What are you going? (1951 film)

Quo Vadis (Biblical Latin expression for "Where are you going?") is a 1951 American historical film based on the novel of the same name by Henryk Sienkiewicz.. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, it starred Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn and Peter Ustinov. The soundtrack was provided by Miklós Rózsa and photography by Robert Surtees and William V. Skall. The title refers to an incident in the apocryphal Acts of Peter.

Anthony Mann worked on the film for four weeks as an uncredited second unit director. Sergio Leone was an uncredited assistant director for Italian extras. Future Italian stars Sophia Loren and Bud Spencer appeared as uncredited extras, as did Elizabeth Taylor. It was nominated for eight Oscars, but won none. Peter Ustinov was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Nero and won at the Golden Globes, and was such a box office success that he was credited with single-handedly rescuing MGM from the brink of bankruptcy.

The story, set in ancient Rome during the last years of the reign of Emperor Nero, AD 64-68. C., combines both historical and fictional events and characters and compresses the key events of that period into the space of just a few weeks. Its main theme is the conflict of the Roman Empire with Christianity and the persecution of Christians in the last years of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Unlike his illustrious and powerful predecessor, the Emperor Claudius, Nero proved to be corrupt and destructive, and his actions eventually threatened to destroy Rome's previously peaceful social order.

Historical reference

The title, in Latin, means 'Where are you going?' and refers to a meeting between Saint Peter and Jesus on the Via Appia referred to in the Acts of Peter. According to this extra-canonical book, when the apostle was escaping from the persecution to which the Christians of Rome were subjected by the emperor Nero, he had a vision of Christ. Peter asked him: "Quo vadis, Domine?" (Where are you going, Lord?), to which Jesus replied: «To Rome, the city that you abandon, to have me crucified again». Peter took this to mean that Jesus was heading back to Rome to be crucified again. In reality, Jesus speaks through Nazario, a boy of about twelve years old, accompanying Pedro, who falls to his knees when he sees a strange glow between the trees. Peter, guided by his own faith, returned to Rome where he would be martyred. Considering himself unworthy of being crucified as his Lord, he asked his executioners, and it was granted, to be crucified upside down, at the foot of Vatican Hill, on the site where Saint Peter's Basilica stands today, of Rome.

Synopsis

Peter Ustinov as Nero

The film takes place in the year 64 of our era, during the reign of Nero, and revolves around the love between the Roman general Marco Vinicio and Ligia, converted to Christianity, a religion that began to develop in the fullness of the paganism. And, therefore, she had to remain hidden, clandestine; Otherwise, her followers were not only execrated, but also persecuted and killed with impunity.

It shows how Nero orders the burning of the city of Rome in order to "receive the inspiration" to compose his verses and songs with greater "realism and creativity." You can also see the model of the new Rome that Nero dreamed of, for which he needed space.

Home

Some Roman troops of the fourteenth legion that bring slaves and looted products to barbarian towns head to the vicinity of the gates of Rome under the command of the legate Marco Vinicio (Robert Taylor). However, an emissary from the palace is the bearer of unpleasant news, and he is ordered to wait at the site. Without wasting a second, Vinicio leaves in his car and heads to the city.

Leo Genn as Petronio

Upon arrival, while waiting to be received by Emperor Nero (Peter Ustinov), he finds himself composing songs and poems in front of his servants and his entourage, Seneca (Nicholas Hannen), Tigellinus (Ralph Truman) and Petronius (Leo Genn)., the arbitrator of elegance, Vinicio's uncle. Upon being summoned by Nero, Vinicio asks for explanations, and is informed of the need to wait for the other legions that come from Asia and Africa to enter the city triumphantly.

Petronio requests permission to retire in the company of his nephew Marco Vinicio. By decision of his uncle, Vinicio is staying at the home of a retired officer, General Aulio Plaucio (Félix Aylmer) and his wife Pomponia (Nora Swinburne), who gladly receive him. Thus, he meets Urso (Buddy Baer), and, along with his companion, the tribune Fabio Nerva (Norman Wooland), is amazed at the giant's stature and strength.

