The Fall of the Roman Empire

In second century Rome Emperor Marcus Aurelius plans to make the heir to the throne his adopted son Livius, rather than his biological son Commodus. Indignant with rage, Commodus has his father murdered and succeeds him, declaring himself a God. When Commodus discovers that his sister, Lucilla has a stronger claim to the throne than he, Commodus sentences her to burn at the stake. This sword-and-sandal epic harked back to successful 1950s biblical dramas with its lavish sets, scores of extras, remarkable action sequences and a chariot race. The exorbitant cost of the film (and poor audience reception) financially ruined producer Samuel Bronston. It has been speculated that audiences were tiring of such lavish productions and timing may have also hurt the film’s box-office - it was released the same year as the opulent Burton/Taylor epic “Cleopatra”. Cast includes Sophia Loren, Christopher Plummer, Alec Guinness, Omar Sharif and James Mason.