Review of Quo Vadis (1951) by William M — 03 Jul 2016

Robert Taylor (Marcus Vinicius) plays the part of a successful, confident man of the world military leader who despises anyone who has no backbone, who shows any form of weakness, and considered Christians as sniveling, spineless weaklings looking at life as through rose colored glasses.

Until, he meets and falls in love with the tender hearted, totally surrendered-to-Christ beauty, (Lygia) played by Deborah Kerr. He then is seduced by her love and devotion to Christ to see Christianity in a whole new light, especially, when Nero played by Peter Ustinov sets out to destroy Rome and blame it on the Christian community there.

Nero's evil intentions are to eradicate Rome of all Christians, who refuse to worship him as a god, and who worship Christ as the only true God. Their implacable refusal to bow to Caesar and recant their faith ultimately results in Nero's persecution of Rome's Christians, driving them into the coliseum as cattle to be eaten by lions and burnt at the stake.

Marcus Vinicius, having been arrested and held captive by Nero, is forced to watch the gruesome spectacle but is able to escape his captors and enter the coliseum to rescue his beloved Lygia. During this time, the whole city is made aware of Nero's sinister plan and revolts.

Nero, having lost the support of the Senate and facing a revolution commits suicide. Rome gets rid of an evil-murdering ruler, Marcus Vinicius get the love of his life, and Christ wins a giant champion of the Faith.