Deborah Kerr as Ligia

That night he meets Ligia (Deborah Kerr), and is instantly smitten with her great beauty. The young woman, along with Urso and her adoptive parents, has converted to Christianity. After dinner, they meet Paul (Abraham Sofaer), the Apostle. That night a meeting takes place, in which Marco Vinicio observes Ligia, meditative, drawing a simple figure of a fish in the sand of the garden. Vinicio compliments her and praises her beauty; however, she understands that as a good Roman, and also a soldier, he is a pagan, and could hardly understand her or accept her doctrine and her ideas. Seized with unfounded fear, Ligia flees into the house, Vinicio follows her, but immediately the imposing figure of Urso stands in the way, blocking the way to her legacy. Vinicio rebukes him defiantly, but Urso does not give in, and warns the legionnaire that, just as he cared for and defended the king, her father, now he defends and cares for her.

Patricia Laffan as Popea

The next day, Petronius tries to dissuade him from his intentions with Ligia, but, on the contrary, Vinicio, in order to possess the young woman, makes the decision to resort to the ascendancy that the Empire and the Roman State have over their slaves and his subjects. In such a way, Ligia is taken against her will to the imperial court and dressed in finery for a celebration that the emperor will give. In such circumstances, she meets Actea (Rosalie Crutchley), a slave in the service of the court. Actea, drawing a fish in spilled powder, shows Ligia that she is also a Christian, in order to gain her confidence. Actea manages to ensure that, during Marco Vinicio's brief absence, Ligia is taken from the party and can return to her home inside a stretcher carried by slaves and escorted by soldiers. In reality, it was Legate Marco Vinicio himself who, given Ligia's resistance to her requirements, ordered one of her subordinates to escort her to the house of her uncle Petronio. In a dark alley, she waits for the faithful Urso, and in a matter of minutes he surprises the escort, fights with them, and the young woman takes advantage of the confusion and manages to escape when the giant has already given a good account of the emperor's henchmen.

When Vinicio found out about the events, he went to the house of General Plaucio, verbally outraged him; but the old general assumes his dignity and even tells Vinicio to search the house if he wants, affirming that Ligia is not there, and that he, Vinicio, "has betrayed his hospitality in a very cruel way." The wife, in turn, tries to convince the legate by treating him sweetly, but to no avail. Vinicio consults his uncle, Petronius, who upon hearing the name of Paul of Tarsus concludes that they are Christians, worshipers of "a certain carpenter crucified in Palestine." In a row, he gives Vinicius the location of a kind of Greek "fortune teller" named Chilon (John Ruddock), who will be able to inform him about the secret meeting place of the Christians and Lygia.

Indeed, the diminutive Greek old man asks Vinicio questions: for example, if he has seen the figure of a fish in some connection with Lygia; the legate thinks and finally remembers the fish drawn by Ligia the night they met. The Greek shows him that this is a Christian password, since they live in hiding, on pain of being captured or killed by the empire. The secret word is ichthus, that is, 'fish', the symbol of Christianity.

Croton and Urso

Accompanied by Vinicius by the Greek and the wrestler Croton (Arthur Walge), they enter the catacomb where the Christians gather. Pablo performs baptisms, and says words of encouragement and brotherhood to the congregation, while he narrates about those who preceded him, including Simon, called Peter, and makes references to the prodigies and miracles performed by the teacher Jesus of Nazareth. Peter (Finlay Currie) also intervenes.

When the hidden meeting ends, Vinicio and his companions follow Ligia, her parents, Nazario (Peter Miles) and Urso. They walk through dark alleys, followed by Vinicio and his accomplices. The three appear, Urso orders them to stop, in response, Vinicio draws a dagger and attacks the giant. Urso stops the charge and with a single push throws the Legate against a wall, who falls to the ground and is unconscious; Quilon flees and Croton attacks and immobilizes Urso from the rear trying to subdue him; As they struggle, Croton strangles him with one arm, while with the other hand he tries to sink the eyes of his adversary. With everything and that deadly embrace, Ursus, with great difficulty, manages to stand up and forcefully throw his rival out of action by hitting his head against the pavement. The giant Ursus lifts him off his shoulders and throws him down the steps. Croton dies. Now the faithful Urso recovers his breath after that effort, takes Vinicio, still unconscious, and starts his retreat.

