Die Fahrten des Odysseus (1954)
19KDie Fahrten des Odysseus: Directed by Mario Camerini. With Silvana Mangano, Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Rossana Podestà. A movie adaptation of Homer’s second epic, that depicts Ulysses’ efforts to return to his home after the end of ten years of war.
“Kirk Douglas entered the sand and sandal genre six years before his acclaimed Spartacus with this version of Ulysses and his long voyage home from the wars of Troy. If youu0026#39;ll remember your classical history, and the recent movie Troy, Ulysses was the guy who finally broke the siege at Troy with that wooden horse gambit. But as the Greeks ran amuck in Troy, behaving very much like barbarians, Cassandra the high priestess of Poseidon, called on the big guy to do his very worst to Ulysses. Of course in the film Poseidon is called by his Roman name of Neptune.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAs Ulysses, Kirk Douglas invests the part with his own combination of aggressiveness and charm. It ainu0026#39;t exactly the classics, but realize that the film was aimed at a juvenile market and it works out rather well. Even the grownups will get a good hearty laugh at how the clever Ulysses outwits the Cyclops.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSilvana Mangano does very well as the long suffering Penelope, the wife of Ulysses whou0026#39;s needs just arenu0026#39;t being met and as Circe the witch whose profession kind of scares the guys away. Anthony Quinn has a small role as one of Penelopeu0026#39;s suitors for the hand of the presumed widow. Why he took such a small part in a film Iu0026#39;m not quite sure, but this would be the first of three films he did with Kirk Douglas. The next one, Lust for Life would gain Quinn a second Oscar.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eUlysses is not one of Kirk Douglasu0026#39;s greatest roles, but the film still holds up well today and kids and grownups will appreciate it.”
