Il tiranno di Siracusa (English Release Title: Damon and Pythias) is a 1962

Italian/American film directed by Curtis Bernhardt. The film is based on the Greek
legend of Damon and Pythias, and set during the reign of Dionysius I of Syracuse
(432-367 BC).

Contents

1 Plot summary
2 Cast
3 Reception
4 Release
5 Biography
6 References
7 External links

Plot summary

In ancient Greece, Pythias from Athens is on a trip to Syracuse. The tyrant

Dionysius of Syracuse sees him as a dangerous follower of the philosopher
Pythagoras and condemns him to death.

Pythias begs Dionysus to allow him to visit his wife in Athens promising to return
to Syracuse to be executed. Pythias' friend Damon volunteers to be held hostage
until Pythias returns. Dionysius sees this as the opportunity to demonstrate the
falsity of Pythagoras' philosophy.

Dionysius allows Pythias to leave but doesn't expect him to return. Dionysius
prepares to execute Damon, but at the last minute, Pythias returns to take Damon's
place before the executioner. The tyrant's son intervenes and Damon and Pythias are
both spared.
Cast

Guy Williams as Damon

Don Burnett as Pythias
Ilaria Occhini as Nerissa
Liana Orfei as Adriana
Marina Berti as Mereka - Nerissa's Friend
Arnoldo Fo as Dionysius the Tyrant
Carlo Giustini as Cariso
Aldo Silvani as Patriarch
Andrea Bosic as Arcanos
Franco Fantasia as Rumius the Fencing Master
Lawrence Montaigne as Flute Player
Enrico Glori as Nikos
Gianni Bonagura as Philemon
Carolyn De Fonseca as Chloe

Reception

The film made a profit of $6,000.[1]

Release

The international distribution was taken over by MGM.[2]

Biography

Hughes, Howard (2011). Cinema Italiano - The Complete Guide From Classics To
Cult. London - New York: I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-608-0.

References
The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion
Picture Study.

Hughes, p.53

External links

Damon and Pythias on IMDb

Damon and Pythias is available for free download at the Internet Archive