The next morning, Ligia and Urso await the recovery of Marco Vinicio, after having been cared for by Miriam (Elspeth March), Nazario's mother, in whose house Ligia is now staying. Minutes later, Vinicio puts on his uniform and tells Ligia that he is leaving her alone, that he will not bother her again, however, the young woman cannot hide her attraction, and when Vinicio says goodbye, she calls him, thus discovering her feelings. Pablo appears, who continues to be viewed suspiciously by Marco Vinicio, worse still, the apostle speaks of brotherhood, of the importance of freeing slaves. All this infuriates the Legate and, definitively, he leaves the place but not before breaking and throwing a simple wooden cross that was placed on the wall on the floor. Ligia, overwhelmed by her emotion, cries inconsolably in Pablo's arms.

Fire of Rome

Marco Vinicio is at Petronio's house. He apparently has given up on Ligia. He has awakened his love for the beautiful young empress; Petronio notices his distraction and urges him to continue the game that they are holding at that moment. A soldier notifies the legate that the empress requires her presence.

Scene of the fire of Rome caused by Nero

Vinicio responds to the call and perceives resentment and jealousy in the words of Poppaea (Patricia Laffan), he humors her and attends to her requests.

Meanwhile, Nero is in ecstasy before an immense model of the new city, which will be called "Nerópolis" and then requires the presence of Petronius. Actea, a freed slave, in charge of attending to the emperor's domestic chores. Nero meets with his family in an anteroom, even Marco Vinicio is present. The emperor asks everyone to turn their attention to him and gives a short speech about posterity, history, the arts, and, when the time comes, pulls back the curtains that reveal the gigantic model. Nero explains his project to those present, everyone is silent when they hear it, for these moments, and Tigellinus, his chief of guards, has given the order to burn down the city of Rome. Instantly, Vinicio remembers Ligia and her friends, and without wasting time he leaves the premises, the Empress Poppea orders them to pursue him at full speed, in a beam drawn by two horses. Vinicio sets off in search of the girl.

Indeed, the city burns and the residents have been surprised and panic reigns among all. A contingent of legionnaires keep the gate of an exit closed, preventing the escape of the inhabitants. With difficulty Vinicio arrives at the place; a wall collapses, he gives the order to open the gate, but he is confronted by a legionnaire who is in charge of forcing his subordinates to keep the place closed and as soon as he breaks it he orders to break ranks. He manages to locate, in the distance, Ligia, who, among the crowd tries to escape the fire, in the company of Nazario and Urso. Making his way painfully through the crowd, Marco Vinicio manages to reach Ligia. They embrace, now Vinicio thinks differently in the face of the arrogance that until this unfortunate moment he had been manifesting before the Christians, and, more understanding, gives them his support. He loudly orders them to flee down the city drains, and they do. Meanwhile, on a palace balcony, Nero contemplates the grotesque and horrifying spectacle. Pulsing a lyre intones his poem, Petronius and Seneca look at him with contempt.

Christians

The surviving victims of the city fire, together with thousands of residents, occupy the gardens of the Imperial Palace, accusing Nero of arsonizing; the emperor is afraid, however, Tigellinus encourages him, arguing that the Praetorian guard will block their way. Frightened, Nero asks for a sacrifice, a victim, to calm the crowd, and thus he addresses Phaon, his architect, but without obtaining the expected receptivity; then he turns to Seneca, who replies that "the mob is a beast and it is impossible to deal with beasts."

