo Genn, relies on his quick wits in order to stay alive and prosper in the reign of a madman, and takes a certain pride in his ability to keep Nero under control.
Nero is always watching Petronius, seeing how he will react, trying to second-guess him. Petronius is the only person whose opinion Nero cares about, because he is the only one who is not a total sycophant. As a matter of fact, Petronius at times goes out of his way to say the total opposite of what would be politically expedient to say, then, amazingly, turn his comment around to prove that he is being loyal to Nero by being honest and plainspoken. For example, when Nero complains about how much he hates the people, that he wishes they had but a single head that he might chop it off, Petronius doesn't shame him or tell him he's crazy as a bedbug. That would hardly be effective. Instead, Petronius reminds Nero that the mob is necessary, for a ruler needs subjects and an artist needs an audience.
Unfortunately for Rome, Nero has decided sing about a burning city, and he has come to the conclusion that he must experience the real thing in order to interpret it. Also unfortunately for Rome, Petronius, who has previously complained of never being able to discover "an honest warmth in any woman," has been surprised by the love of his beautiful slave Eunice and is therefore distracted. There is no-one to talk Nero down, no-one to turn his immediate impulses into something less destructive. And when the stunned Petronius hears the news that Rome is aflame, he comments ironically, "Now, indeed, Nero has his place in history."
Indeed, Petronius is able to keep his sense of the ironic until he witnesses the terrified Romans fleeing in desperation into the hitherto forbidden neighbourhoods of the wealthy. Nero exclaims in disgust, "Is it possible that human beings can produce such a sound?"
"Yes," relies Petronius, doubtless speaking for himself as well as the terrified mob, "when they have been driven too far." And, when Nero eyes the nobleman askance, it is clear that Petronius has lost major brownie points by going too far himself. Sensing a hated rival's almost instantaneous loss of status, Nero's empress suggests that perhaps Petronius himself is one of the despised Christians. To Nero's point-blank question, Petronius responds levelly, "I am not. I have heard that the Christians teach you to love your neighbour. And, as I see what men are, I cannot for the life of me love my fellow men."
After the destruction of Rome, Petronius finds it hard to harbour any affection even for himself. Ashamed that he did not address the frightened citizens and urge them to depose Nero, the Emperor's erstwhile advisor berates himself as nothing more than "an amused cynic, a selfish onlooker."
But this amused cynic will ultimately redeem himself, by signing "with humility" a letter which is being sent to General Galba, asking him to return to Rome and depose Nero. Then Petronius calls for his servant Alexander, saying "I will give him the names of those few I love." Petronius has planned a banquet, "an evening of farewell." With his few true friends as witness, Petronius reads aloud a letter he has written to Nero, in which he advises in closing, "Brutalize the people, but do not bore them, as you have bored to death your friend, the late Gaius Petronius." His friends gasp. Petronius assures them, "it is not enough to live well; one must die well," adding, "The Christians say that death is but a transition to a better life. It will be interesting to discover." His physician has slit Petronius' wrist. He will die with honour, escaping execution at the hands of Nero, prompting one of his guests to eulogize, "With you perishes the best of our Roman world."
When Nero hears of the death of his former friend, he dissolves in melodramatic weeping. Yet even in his grief, he must perform, shedding tears into his weeping vial (one for Petronius and one for himself) and wailing for his audience, "How I have loved you, Petronius." He opens the letter, eager to read the last words addressed to him by his departed friend. But, as he scans the insulting, honest words, Nero comes to hate Petronius and everything associated with him, including Petronius' nephew Marcus and the Christian girl he loves and, consequently launch what he gloatingly describes as "a spectacle of terror." Nero always has someone else to blame for his misdeeds.
But the slaughter of the Christians brings no satisfaction to the Emperor. The Christians sing as they go to their slaughter, inspiring the reluctantly impressed Marcus to snap, "These people know how to die, Nero. You will squeal like a hog." Nero cannot understand how the Christians can sing as they are being killed. After the slaughter, he goes at night into the arena and is appalled to find that they are all smiling.
All too soon, Marcus' predictions concerning Nero come true. The Empress has arranged for Ursus, the gigantic servant of Marcus' Lygia, to fight a fierce black bull. The mob turns ugly and the military revolts when the Emperor is foolish enough to give the thumbs-down to the victorious giant. Nero will meet his end dishonourably, and a new ruler will come to power, a sane one who has no need of either scapegoats or audiences.
Satisfying from beginning to end, from the first viewing to the twentieth and beyond, _Quo Vadis_ is a treasure. And if you want to appreciate it (and films of its ilk) even more, check out Jon Solomon's _The Ancient World in the Cinema_.
A bit of trivia from the web: While a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army, Leo Genn was one of the Prosecuting Officers at the British-mounted 1945 Belsen War Crimes trial. Belsen, like the other concentration camps was established to hold what were considered, by the Nazi regime, as undesirable people, ranging from Jews to relatives of famous German citizens who had fled overseas. Notable inmates of Belsen include Marlene Dietrich's sister and the Dutch Jewish girl Anne Frank. Genn was awarded the Croix de Guerre in 1945.
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Customer reviews
Quo Vadis is a great epic film! (was never a widescreen movie)
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2008
Quo Vadis was released in 1951 which is two years before the advent of CinemaScope and other widescreen formats of 1953. Quo Vadis was released theatrically in the aspect ratio of 1.33:1, so do not look for a widescreen version on DVD. The movie is an epic in the true sense of the word. Peter Ustinov steals every scene with his wonderful, self indulgent performance as Nero. Patricia Laffan (Devil Girl From Mars) delivers a deliciously evil performance. Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr star as Roman leader and persecuted Christian, respectively. If you enjoy movies like The Robe, Demetrious and The Gladiators, Salome, you will love Quo Vadis. (See if you can spot unknown Sophia Loren as slave girl. Originally, Elizabeth Taylor was suppossed to star with Gregory Peck in Quo Vadis. One day she showed up for fun, got in costume and may be seen in one of the arena scenes).
