Review of Quo Vadis (1951) by Daniel K — 15 Dec 2009

2: It pales in comparison to other Roman epics from the time period (i.e. Ben-Hur, Cleopatra, etc). The scale and lavishness is still impressive in many instances, but it often seems quite artificial on Blu-Ray and the story/performances/actors/etc don't quite measure up.

The level of detail and the genuineness of the attire and sets is a far cry from the recent HBO series Rome, or even from many of its contemporaries. Even some of its processors by three or four decades, like Intolerance, appear to have higher production values and better craftsmanship.

Granted, Intolerance has yet to be subjected to the Blu-Ray treatment. Epics of this era did seem to be overly preoccupied with biblical tie-in's and Christianity (i.e. Ben-Hur, The Robe, Ten Commandments, The Greatest Story Ever Told, King of Kings, etc).

I much prefer stories that focus more wholly on ancient Greek and/or Roman civilizations. The manner in which Christianity is handled in these epics always seems a bit false, simplistic, and ridiculous to me.

The devotees, prophets, and apostles here simply seem crazy. This does sort of make sense though, because they'd have to be if they actually thought the biblical events depicted took place. One could come away from this film thinking Christianity rid the world of pain and suffering and brought down the Roman empire all by itself.

Deborah Kerr is certainly the highlight here. Her hair simply explodes off the screen and her performance is quality as always. Robert Taylor can't quite carry off a role like this in a film of this scale.

The character calls for someone outsized and a bit larger than life, but he works much better in more intimate genre pieces. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film for me was the realization that Rome as we know it today, at least most of the magnificent ancient architecture and city planning, likely would not have been possible without immense bloodshed.

It took a monster to make it what it is today. This type of change would have been inconcievable without emperors. Just as countries like China today can accomplish things western democracies cannot, so to the Senate of Rome could never accomplish what its emperors could.

But at what cost?