The empress responds to her emperor's request by inciting him to blame the fire on the Christians; Tigellinus seconded her, and she emphasizes that Vinicius defends and loves a Christian named Ligia, and that Petronius himself may be a Christian. Nero questions and Petronius denies it. The despot echoes Poppea's arguments and asks for a tablet to issue a decree, accusing the Christians of being the cause of the burning of Rome. Petronius warns him that if he signs that decree he will go down to posterity as a false and lying traitor. Nero, by way of answer, tells him: "When I have finished with the Christians, history will not be sure that they ever existed." Petronius has fallen from grace.

Marco Vinicio has gone looking for news about Ligia. In the place is Peter, the apostle, consoling Nazario in his pain; both plan to travel to Greece. Vinicio says goodbye and goes to Petronio's house in the company of Tribune Nerva; They want to obtain Petronio's support signature, among others, to get General Galba (Pietro Tordi) to return to Rome with his legions to assume the government. Petronio accepts the proposal to sign; "I will sign with humility," he says, and as soon as his niece walks away from him, he says goodbye with "goodbye, Marco." Deep down he plans to throw a dinner for his friends and have his wrists cut so as not to allow his delusional and maniacal emperor the pleasure of killing him.

The heralds of the palace shout in the streets the guilt of the Christians as arsonists of the city; the residents echo that information, and they believe so. When Marco Vinicio learns such news, he hurries to the house of General Plaucio and his friends, and realizes that they have already been arrested by soldiers of the Praetorian Guard. He goes to the prison where the Christians are being gathered in the hope of rescuing Ligia by asking for her freedom under the pretext of fulfilling an order; a guard asks him the origin of such an order, to which Vinicio replies that he does not accept questions. Four soldiers approach him and immobilize him.

He is taken to the cells with Ligia and the others, where the roar of lions can be heard. Meanwhile, Pedro, accompanied by Nazario, is on a path to the outskirts of Rome, intending to move to Greece. At one point, he stops in the middle of his thoughts and looks at an intense glow that emerges from a tree, next to the road. Nazario has been ecstatic. Pedro. Prostrate on his knees, he asks, directing his attention to that intense glow: «Quo vadis, Dómine? (Where are you going, Lord?)». Through the mouth of Nazario, a voice answers: «To Rome, to have them crucify me again. If you abandon my sheep, I will return to Rome to have myself crucified again». Pedro understands his mistake, Nazario comes out of his fleeting lethargy and together they return to Rome.

Petronius and Eunice

Italian actress Marina Berti in her role as Petronio's lover Eunice.

Cayo Petronio, has had his house decorated with great care, together with his slave, beloved, and lover, Eunice (Marina Berti), who remains by his side unconditionally. She calls a doctor, who, obeying her order, cuts off the veins in her forearm, Eunice is surprised by that apparently unexpected attitude, and, quickly, she also takes the cutting instrument, and cuts, without further ado, her own. Petronio rebukes him, but the young woman is determined to die with her lover.

The «arbiter of elegance», calls a scribe to dictate a letter that will be sent to Nero. In it he tells the emperor that he forgives him for burning down Rome, for murdering his mother Agrippina and his wife Octavia, for persecuting Christians and blaming them for the crimes he committed... but not, in his words, « your boring songs, your vulgar poems, your third-rate verses." Next, he implores her: "Please, Nero: Don't mutilate the Arts!" Lovers die. Seneca manages to exclaim: "With Petronius the best of our time goes."

Seneca, faithful to the promise made to his friend Petronius, delivers the letter to Nero. At first, he is surprised by the news, but, when he reads it, offended, he becomes confused and inflamed.

The Circus

Nero makes his triumphant entrance into the Imperial Box of the Roman circus. The stands are full. The first Christians are pushed into the arena. Tigellinus advises Nero to give the order to start; Nero is about to do so, but, he stops, a figure in white emerges from one of the stands, it is Simon Peter, who exhorts those victims "to keep their faith, that the Lord accompanies them, and that they will soon reach the Heavenly Homeland." », and then he affirms: «Here, where Nero now reigns, Christ will reign forever!». The crowd hears him and Nero asks who he is, Tigellinus informs him. Meanwhile, Pedro is taken prisoner by some soldiers. Lions and Christians in the circus arena, Christians, including Pomponia, support each other and sing sacred hymns, Nero is surprised and asks questions, the victims sing, the lions attack. Laughter, mockery, mockery at that cruelty. Pedro is taken to prison, along with Ligia, Marco Vinicio and the others; Nazario, fortunately, is safe.

