Hollywood went Bible and Ancient World crazy in the 1950s which is presumably how this adaptation of G B Shaw's satire of religion in Ancient Rome got the green light. The play is one of my favourite of Shaw's - wry, funny, very clever - but the handling here is all wrong. The story is basically the same, so are the actors - but the tone, emphasis, atmosphere, everything... it just feels off.
Maybe this was too hard to adapt. Maybe its too American, with Alan Young in a role that might have been better played by a British "little man" and Jim Backus a very unconvincing legionary. Victor Mature is definitely hopelessly out of his element as the Roman captain - a great role, but old Vic fails completely by giving a Robe type performance. Maybe its the mixture of American and British accents. Maybe its the multiple plot lines and lack of clear protagonist.
Jean Simmons is beautiful and would seem to be ideal, but she lacks a certain fire in her part - maybe it's having to play opposite mature. The supporting cast e.g. Elsa Lanchester, Robert Newtown look as though they might save the day but they don't. It's just a frustrating mess.
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