Giulio Cesare contro i pirati

The lead of this one is familiar-looking Gustavo Rojo, who had played a supporting role in Luis Bunuel's minor THE GREAT MADCAP (1949); bafflingly, however, his character is addressed as Caesar before he actually became one – since this epithet was given in reference to a title and not a surname!

The film may be unusual Roman Empire material in view of the presence of sea-faring pirates, but the result is thoroughly routine nonetheless. Gordon Mitchell is the chief villain here, but he is also the subject of the movie's biggest unintentional laugh: when his constant scowling ends up getting on Rojo's nerves, the latter unceremoniously throws him to the ground and starts twisting his leg! Of course, the hero becomes involved with a girl who not only happens to be Mitchell's 'property' but, since he is himself married, she turns up conveniently dead by the finale!

Besides, we get some execrable comic relief by Rojo's pint-sized lackey: how the peplum exponents unfailingly seemed to feel this was an obligatory element (as with the ever-present dance routine) and by this sort of person to boot is a complete mystery to me! Again, this viewing came via an English-dubbed (but, at least, widescreen) TV broadcast undermined by problematic audio!