Another group of Christians is led into the circus arena. The Empress Poppaea has decided to surprise Nero and at the same time take revenge on Legate Marco Vinicio and personally supervises that her orders have been obeyed, and, indeed, she checks that a huge and brave bull is waiting.

Peter prays silently; while Ligia and Vinicio make plans in the face of adversity. Marco Vinicio expresses his desire to become a Christian, no. At that moment they decide to get married, the girl agrees with Vinicio that Pedro will be able to say the "words that will unite them forever as spouses", and, thus, Ligia expresses her desire to Pedro; the apostle complies with the girl's request.

Shortly after, several legionaries arrive at the cell, and addressing Peter, he reads a sentence ordering him to be executed and crucified on Vatican Hill. Moved by the possibility of being crucified as his teacher and Lord, the apostle expresses the idea of him aloud; before this, the chief legionnaire tells him that this circumstance can be modified: Indeed, they crucify him almost naked head down. The Christian holocaust continues in the arena of the Coliseum, the elderly general Aulio Plaucio addresses the crowd and accuses Nero of being the author of the fire in Rome, but some lashes force him to remain silent.

Ursus and Lygia

Only Urso, Ligia and Marco Vinicio remain in that cell, some soldiers enter and take the Legate away, while their boss orders Ligia to be assisted. Several soldiers, guarding Urso, also take him from the place. Vinicio is taken to the Imperial Box, and tied to one side, to the left of Poppaea; Nero asks when he sees him, the empress calms him down, asking him to be patient. Urso appears, whose imposing figure causes exclamations among the public and the emperor himself. Seconds later, through the main entrance that leads to the arena, the beautiful Ligia appears guarded by soldiers. She is tied to a post placed in the center of the spacious enclosure.

The crowd continues expectantly, the spectators shout and cheer the spectacle; until a bull appears in the arena, a beast that completes the trio that will provide pleasure and pleasure to the emperor and to every wicked and bloodthirsty mind gathered there. Urso gets restless and approaches his mistress in a protective attitude, Vinicio in the box, tries to untie himself, Nero laughs with satisfaction, Poppaea looks sideways and triumphantly at Marco Vinicio. The bull takes a few steps towards his rival and stops, his gaze fixed and cautious: Now it is Urso who fixes his gaze on the animal, which kicks lightly with its limb on the ground, bows its head, prepares to charge, gives a few steps, he stops, looks, and attacks.

The giant tries to resist and grab the beast without success, he only manages to roll several meters in the sand, to then get up again. He sets his sights on his opponent again. The crowd shouts with great agitation and euphoria. Urso is on his feet, the bull prepares for a new charge, and attacks again. New struggles between man and beast, and for the second time the man is knocked to the ground.

Instantly, Urso prepares himself, the bull charges and drags his rival, but this one, clinging to his neck with great force, does not let go. The struggle between the beast and man continues. With his arm, he manages to stop the animal, which remains motionless. Ursus strains, sweating and moaning, a thud indicating the breaking of bones; the bull bends, motionless, quiet, stopped. Suddenly, the beast loses its balance and falls dead.

Death of Nero

Ecstatic, with Urso's triumph over the bull, the crowd continues to shout. Nero and Poppaea remain engrossed in the confusion. Marco Vinicio has managed to break the ties and throws himself into the arena along with Urso and Ligia; Several soldiers who were occupying a platform have also done the same, there is confusion and disorder. The spectators, holding their right hand, point their thumbs up, as a gesture of triumph and indicating a request for forgiveness for the victims. Nero continues absorbed, and, looking around him and consulting with his gaze, he realizes that Seneca and the other tribunes also raise the thumb of their right hand upwards indicating clemency. Seeing that gesture, the emperor also directs his thumb up, but after a few seconds he turns his fist, pointing his thumb down as a sign of death.