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2008
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\m/arcolino
Ein Klassiker der Filmgeschichte, mit einem überragenden PETER USTINOV!
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on April 7, 2018
Ein Klassiker der Filmgeschichte, mit einem überragenden PETER USTINOV!
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on April 7, 2018
In den 50er-Jahren waren "Monumentalfilme" mit historischem Hintergrund äußerst beliebt, neben "Ben Hur", "Kleopatra" oder "Die zehn Gebote", gehört auch "Quo Vadis" in die Riege dieser Klassiker.Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on April 7, 2018
Ein Merkmal von "Monumentalfilmen" sind hohe Produktionskosten, eine riesige Anzahl von Statisten und eine Vielzahl von hochrangigen Schauspielern.
Für "Quo Vadis" wurden 30.000 Statisten engagiert, es gab 110 Sprechrollen und 29 Hauptdarsteller, darunter Hollywood-Größen wie ROBERT TAYLOR (Marcus Vinicius), DEBORAH KERR (Lygia) und PETER USTINOV (Kaiser Nero).
Vor allem PETER USTINOV ist einfach grandios, er spielt den irren "Kaiser Nero" einfach sensationell gut, für mich ist das eine der besten schauspielerischen Leistungen der Filmgeschichte.
Außerdem wurden 250 Pferde, 63 Löwen, 7 Stiere und 2 Leoparden aufgeboten, es gab insgesamt 115 Kulissen und rund 115.000 Requisiten zu sehen. Also, Produzent SAM ZIMBALIST und Regisseur MERVYN LEROY haben weder Kosten und Mühen gescheut, um "Quo Vadis" bombastisch und monumental zu inszenieren.
Die Geschichte handelt vom römischen Feldherrn MARCUS VINICIUS, der im Jahre 64 n. Chr. mit seinen siegreichen Legionen von Britannien nach Rom zurückkehrt.
Da seine Legionen auf Befehl NEROS vor den Toren Roms warten sollen, macht sich VINICIUS auf, um persönlich beim Kaiser vorstellig zu werden. Dort platzt er in ein bizarres Spektakel, der irre Kaiser gibt vor einer illustren Runde von Günstlingen gerade eines seiner selbst komponierten Lieder zum Besten.
Dort erfährt VINICIUS dann, warum der Kaiser ihn und seine Legionen vor den Toren hat warten lassen. Das Volk sehnt sich nach Zerstreuung und NERO möchte ihm Brot und Spiele präsentieren, wozu sich der glorreiche Einzug der siegreichen Legionen vorzüglich eignet.
VINICIUS kehrt nicht zu seinen Truppen zurück, sondern übernachtet im Haus von GENERAL PLAUTIUS (Felix Aylmer), wo er der lygischen Geisel LYGIA begegnet, die von PLAUTIUS und seiner Frau wie eine Tochter behandelt wird. Er verliebt sich auf den ersten Blick in die hübsche LYGIA, doch die weist seine Avancen zunächst zurück. Im Hause von PLAUTIUS trifft er auch auf eine gewissen PAULUS VON TARSUS (Abraham Sofaer). Was VINICIUS nicht weiß ist, dass sowohl PAULUS, als auch PETRONIUS und die hübsche LYGIA, Anhänger der christlichen Religion sind ......
Mein Fazit: Ich habe "Quo Vadis" als kleiner Junge das erste Mal gesehen und wahr hin und weg! Die beeindruckenden Szenen in der Arena blieben mir lange im Gedächtnis und mein Interesse für die römische Geschichte wurde geweckt.
Auch heute noch sehe ich den Film sehr gerne, auch wenn er inzwischen 67 Jahre alt ist, hat er nichts von seiner Klasse eingebüßt und ist unterhaltend wie damals.
Wenn man das von einem so alten Film behaupten kann, dann darf man ihn wohl guten Gewissens zu den Klassikern zählen!
Wer auf diese alten Monumentalfilme steht, den nostalgischen Charme dieser Filme genauso liebt wie ich, der sollte sich "Quo Vadis" unbedingt ansehen - ich finde ihn grandios!
Meine Bewertung: 10 von 10 Punkten.
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William
IMPERDIBILE, PUR CON QUALCHE INCONGRUENZA
Reviewed in Italy 🇮🇹 on November 20, 2019
Luis Pérez Bastías
Buena superproducción.
Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on July 12, 2020
Buena superproducción.
Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on July 12, 2020
"¿Quo vadis"? pertenece a esa saga de superproducciones religiosas clásicas entre las que figuran "Los diez mandamientos" y "Ben-Hur". Tiene un guión sólido, aunque muy literario, donde destaca el retrato de la figura de Nerón, magistralmente encarnado por Peter Ustinov. A pesar de su aire artificioso y sus falsificaciones históricas (Neron no quemó Roma) posee un magnífico estilo narrativo, inolvidables actores y secuencias de gran espectáculo, como el incendio de la capital del imperio, con su derrumbe de casas, o el martirio de los cristianos con los leones.Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on July 12, 2020
A ratos parece un super pepplum, como cuando el gigante Ursus rescata a su señora de sus secuestradores o después la defiende ante un toro en el anfiteatro.
Colosal y romántica, realista y fantástica, "¿Quo Vadis?" puede seguir impresionando tanto a creyentes como a ateos. Copia en DVD remasterizada, perfecta.
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