Ulysses (1954 film)

Ulysses (Italian: Ulisse) is a 1954[1] fantasy-adventure film based

Ulysses
on Homer's epic poem Odyssey. The film was directed by Mario
Camerini, who co-wrote the screenplay with writer Franco Brusati.
The original choice for director was Georg Wilhelm Pabst but he
quit at the last minute.[2] The film's cinematographer Mario Bava
co-directed the cyclops Polyphemus segment (uncredited).

In the film Silvana Mangano plays two roles, as Penelope, the

faithful wife of Ulysses and the sorceress Circe. American star
Kirk Douglas plays the Greek hero, Ulysses. Anthony Quinn American Press Book
plays Antinous. The tremendous success of this film led to the
Directed by Mario Camerini
making of Hercules (1957), which was credited with igniting the
Mario Bava
Italian peplum craze of the 1960s.
(uncredited)
Written by Franco Brusati
Mario Camerini
Contents Ennio De
Plot Concini
Cast Hugh Gray
Ben Hecht
See also
Ivo Perilli
References Irwin Shaw
External links Produced by Dino De
Laurentiis
Carlo Ponti
Plot
Starring Kirk Douglas
The palace of Ulysses, king of Ithaca, is beleaguered by a horde of Silvana
suitors wooing his wife Penelope after his failure to return from the Mangano
war against the city of Troy. Penelope has promised under pressure Anthony Quinn
to marry one of her many suitors, who under the leadership of Franco
Antinous squander her husband's wealth and land. She holds them Interlenghi
off by telling them she first wants to finish her tapestry, but she Rossana
unweaves it every night to stall. Telemachus, the son of Ulysses Podestà
and Penelope, is sick of the suitors' behavior and decides to search
for his father. Cinematography Harold Rosson
Mario Bava
In the meantime, on the nearby island of Phaeacia, royal princess (uncredited)
Nausicaa and her handmaidens find a shipwrecked man washed
Edited by Leo Catozzo
up on the shore. Due to his ordeal, the stranger has lost his
memory, not even remembering his name. He is taken in by Music by Alessandro
Nausicaa's parents, King Alcinous and Queen Arete, and in short Cicognini
time he and Nausicaa fall in love. Just on the day they are Production Lux Film
scheduled to be married, however, the stranger, longing to companies Paramount
remember who he really is, returns to the shore and stares out to
Pictures
the sea. And as he does so, his lost memories begin to stir.
Gradually, the stranger remembers that he is Ulysses, who was lost Producciones
at sea when his ship was blown off course in a storm during his Ponti-de
return voyage to Ithaca, as a consequence of his desecrating Laurentiis
Neptune's temple during the sacking of Troy. Going ashore on an Zénith Films
unknown island to forage for food, they intrude on the cave of the
cyclops Polyphemus, who locks them inside and then eats one of Distributed by Paramount
Ulysses' men. Upon the giant's complaint about the taste of human Pictures (USA)
flesh, Ulysses suggests for Polyphemus to collect grapes for Release date 6 October 1954
making wine. After Polyphemus leaves to tend to his herds, (Italy)
Ulysses and his men prepare a stake to blind the cyclops after 17 August 1955
getting him drunk. The plan succeeds, and after Ulysses has
(USA)
taunted the blinded giant into removing the rock from the cave
entrance, the Greeks make their escape. Running time 117 min.
Countries Italy
Some time afterwards, Ulysses' ship passes the rock of the sirens.
United States
Eager to learn what they sound like, Ulysses has himself tied to the
France
mast while his men plug their ears to resist their enchanting
singing, and is tormented when the sirens speak to him with the Languages Italian
voices of his family. After passing the rocks, a strange current pulls English
the ship towards another island. Leaving his men to explore,
Budget ITL
Uylsses returns to find them all missing, captured and transformed
500,000,000
into pigs by the mistress of the island, the sorceress Circe. Circe,
who has fallen in love with Ulysses after learning of his heroics, (approximately
strives to keep him here, but Ulysses forces her to return his men to $800,000)
their original forms. Persuaded by Circe to stay for a while, he stirs
resentment in his men, who want to return home. Ignoring Circe's warning that Neptune will strike them
down if they leave, they set out to sea on their own and perish in a storm. Blaming Circe for allowing them
to die, and determined to return to his family, Ulysses begins building a raft. Circe tries to make him stay
and enjoy an eternal life by her side by calling the dead from the underworld, including Ulysses' crew and
his lost comrades-in-arms from Troy. But then his recently deceased mother Anticlea appears before him,
telling him of Penelope's plight. With his resolve reaffirmed, the embittered Circe lets Ulysses go, daring
him to defy Neptune's wrath.

With his memory fully returned, Ulysses reveals his identity and sets out for home, breaking Nausicaa's
heart. Returning to his palace disguised as a beggar, he meets Penelope, pretending to be an old friend of
her husband. Upon witnessing her despair and faithfulness for him, he suggests that she hold a contest to
determine the suitor who shall marry her the next day: stringing Ulysses' hunting bow and fire an arrow
through a dozen axe heads. As he turns to leave, he stops to pet his old hunting dog Argos. Telemachus,
who has just returned, witnesses this, and he and Ulysses reveal themselves to each other.

The next day, Penelope stages the archery contest, with Ulysses attending in his disguise. When the suitors
are unable to string the bow, Ulysses taunts them into letting him try and succeeds with his shot, thus
revealing his identity. With the assistance of Telemachus and the servants still loyal to him, Ulysses locks
down the feast hall and slays all the suitors. After the slaughter is complete, Ulysses reunites with Penelope
to rebuild their long-strained bond.

Cast
Silvana Mangano as Circe/Penelope
Kirk Douglas as Ulysses
Anthony Quinn as Antinous
Rossana Podestà as Nausicaa
 Jacques Dumesnil as Alcinous
Daniel Ivernel as Eurylochus, 2nd in command on Ulysses' ship
Sylvie as Eurycleia, Lady-in-waiting of Penelope
Franco Interlenghi as Telemachus
Elena Zareschi as Cassandra, Trojan prophet
Evi Maltagliati as Anticlea
Ludmilla Dudarova as Arete
Tania Weber as Leucantho
Piero Lulli as Achilles
Ferruccio Stagni as Mentor
Alessandro Fersen as Diomedes
Oscar Andriani as Calops
Umberto Silvestri as Polyphemus
Gualtiero Tumiati as Laertes
Teresa Pellati as Melantho
Mario Feliciani as Eurymachus
Michele Riccardini as Leodes

See also
List of historical drama films
Greek mythology in popular culture
Peplum (film genre)

References
1. Paolo Mereghetti. Il Mereghetti - Dizionario dei film. B.C. Dalai Editore, 2010.
ISBN 8860736269.
2. Dino de Laurentiis Obituary The Guardian 11 November 2010

External links
Ulysses (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047630/) at IMDb

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