El Cid

It's a big movie that has everything. Charlton Heston was in demand, so were sweeping historical spectacles, so two years after the legendary Ben Hur came El Cid, which is able to boldly compete with Wyler's colossal work. Initially I was afraid that El Cid would be too theatrical, but it is so narratively filmed (and I don't just mean the hundreds of extras) that this fear left me after the opening credits. Charlton Heston amounts to walking likeable charisma and was perhaps made for the roles of honest tough guys who lead the people. I believed in Sophia Loren in all her acting transformations from hopelessly in love girl to hateful wife to a wife in love again, and I have no complaints about the other actors (especially the royal siblings) either... And Herbert "I'll play it all with my eyes" Lom was absolutely brilliant. During the almost three-hour-long narrative spectacle, I did not encounter a single minute of boredom. Some scenes, like the fantastic duel between two knights, I will watch many more times, and Rózsa's perfect music probably needs no mention. Anthony Mann has managed to find a sensational compromise between romance, suspense and action, and I wouldn't be surprised if Ridley Scott used El Cid as a model for Kingdom of Heaven.__P.S. And the ending! (04/03/2012)