While not on the scope of the original Spartacus or other big Hollywood epics made during this time, this Italian gladiator movie has all the aspects that make those films so memorable and fascinating. Well set during ancient times, this is more historical than biblical, dealing with the era of Julius Caesar (Ivo Garrani) and the discovery that the late Spartacus had a son who is a Roman sentry (Steve Reeves) and after a band of cutthroat, leopard wearing rebels kidnap Spartacus and goes out of his way to ensure their freedom through rebellion.
Colorful and much more believable than most of the other cheap Italian gladiator movies, this is filled with truly luxurious sets, beautiful color photography, realistic costumes, a gorgeous musical score and of course several beautiful women, one who appears to be rather amoral. If you could not tell that this was dubbed into English, you'd swear that it was made on expensive Hollywood sound stages. In fact, it's fun to imagine an all-star English-speaking cast acting this out. The actor dubbing the role of Julius Caesar strangely sounds like Laurence Olivier who was in the original "Spartacus". Reeves is at his most appealing in this sensational epic production.
Colorful and much more believable than most of the other cheap Italian gladiator movies, this is filled with truly luxurious sets, beautiful color photography, realistic costumes, a gorgeous musical score and of course several beautiful women, one who appears to be rather amoral. If you could not tell that this was dubbed into English, you'd swear that it was made on expensive Hollywood sound stages. In fact, it's fun to imagine an all-star English-speaking cast acting this out. The actor dubbing the role of Julius Caesar strangely sounds like Laurence Olivier who was in the original "Spartacus". Reeves is at his most appealing in this sensational epic production.