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Head of a Tyrant

Original title: Giuditta e Oloferne
  • 1959
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
4.5/10
72
YOUR RATING
Head of a Tyrant (1959)
AdventureDramaHistory

A beautiful girl plans to seduce, then murder, the brutal conqueror who has taken over her city.A beautiful girl plans to seduce, then murder, the brutal conqueror who has taken over her city.A beautiful girl plans to seduce, then murder, the brutal conqueror who has taken over her city.

  • Director
    • Fernando Cerchio
  • Writers
    • Gian Paolo Callegari
    • Fernando Cerchio
    • Damiano Damiani
  • Stars
    • Massimo Girotti
    • Isabelle Corey
    • Renato Baldini
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.5/10
    72
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Fernando Cerchio
    • Writers
      • Gian Paolo Callegari
      • Fernando Cerchio
      • Damiano Damiani
    • Stars
      • Massimo Girotti
      • Isabelle Corey
      • Renato Baldini
    • 4User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

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    Top cast21

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    Massimo Girotti
    Massimo Girotti
    • Oloferne
    Isabelle Corey
    Isabelle Corey
    • Giuditta
    Renato Baldini
    Renato Baldini
    • Arbar
    Yvette Masson
    • Rispa
    Lucia Banti
    • Hagar - la serva
    Daniela Rocca
    Daniela Rocca
    • Naomi
    Gianni Rizzo
    Gianni Rizzo
    • Ozia
    Camillo Pilotto
    Camillo Pilotto
    • Belial
    Luigi Tosi
    Luigi Tosi
    • Iras
    Leonardo Botta
    • Gabriele
    Ricardo Valle
    • Isacco
    Gabriele Antonini
    • Brother
    Luciano Ciccarone
    Enzo Doria
    • Daniele
    Franco Balducci
    • Galaad
    Fedele Gentile
    Enzo Fiermonte
    Enzo Fiermonte
    Alberto Archetti
    • Director
      • Fernando Cerchio
    • Writers
      • Gian Paolo Callegari
      • Fernando Cerchio
      • Damiano Damiani
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews4

    4.572
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    Featured reviews

    copycat1025

    High-epic aspirations, with a modest budget.

    Here is a well-paced epic which veers sharply away from the exploitation field, and enters the waters of historical film-making, only to lag conspicuously when viewed from that perspective. The story itself is decently told, with almost no "action" taking place between the characters, most of the plot being dialog and drama. The English dubbing is nicely done, Holophernes being dubbed by American actor Frank Latimore. The tale is based on the Apocryphal story of Judith, and is a reasonably faithful rendering. However, the lack of action tired me at last, and left me wishing that something would "happen." I've noticed this flaw in some of Cerchio's other films, and although he was a director of some professional capacity, he didn't pay enough attention to the entertainment factor. Although we're entertained to a degree, certainly Cerchio could have done more to pick up the pace. This movie was filmed on a moderate budget, with judicious use of set decorations by Sergio Scalco.
    3dbborroughs

    Other Worldly Dubbing

    This is the biblical tale of Judith saving her people.The version of this film I saw seemed to be dubbed on an alien planet with voices only matching lips rarely. The dub is so awful as to hurt an already leadenly paced film. A grade school version I once saw moved better. Avoid unless in need of sleep.
    dbdumonteil

    Down with the tyrant!

    the Catholic Office of Cinema wrote in 1959:"from the Good Book ,they only took the proper nouns and they depicted a false Judith /tyrant relationship (1)." Even if they tried to make this "Biblical" episode story like ,they did not succeed in making a very interesting tale.The action is very slow ,the relationship ,if we are to believe the screenwriters, derivative and predictable .This couple is no match for Cecil B De Mille's "Samson and Delilah" .There is only one good actor ,Massimo Girotti (who was notably the star of Visconti's "Ossessione " ) but he is completely wasted here and does not seem to believe in the part he is playing.

    (1)In the Bible,Judith did not fall in love with her enemy ,she only used her charms as a weapon.

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    Storyline

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • April 1960 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • France
    • Language
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Judith - Das Schwert der Rache
    • Production companies
      • C.F.P.C.
      • Explorer Film '58
      • Faro Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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