The Fall Of The Roman Empire (1964)

Directed by: Anthony Mann

Treading much of the same historical ground as Gladiator, but with very different intentions, this long movie by Anthony Mann is an occasionally entertaining, but generally plodding, tale of the rivalry between Commodus (Christopher Plummer)and General Livius (Stephen Boyd), favourite and chosen successor of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (and lover of his daughter, Lucilla).

While some parts are spectacular, most of the battle scenes are ineptly handled (and oddly edited) and the depiction of Germanic hordes converting to happy-clappy farmers tilling the land on the outskirts of Rome is ludicrous.

There are good supporting performances from James Mason, Anthony Quayle and Christopher Plummer, and passable ones from Alec Guinness as Marcus Aurelius and Sophia Loren as Lucilla.  But it is the stilted acting of Stephen Boyd in the leading role that keeps this production from becoming anything more than distinctly average.