Review of Ulysses

Ulysses (1954)
7/10
Italian-American co-production based on Homer's immortal poem about the mythological hero Ulysses
8 June 2011
Odysseus' journey told in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey in which Ulysses leads his warriors through History's greatest adventure . After fighting in the Trojan War , Odysseus spends years trying to return home to Itaka. This is the story of a man who left his home , his wife and his son to go away to war.. He destroyed the city of his enemies and started back home . But Neptune , protector God of the conquered people , pursued him with his anger and kept him murdering for ten years . It is the story of Ulysses who dared defy the god and continued his journey to Ithaca , his home, where his wife Penelope was waiting.. and waiting.. The dust of centuries has not dimmed the glories of Ulysses' heroic deeds . The cave of Pholiphemus still reverberates with the bellowing roars of the son of Neptuno . The sorrowful face of Penelope still gazes longingly across the open sea. And on a distant shore Circe still casts her spill . For the immortality that Ulysses refused of a goddess was later given to him by a poet .. And the epic poem that Homer sang of the hero's wanderings and of his yearning for home will live for all time . One of the greatest adventures of world literature! Packed with fury...excitement...cunning and tempestuous love!

Good rendition concerning Ulysses on his Odyssey home to Penelope and Telemaco after the Trojan War . History's greatest Romantic Adventure-now brought magnificently to the Screen , dealing with Ulysses' adventures and filmed where they happened -- 5000 years ago . The classic version ever of Homer's epic produced by two greatest Italian producers as Carlo Ponti and Dino De Laurentis . Based on Homer's Odyssey adapted by seven writers , including American prestigious as Irwin Shaw and Ben Hecht , Billy Wilder's usual . As a tale , the Odyssey is an unparalleled metaphor of the struggles of a man's life. The cast is brilliant and international with American as Kirk Douglas , Anthony Quinn and Italian actors as Silvana Mangano , Rossana Podesta and Franco Interlengh i. Silvana Mangano gives us a typical Greek tragedy style performance in a double role as Penelope and Circe , but most amazing is Kirk Douglas acting as the brave and valiant Ulysses , really good-looking , impulsive and totally convincing , it seems the role was really written for him .

Partially shot in natural locations in the Mediterranean , being actually filmed along the route Ulysses followed and Ponti-Laurentis studios. The exteriors of this Lux motion picture were filmed on the Mediterranean coast and islands described in Homer's Odyssey . The sea and the sky are strikingly blue, the islands green and wild . Colorful and spectacular cinematography by Harold Rosson . Evocative and impressive original score by Alessandro Cicognini , well conducted by Franco Ferrara . The Most Exciting Epic of Them All was professionally directed by Mario Camerini and some scenes by Mario Bava though uncredited . Rating : Better than average take on that will appeal to classic film lovers and Kirk Doglas fans . Another excellent adaptation results to be ¨L'Odissea¨ (1968) TV series directed by Franco Rossi and also by Mario Bava with Bekim Fehmiu as Ulysses and Irene Papas as Penelope.
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