Review of The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) by Christopher A — 26 Aug 2008

Charlton Heston played big men, and in this he plays one of the biggest artists of all time, the Renaissance master Michelangelo. Set as a foil, however, is Rex Harrison, who plays a man who thinks he's a bigger man than Michelangelo, Pope Julius II, and their story and struggles are set against a period of civil unrest, war, and famine. Michelangelo never felt so dark.

Most of the story revolves around Michelangelo's drive to complete almost impossibly big tasks, most importantly the Sistine Chapel, which he painted alone. However, the drama revolves around his relationship with the Pope, a relationship that at times is respectful, at times is a father-son relationship, and at times is a tyrant-slave relationship. The two of them dance around each other, avoid each other, and beat each other (mostly verbally, some times not) as Michelangelo struggles to pour his life and soul into a controversial work that he seems to be unable to end. This movie is about the heroism of the artist, and it can get a bit hokey sometimes.

Carol Reed directs intensely, but in typical British fashion he can't resist a few moments of subversive humor, such as dropping things on priests' heads once in a while. More importantly, however, he does well at providing the struggle of mind-against-mind/mind-with-mind in front of a stark portrayal of civil disorder. Rex Harrison and Charlton Heston shine, but most particularly because the background is so dark.

--PolarisDiB.