Alexander the Great (1956)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Robert Rossen

Writer:

Robert Rossen (written by)

Release Date:

31 August 1956 (West Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The colossus who conquered the world!

Plot:

An epic film that follows the life of Alexander the Great, the macedonian king that united all ancient...

Plot Keywords:

Empire | Macedonian | King | Persian | Epic

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Richard Burton	...	Alexander
Fredric March	...	Philip of Macedonia
Claire Bloom	...	Barsine
Danielle Darrieux	...	Olympias
Barry Jones	...	Aristotle
Harry Andrews	...	Darius
Stanley Baker	...	Attalus
Niall MacGinnis	...	Parmenio (as Niall Macginnis)
Peter Cushing	...	Memnon
Michael Hordern	...	Demosthenes
Marisa de Leza	...	Eurydice (as Marisa De Leza)
Gustavo Rojo	...	Cleitus
Rubén Rojo	...	Philotas (as Ruben Rojo)
Peter Wyngarde	...	Pausanias
Helmut Dantine	...	Nectenabus

Also Known As:

Alejandro Magno (Spain)

Runtime:

136 min (TCM print) | Spain:143 min | USA:135 min (Turner Library Print) | USA:141 min

Country:

USA | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (PCA #17782) | New Zealand:G | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

El Molar, Madrid, Spain

Company:

C.B. Films S.A.

Trivia:

Peter Wyngarde was originally tested for the lead role of Alexander, but ended up in the smaller role of Pausanias.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Macedonian horsemen attack Darius' soldiers, one the the spear tips clearly bends in a way that shows it to be made of rubber.

Quotes:

Philip of Macedonia: There's work to do. Farewell, Aristotle.
Aristotle: Farewell - and take these words with you and use them for what they are worth: Alexander is many things. He is logic, and he is dreams. He is warrior, and he is poet. He is man, and he is spirit. He is your son, but he's also *hers*... and he believes himself to be a god.

Movie Connections:

Version of Alexander (2004)

Colossally bad

This film is incredibly historically inaccurate, merging and changing personalities and events to force the entirety of this fascinating life into a measly 2-hour Hollywood schlockbuster.

The performances are stiff and unconvincing; I blame the script, direction, and style of (melo-)dramatic acting preferred in the 50's -- Burton, in particular, is considerably better in his movies a decade later.