El Cid DVD, 1961

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MovieMail's Review

Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren star in this epic, with thousands of extras, extravagant costumes and thunderous battles. Its production values are superb, says David Parkinson.

Having been removed from the helm of Spartacus (1960), Anthony Mann finally got to make the transition from films noir and psychological Westerns to widescreen adventures with this handsome and laudably intelligent account of 11th-century nobleman Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar's bid to unite Castilian court factions against the bellicose Moors. However, Philip Yordan and Fredric M. Frank's screenplay focuses primarily on the personal antagonisms between the Cid (Charlton Heston), his estranged wife Chimene (Sophia Loren) and mistrustful monarch Alfonso (John Fraser).

As always with a Samuel Bronston picture, the production values are superb, with Robert Krasker's imagery being matched for resplendence by Miklós Rózsa's score. But it was Mann's ability to make the monumental seem intimate that sets this apart from the other period blockbusters of the time. Consequently, the romantic reunion between Heston and Loren feels more poignant, while the celebrated climactic charge assumes a mythical heroism that eschews grandiosity.

Underrated on its original release (Variety dismissed it as a 'fast-action colour-rich, corpse-strewn, battle picture'), this must now rank among the classic epics.

David Parkinson on 25th March 2011
View all 171 of David Parkinson's reviews

Film Information

Director - Anthony Mann

Produced - 1961

Main Language - English

Countries & Regions - American film

Cast - Sophia Loren, Charlton Heston

DVD Details

Certificate:	U	Publisher:	Anchor Bay	Region:	2
Length:	172 mins	Aspect:	2.35:1 widescreen	Cat No:	ABD4469
Format:	DVD Colour

DVD Extras

2 discs
Audio Commentary with William Bronston & Neal Rosendorf
Hollywood Conquers Spain: The Making of El Cid
Sam Bronston: The Epic Journey of a Dreamer
Living a Life of Integrity: A Conversation with John Bevere
Behind The Camera: Anthony Mann & El Cid
Preserving Our Legacy: Gerry Byrne on Film Preservation and Restoration
Miklos Rozsa: Maestro of the Movies
Vintage Radio Interviews with Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren
Trailers - 1961 Original Release and 1993 Re-release.

Film Description

Anthony Mann's epic stars Charlton Heston as the legendary 11th Century Spanish patriot El Cid, who fights to drive invading Moors from Spain. Sophia Loren co-stars as his seductive but duplicitous lover Chimene. However, their love is tested to its limits when he kills her father, she vows vengeance and he sets out on a crusade to rid Spain of its aggressors.

One of those sweeping technicolor epics, strong on thousands of extras, lavish spectacle, extravagant costumes and thunderous battle scenes. Heston, veteran of epics, plays the eponymous hero, the legendary noble-minded leader who repels enemy invasion. Loren imbues her role as his wife, Chimene, with an air of tragic beauty.