Review of The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) by Jamie T — 03 Feb 2010
A movie about a painter is a frequent enough occurrence. Rarer is a film about a single painting, and yet here we have a big roadshow epic about the painting of the Sistine Chapel, adapted from one chapter in a massive novel about Michelangelo's life.
It's a decent film, but it never really soars, a few choice moments aside. Heston, a popular but underrated actor, is good as the great artist, but Rex Harrison seems to play Pope Julius II as Henry Higgins, part two, with "When will you make an end of it?" serving to replace "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.
" The lavish production is commendable, but the script is uninspired, and Carol Reed's uninspired direction adds to the film's assembly-line-like manner. Alex North's lovely score is the only outstanding aspect.
This review of The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) was written by Jamie T on 03 Feb 2010.
The Agony and the Ecstasy has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