Some soldiers under the command of Nerva descend from a tribune and fight against praetorian guards. When they are victorious, they surround Ligia and her friends as a sign of protection. Marco Vinicio calls the crowd to calm down, asking to be heard, when he succeeds, he clearly states to those who hear him that: Nero has lost his reason and is responsible for the fire in Rome and must be replaced; that General Galba will soon arrive in the city to replace him. Poppea, leave the scene. In full confusion, a legionnaire plunges his sword into the side of Tigellinus, who dies.

The emperor, faced with his defeat, lost his serenity, leaves the box. Terrified, he manages to approach a balcony to see that the crowd has invaded the palace gardens, in a panic he returns inside the enclosure. There is a dearth of light in the throne-seat, he approaches it, and sits, restless and tremulous, crying out lamentations about his mother and his wife Octavia. Looking to his right, he perceives the presence of someone in the dark: it is Poppea; Memories crowd into his mind. He ends up accusing the woman of being the one who suggested the idea of blaming the Christians for the fire in Rome, so, determined, he approaches her, takes her by the neck, and strangles her.

The inflamed shouting is getting closer, it has already occupied some corridors of the palace; Nero flees and locks himself in his room. A figure waits in the shadows, his silhouette clearly silhouetted against the backlight: it is Actea. The slave reminds Nero of her words: "I'll be by your side when you need me, my lord." Nero tells her to leave him and retire, but deep down she doesn't know what to do. Actea takes a dagger with a golden hilt and offers it to her master saying: "You have lived as a monster, now die as an emperor, by your own hand." Nero, crouched on the floor, next to his bed, gesticulates negatively at the proposal of his slave. The point of the deadly instrument rests against his chest, but he does not dare. "Help me, Actea," he says. Steel enters his chest. Nero dies, Actea cries on the chest of her master.

Epilogue

The sun shines on the outskirts of Rome, along a well-known path, four characters leave the city. Nazario drives a cart, next to him is Ligia, while Marco Vinicio rides his steed. Behind them Urso leads the reins of another cart with belongings for the trip. Nazario stops the march and remains looking at a beautiful spot on the road, while he says: «This is the place from which Pedro and I returned to Rome; it is the place where the Lord spoke to him». They move away continuing their journey.

Cast

The actors Marina Berti and Leo Genn during the scene of the death of Petronio and Eunice.

• Robert Taylor is Marco Vinicio.
• Deborah Kerr is Ligia.
• Leo Genn is Petronio.
• Peter Ustinov is Nero.
• Patricia Laffan (1919-2014) is Popea.
• Finlay Currie (1878-1968) is Peter.
• Abraham Sofaer (1896-1988) is Paul.
• Marina Berti (1924-2002) is Eunice.
• Buddy Baer (1915-1986) is Urso.
• Felix Aylmer (1889-1979) is Plaucio.
• Nora Swinburne is Pomponia.
• Ralph Truman (1900-1977) is Tigelino.
• Norman Wooland (1910-1989) is Nerva.
• Peter Miles (1938-2002) is Nazario.
• Geoffrey Dunn (1903-1981) is Terpno.
• D.A. Clarke-Smith (1888-1959) is Faon.
• Rosalie Crutchley (1920-1997) is Actea.
• John Ruddock (1897-1981) is Chilon
• Arthur Walge (1927-1971) is Croton.
• Elspeth March (1911-1999) is Miriam.
• Strelsa Brown (n. 1919) is Rufia.
• Alfredo Varelli (n. 1914) is Lucano.
• William Tubbs (1907-1953) is Anaxandro.
• Pietro Tordi (1906-1990) is Galba.
• Nicholas Hannen (1881-1972) is Seneca.

No credit

• Elizabeth Taylor is a young prisoner (cameo).
• Adrienne Corri (n. 1931) is a young Christian.
• Bud Spencer is an imperial guard.
• Sophia Loren is a slave of Ligia.
• Romilda Villani is the mother of Sophia Loren.
• Walter Pidgeon is the narrator.

