Quo Vadis (1951)

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

S.N. Behrman (screenplay)
Sonya Levien (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 November 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

Three Years in the Making! Thousands in the Cast! Filmed in Rome!

Plot:

Returning to Rome after 3 years in the field, General Marcus Vinicius meets Lygia and falls in love with her...

Plot Keywords:

Christian | Nero | General | Lion | Emperor

Awards:

Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Robert Taylor	...	Marcus Vinicius
Deborah Kerr	...	Lygia
Leo Genn	...	Petronius
Peter Ustinov	...	Nero
Patricia Laffan	...	Poppaea
Finlay Currie	...	Peter
Abraham Sofaer	...	Paul
Marina Berti	...	Eunice
Buddy Baer	...	Ursus
Felix Aylmer	...	Plautius
Nora Swinburne	...	Pomponia
Ralph Truman	...	Tigellinus
Norman Wooland	...	Nerva
Peter Miles	...	Nazarius
Geoffrey Dunn	...	Terpnos

Also Known As:

Qvo Vadis (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

171 min | UK:166 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | USA:Approved (PCA #15165) | UK:PG (tv rating) | West Germany:12 (f) | Brazil:12 | South Korea:12 | Ireland:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Nero remarks on the idea of creating an experience in order to gain inspiration, and complains that for his "conflagration", he has not yet seen a burning city. Petronius replies; "A burning city? That would be carrying art for art's sake too far". "Art for art's sake" is of course the motto of the studio that made the film, MGM.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the time of Nero, the Vatican was home to a circus, not an apocalyptic cesspit as portrayed in the film. Scholars believe that Peter was most likely martyred as side entertainment during a chariot race, or similar event.

Quotes:

Petronius: [in his dying letter to Nero] To Nero, Emperor of Rome, Master of the World, Divine Pontiff. I know that my death will be a disappointment to you, since you wished to render me this service yourself. To be born in your reign is a miscalculation; but to die in it is a joy. I can forgive you for murdering your wife and your mother...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in La niña de luto (1964)

"Nothing do I see that is not perfection"

At Last one of the great classic Hollywood blockbuster epics of the early fifties has finally found its rightful DVD home with this exceptional two disc release from Warner Home Video.

Produced by Sam Zimbalist for MGM in 1951 and expertly directed by Mervin LeRoy "Quo Vadis" was Hollywood's first wallop in the fight against the onslaught of Television. Available at first, and for many years only on VHS tape, it then began to appear on a plethora of foreign DVDs but with varying quality it must be said. One such unfortunate issue, which originated in Korea, was released without any opening credits whatsoever! I kid you not! That said - we now thankfully have it in our possession and a superb issue it is! With perfect pristine colour resolution, Robert Surtees' Acadamy Award nominated colour Cinematography comes across with well defined and plush imagery. The various cast members are attired in the most gorgeously coloured costumes. Particularly dazzling is the golden uniform worn by the picture's star Robert Taylor as he proudly bears himself aboard his golden chariot during his triumphal parade through Rome.

Also here is Miklos Rozsa's outstanding Acadamy Award nominated score! His main Roman motif, bold and strong, dominates the scenes in the Forum and in the Arena. In gentler mode is his beautiful love theme for the scenes with the star-crossed lovers Marcus and Lygia. Then there's the frenetic bacchanal-like Hymn of the Vestal Virgins followed immediately by the robust and heroic Triumphal March. Also heard on this issue - and for the first time since the original roadshow release 56 years ago - is the composer's Overture and Exit music. The great Rozsa would barely eclipse his "Vadis" music eight years later with his Oscar winning score for "Ben Hur".

The assembled cast are uniformly excellent except, perhaps, the syrupy and simpering performance of Deborah Kerr as Lygia. But Robert Taylor is fine in what is probably his best known role as Nero's legion commander Marcus Vinicus. Outstanding is Leo Genn as Petronious - the sardonic and sarcastic confidante of the tyrannical Emperor Nero. And of course there is the wonderful Peter Ustinov chewing up every bit of scenery there is as the crazed and looney Nero. Both Ustinov and Genn were nominated for Acadamy Awards. The picture is also buoyed by some colourful and elaborate set pieces such as the Vestal Virgins singing and wildly dancing in homage to the goddess Vesta, the spectacular triumphal parade of the Roman legions taking the salute from Nero as it passes the great palace, the exciting chariot chase, the brilliantly staged burning of Rome and the harrowing scenes in the Arena as the lions are released on the hapless hymn-singing Christians.

These scenes all come across extremely well on this excellent DVD which comes with a trailer, a splendid 45 minute featurette "Quo Vadis And The Genesis of the Biblical Epic" and a commentary by one F.X. Feeney who neglects to tell us that the opening narration is spoken by MGM favourite Walter Pidgeon (uncredited) and persists in calling the leading lady's character Liga instead of Lygia. However this is only a minor quibble and does nothing to diminish the greatness of this issue. Bravo Warner Home Video!!