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smkranz
Reviews
Hermann der Cherusker - Die Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald (1967)
Entertaining and visually appealing, especially for the history buff
The versions of this film I have are the Italian (Massacro della foresta nera) and U.S. (Massacre in the Black Forest). They differ in that not only is the US version dubbed in English, but the title and credits are in English as well. I have read elsewhere that the "Hermann der Cherusker..." titled version is actually a compilation of this and another film, "In the Shadow of the Eagles." But I digress...
Cameron Mitchell does not play the part of Arminius as the prior commenter states. That part is played by Hans von Barsody. Cameron Mitchell plays the Roman Consul Sessina...and he broods his way through from beginning to end. Maybe the attitude was borne of being stuck making films in Italy.
The production tries very hard to be epic and huge, but...no. Yes, there are lots of guys riding around on horses, and some of these scenes look big. But much of the soundtrack reminds one of an episode of Aesop's Fables (or is that Fractured Fairy Tales?) from the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. And while the story of Arminius' massacre involved the slaughter of thousands of Roman soldiers, the actual depiction of that battle here in the flick doesn't seem to involve more than a couple dozen guys at best.
Still, anyone who knows the tale of Arminius will get a kick out of this film...if you can lay your hands on it. I rate the film a 7 just because it exists. If I were intellectually honest, it's closer to a 3-4.