Premieres

1953 Japanese poster

• United States: Tuesday, December 25, 1951.
• Canada: Friday, February 1, 1952.
• Brazil: Monday, February 25, 1952.
• Argentina: Thursday, March 13, 1952.
• England: Thursday, March 20, 1952.
• Uruguay: Thursday, July 3, 1952.
• Mexico: Wednesday, August 6, 1952.
• Chile: Wednesday, September 10, 1952.
• Ecuador: Wednesday, October 8, 1952.
• Venezuela: Wednesday, October 8, 1952.
• Portugal: Thursday, October 9, 1952.
• South Africa: Wednesday, November 12, 1952.
• India: Thursday, November 13, 1952.
• Australia: Friday, December 19, 1952.
• Philippines: Wednesday, January 14, 1953.
• Singapore: Thursday, January 22, 1953.
• Israel: Saturday, January 31, 1953.
• Zimbabwe: Wednesday, March 4, 1953 (Rhodesia).
• Italy: Thursday, March 5, 1953.
• Switzerland: Tuesday, March 24, 1953.
• Hong Kong: Wednesday, April 1, 1953.
• Ireland: Friday, April 17, 1953.
• New Zealand: Friday, May 29, 1953.
• Indonesia: Wednesday, August 5, 1953.
• Egypt: Thursday, August 20, 1953.
• Finland: Friday, August 28, 1953.
• Japan: Saturday, September 5, 1953.
• France: Wednesday, September 30, 1953.
• Colombia: Thursday, October 8, 1953.
• Sweden: Thursday, October 22, 1953.
• Luxembourg: Friday, January 1, 1954.
• Iceland: Friday, February 5, 1954.
• Spain: Thursday, 11 February 1954.
• Greece: Monday, March 15, 1954.
• Austria: Thursday, 18 March 1954.
• Netherlands: Thursday, April 29, 1954.
• Germany: Thursday, August 12, 1954.
• Peru: Thursday, August 19, 1954.
• Turkey: Monday, 8 November 1954.
• Norway: Friday, August 23, 1957.
• Denmark: Monday, February 22, 1960.

Production Notes

• At the end of the 1930s, MGM bought the flashing image rights of the novel of 1896 Quo Vadis to the heirs of the author Henryk Sienkiewicz. (At the same time, they had to buy the 1924 mute screen version.) The company originally intended to make the film in Italy, but the outbreak of World War II made it postponed. After the war, production began. A lease was obtained in the huge Cinecitta Studios, 13 km from Rome, with its 148 acres and nine sound scenarios. After months of preparation, the art director, costume designer and decorator arrived in Rome in 1948. The construction of the outdoor decorations immediately began: the huge Nero Circus and the exterior of the Nero Palace, a complete section of ancient Rome, a large bridge and the Plautius villa. It began the manufacture of thousands of costumes for extras, along with curtains and carpets, metal and glass cups and ten cars. Official permission was granted to renew a section of Apia. One of the leading animal experts in Hollywood began to acquire lions, horses, bulls and other animals from all over Europe. Long before the filming, the producer, director, photography director and casting director arrived in Rome. The film finally entered production on Monday, May 22, 1950.

Deborah Kerr: Ligia.

