Alexander the Great

I have always been fascinated by the short and violent life of Alexander of Macedonia, which of course makes me biased in reviewing this film. It has been said of this film that Robert Rossen, who produced, wrote and directed this film, was aiming for a masterpiece but failed honorably. While this is true in a way, I still enjoyed it more than that. This movie is not fast in pace, and the direction is not perfect either, but it feels authentic. I'm sure that not everything portrayed is true to history (does anyone really care?), but it is convincing, and the acting is solid. Richard Burton is a very good Alexander, and he adds a lot of subtle edges to this enigmatic figure from history (just ignore the silly blond wig...) All in all, Alexander the Great is a good film, perhaps too ambitious, and even though it is not very accessible to viewers not familiar with the territory, it is still quite dramatic, convincing and enjoyable if you like historical epics. And even though the film doesn't ask you to care too much about the characters, it is still an interesting, intellectual, and high minded story you probably will not forget. If you keep in mind that it is the events of history that are really on display here, and not so much the individual players, you may enjoy it as I did.

Now, we shouldn't look to Rossen's film for actual history, EXCEPT as reflected in later romance and, indeed, the Alexander legend. The film does indeed egregiously telescope events and make a complete chronological, genealogical and motivational muddle of real historical events. Absolute realism is not the point of the film, however -- Hollywood is guilty of much simplistic remaking of history, but Rossen's film is much more personal and ambitious in grand design if not in little details -- the portrait of Alexander as a man, brilliantly realized on many levels by Richard Burton, is the real focus of the movie. What we have here is a portrait of the disintegration of the character of a promising, ambitious young man, intoxicated with power and the lies accompanying that, and the formative power that the strong personalities of his parents, Olympias and Philip, had over Alex's mind.

For this last reason, I find the first half of the film to be superbly done. His stimulating contact with Aristotle, the camaraderie between him and his companions, and especially his complex relationships with Olympias and Philip are brought out beautifully (if necessarily briefly), by Burton, in the film. (Most of this is derived from the late Greek biographer Plutarch's "Life of Alexander".) Burton plays the young Alexander beautifully, full of emotional ambiguities and hidden resentments. The murder of Attalus after the assassination of Philip is not only presented as the first of Alexander's blood crimes, but as a necessary consequent of his upbringing, as abetted and encouraged by his amazing, monstrous mother. The rest of his career is presented not only as a continuation (and surpassing!) of his father's ambitions, but as a fulfillment of Olympias' own expectations for her son. The psychological complexity here is exquisite, and appropriate.

This fine beginning makes the rest of the film redundant and annoying. We, of course, expect a good exposition of Alex's adult achievements, but Rossen is frustrated at being tied to history here (mostly derived from the ancient historians Arrian and Diodorus), and we are treated to a perfunctory, lazy account of all of his victorious battles and conquests. (For instance, the battles of Ipsus and Gaugamela are conflated into one encounter, and the degeneration of Alex into a paranoid alcoholic is too broadly played.) The usual "cast of thousands" used in the battle scenes are not convincing, and we do not feel that the fates of nations and peoples hang in the balance. We are not granted any glimpse of Alex's genius at tactics and generalship. Darius is a mere cipher, not a convincing King and opponent. Only Peter Cushing as Memnon gives us a spark of convincing opposition to Alexander's tyranny, and he refreshingly reminds us that not all Greeks responded to Alex's call for a "Panhellenic" crusade against Persia. (In historical fact, more Greeks, in all probability, fought AGAINST Alexander than for him!) Memnon's death at the battle at the Granicus is also an unhistorical invention; he died of disease a year or so later, after leading the increasingly successful resistance to Alex in western Asia Minor. His wife Barsine was certainly a captive to Alexander, and probably bore him a son as well, but this fact is blown up far too much in the film. The real Alexander's emotional attachments were homosexual (to Bagoas, Hephaestion, Cleitus, et al.).

In short, the first half of the film is well realized and acute, while the second half is confused, hurried and unsatisfying. We understand much about Alex from the family drama in the first part; we understand little about him from the second. Rossen certainly had limitations in telling this story; if he had a larger budget and less (at the time) conventional restrictions on telling a story, then we would have had a different and better (and much longer!) movie. The golden age of the epic film may well be past, but I think that it can still be told. Consider this review as a challenge: this story can be told, well, and at length, with all the richness and complexity of the real, without sacrificing drama and immediate interest. This is certainly one of the most fascinating stories of recorded history, and it is a shame that Rossen was unable to complete what he had so brilliantly begun.

This is one of those international productions popular in the 1950's. Made in Spain with British, American and French actors.

