Alexander der Große (1956)

Alexander der Große: Directed by Robert Rossen. With Richard Burton, Fredric March, Claire Bloom, Barry Jones. The life and military conquests of Alexander III of Macedon (July 20/21, 356 – June 10/11, 323 B.C.), commonly known as Alexander the Great.

“I think Rossen tried simultaneously to condense Alexanderu0026#39;s adventurous life into a two-hour movie AND to present a revisionist and thoughtful take on the character of that famous historical figure…but it didnu0026#39;t quite work. Narrative omissions aside (where is the middle of the three major battles that Alexander fought against the Persians?), it is a tedious epic with unimpressive battle scenes and, yes, too much talk. Burton is badly miscast as Alexander; he looks too old, especially in the early scenes when heu0026#39;s supposed to be a teenager(!), and lacks the proper athleticism. This would earn two stars for the production values alone, but read a book on the subject instead.”