• Between the initial Elizabeth Taylor and the final Deborah Kerr for Ligia's role, two more names were swept away: Lana Turner and an unknown English actress recommended by Alec Guinness to LeRoy at the request of the actor Felix Aylmer who was his dictation teacher. The girl was named Audrey Hepburn and was rejected because the Metro wanted a known name for the paper. (All Films [1])
• The well-known actor Bud Spencer makes a small intervention as a Roman guard.
• One of the songs Nerón sings in the film is with the melody of the Epitaph of Syncil.
• According to Dion Casio, when Nero died, he exclaimed: “What a great artist loses the world”; thus, or something like that. In the film, this character does not make that exclamation or similar.
• In the original version of Henryk Sienkiewicz's work, Ligia is placed tied to the back of the bull, and not in the cinematographic version. Perhaps because of the danger that such a situation entailed for the relevant actress.
• Clark Gable rejected Marcus Vinicius' role very early in the film's production history because he thought it would look ridiculous in the Roman costumes.
• Produced by seven million US dollars, it was the most expensive film that had been filmed so far. It would become the largest MGM collection from Gone with the Wind (1939).
• The film has the record of the greatest number of costumes used in a film: 32 000.
• In the summer of 1950, when Quo Vadis It was in production, Rome was in the midst of an intense heat wave, as Peter Ustinov recalled: "Rome was in the full Holy Year and full of pilgrims. It was also one of the hottest. The heat affected not only the cast and the team, but also the lions. Mervyn LeRoy recalled that, due to heat, lions were reluctant to enter the sand.
• Patricia Laffan was selected by the producer and director for Popea's main role after they saw a screen test he did for a smaller part of the film.
• At a time of the film, Neron shows his cut a scale model that illustrates his plans for the reconstruction of Rome as a new city called Neropolis. The publicity of the study stated that this was the famous model of ancient Rome hosted at the Museum of Roman Civilization and that it had been borrowed by the Italian government. This was originally built by the Mussolini government for an exhibition of Roman architecture in 1937; however, the museum model is of the centuryIV of Rome, not of the centuryI of Rome, as it would have been when, hypothetically, it would have been built.
• The composer Miklós Rózsa said he wrote most of his score in Culver City's studios while filming the film in Italy: "[The] attendees were sent back to Hollywood to cut at the same time they were cut in Rome."... I started working so that at least something was ready, even if it had to be modified later. I worked with the Chief Supervisory Editor, Margaret Booth, whose technical knowledge is incomparable... Finally, the contingent of Rome came home with its version. It wasn't much different than Margaret had prepared, and there were no insurmountable problems. Sam Zimbalist was amazed and delighted to have all the music ready in three weeks, thanks to Margaret's work and I had already done it."
• Many Italian places, up to ten, were used in the film. With the exception of Apia, most of these have not been identified. But the final stage of the chariot chase was filmed along the two thousand-year-old Viale dei Cipressi, Bolgheri. This famous monument in Livorno, Tuscany, is easily recognizable.
• Anthony Mann worked in the film as second-unit director without accrediting. He spent twenty-four nights (four working weeks) at the Cinecitta shooting scenes for the fire sequence. (However, he was not the co-director of the film, as some of his fans have claimed.) The sound scenes for the same sequence were directed by Mervyn LeRoy.
• At one hundred and seven years (August 31, 2021), the Italian actor Alfredo Varelli (Lucan) can be the oldest surviving person associated with the film.

Reception

Box office performance

The film was a commercial success. According to MGM records, during its initial theatrical release it earned $11,143,000 in the US and Canada. And $9,894,000 elsewhere, making it the highest-grossing film of 1951. It resulted in a studio profit of $5,440,000.

Critical reaction

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote in a mixed review: "There's an astonishing combination of cinematic brilliance and sheer banality here, of visual excitement and verbal dullness, of historical pretensions and sex." Variety wrote that the film was "for the cash office performance. It has size, scope, splash and splash, lending credence to the now cliché term 'super colossal' for the first time in a long time. This is a super show in all its meaning." Edwin Schallert of the Los Angeles Times declared it "one of the most tremendous, if not the greatest images ever made... Its pictorial splendor it has never been equaled in any other production".

The film has a score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on sixteen reviews.

Acknowledgment

Home Media

A two-disc special edition of the film was released on DVD in the United States on November 11, 2008, after a lengthy photochemical restoration process. A high-definition Blu-ray version was released on March 17, 2009.

Comic

• Thriller Comics Number 19, July 1952 (Amalgamated Press, London), extraordinarily faithful to the appearance of the film. However, apparently for reasons of space, both Marco's friend, Nerva, and Petronio's slave, Eunice, are removed.