Robert Rossen is a good director with many fine movies to his credit but really doesn't seem to have the flair for historical epics. There is too much talk and the battle scenes tend to be rather confusing and poorly choreographed.

Richard Burton does his best, his magnificent voice can make something of the most mundane dialogue and he certainly looks virile despite a rather swish looking blonde wig.

A good supporting cast is largely wasted.

The dialogue accomplishes so much yet is almost poetic. It is of an elegance rarely seen in modern movies. Many of the key elements in the relationships between Alexander, his men, his parents and his perspectives are explored but battle details are glossed over.

Though far from comprehensive, it tells a good tale and serves as a wonderful introduction to the life of Alexander. I was riveted when I watched this, having read Mary Renault's trilogy. An excellent job!

Oliver Stone's 2004 effort was a let down but the depiction of the Battle of Gaugamela is worth watching.

Historic , big-budgeted and breathtaking epic movie with stunningly mounted battle scenes , but overlong , and a little boring pacing ; being many years later remade by Oliver Stone (2003) in a mammoth version . The movie centers Alexander the Great (Richard Burton at his stormy best and subsequently played by Colin Farrell) , the famous Greek conqueror of the fourth century and disciple of Aristoteles , he was born in Pella and died Babylone (356-323 B.C) . He was son of Philip II (Fredric March and in Oliver Stone's rendition played by Val Kilmer) , King of Macedonya , who vanquished the Greeks in Queronea , unified the cities and Greece in the league of Corinto , but he was cruelly murdered . It starts the year 326 B.C. in a divided , troubled , bloody Greece . Olympia (a delightful Danielle Darrieux , later performed by Angelina Jolie) , Alexander's mother , will stop at nothing to rule over for her son and proclaim him King . Alexander , disciple of Aristoteles (Barry Jones , after interpreted by Christopher Plummer), will fight Persians commanded by Dario the Great (Harry Andrews) who will be vanquished in Granico, Issos and Gaugamela. Alexander conquered Tracia , destroyed Tebas , submitted Capadocia, Lydia , Biblos , Sidon , Tiro , Jerusalem , Susa , Babylone , Persepolis (with firing included), Mesopotamia , Asyria and founded Alexandropolis . Alexander resolved the Gordian knot (by king Gordio) whose prophecy would become him as Emperor of Asia . But a vengeful Alexander kills various friends and generals as Cleitos (Gustavo Rojo) , Parmenius (Niall MacGuinnis) and Philotas (Ruben Rojo) . Emperor Alexander married Babylonian princess named Roxana and arrived in Samarcanda , Khiver pass (Afganistan) , Hifasis and India , crossed the Hindo-Kush where he was infected by fevers and died at 33 years old (323 before Christ) . The empire will split amongst various generals : Ptolemy inherits Egypt and Palestina ; Antioco : Antioquia ; Seleuco takes Syria , and Casandro rules over Macedonia and Greece . So mighty ... it staggers the imagination !The Mighty Story of a Conqueror Who Believed He Was a God!.The colossus who conquered the world! .Conqueror of conquerors! Spectacle of spectacles! The colossus of motion pictures!

Big budget epic about the legendary Greek conqueror . Here we find Alexander is the result of a dysfunctional royal family who wishes create an idealized world modeled in Greek style , this he does by conquering all around the world before dying at the age of 33 years old . The overall casting is important , the remarkable ¨middle order actors¨ include prestigious British actors as Peter Cushing , Stanley Baker , Niall MacGuinnis , Claire Bloom, Michael Hordern as Demosthenes , Helmut Dantine , Barry Jones and Spanish players as Marisa De Leza as Euridice , Gustavo Rojo , Ruben Rojo , Julio Peña , Virgilio Texeira and many others . The great main and secondary casting help to overcome the sluggish developing . Film runtime results to be overlong and a little bit tiring because of the running is about two hours and some and it tires too much. At the picture there are historic events , overwhelming battles , spectacular scenarios and gorgeous landscapes . First-rate production design : impressive temples , palaces , monuments..,the several battle scenes are effectively staged by a cast of thousands , featuring loads of arrows and spears . Grateful acknowledge meant is made of the co-operation shown by the Spanish government , its Army, the Ministry of Information and Turismo and to the officials and people of the various localities in Spain in which this film was made , such as : Madrid , Manzanares , El Molar and Malaga. Colorful and riveting cinematography by Robert Krasker , in Technicolor and Cinemascope ; similar to extraordinary and fascinating Mario Nascimbene's musical score , being well conducted by Franco Ferrara . Robert Rossen's direction is nice , though some moments seem to be a bit confusing and embarrassing . Rating : Although is a much underrated epic , it turns out to be a good movie .