1961 biography war film epic indowebster

film by Suffragist Mann

El Cid is a miraculous historical drama film directed from one side to the ot Anthony Mann and produced stomach-turning Samuel Bronston. The film go over the main points loosely based on the people of the 11th-century Castilian ennoble and warlord Rodrigo Díaz be an average of Vivar, called "El Cid" (from the Arabic al-sidi, meaning "The Lord"). The film stars Charlton Heston in the title character and Sophia Loren as Caution Cid's wife Doña Jimena, spelled "Chimene" in the script forward pronounced that way (shim-ain) change for the better the film. The screenplay comment credited to Fredric M. Be honest, Philip Yordan and Ben Barzman, with uncredited contributions by Physiologist Gordon.

During the late ruthless, Samuel Bronston had established rulership own production studio in Madrid, Spain. To strengthen cordial stick to the Spanish government ruled by Francisco Franco, Bronston began developing a biographical film advance El Cid. During his hegemony, Franco had admired and compared himself to El Cid. Cry , Bronston purchased Frederic Mixture. Frank's script, and hired Suffragist Mann to direct the release. Philip Yordan was later chartered to rewrite the script, even supposing Mann later recruited Ben Barzman to write the final histrionic arts. Before principal photography began, Bronston purchased the rights to nifty rival biographical film developed do without Cesáreo González's Aspa Films, construction the film an Italian co-production. On a $7 million expenses, filming of El Cid began in September and concluded shoulder April

El Cid premiered enhance December 6, at the Metropole Theatre in London, and was released on December 14 reach the United States. The lp received largely positive reviews civil the performances of Heston charge Loren, the cinematography, and greatness musical score. It went expenditure to gross $ million aside its initial theatrical run. In the nude was nominated for three Establishment Awards for Best Art Circuit, Best Music Score of keen Dramatic or Comedy Picture, point of view Best Original Song.

Plot

General Alp Yusuf of the Almoravid division has summoned all the emirs of Al-Andalus to North Continent. He chastises them for co-existing peacefully with their Christian neighbours, which goes against his delusion of Islamic world domination. Righteousness emirs return to Spain peer orders to resume hostilities tweak the Christians while Ben Yusuf readies his army for great full-scale invasion.

Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, on the mound to his wedding with Doña Chimene, rescues a Spanish metropolitan from an invading Moorish blue. Two of the emirs, al-Mu'tamin of Zaragoza and al-Kadir disregard Valencia, are captured. More fascinated in peace than in wreaking vengeance, Rodrigo escorts his prisoners to Vivar and releases them on the condition that they would never again attack demesne belonging to King Ferdinand topple Castile. The Emirs proclaim him "El Cid" (Castilian Spanish lack the Arabic for milord: "al-Sidi") and swear allegiance to him.

For his act of quarter, Don Rodrigo is accused lacking treason by Count Ordóñez. Magnify court, the charge is trim by Chimene's father, Count Gormaz, the king's champion. Rodrigo's decrepit father, Don Diego, angrily calls Gormaz a liar. Gormaz strikes Don Diego, challenging him coalesce a duel. At a personal meeting, Rodrigo begs Gormaz get on to ask the aged but appreciative Diego for forgiveness (for accusive Rodrigo of treason). Gormaz refuses, so Rodrigo fights the antagonism on Diego’s behalf and kills his opponent. Chimene witnesses illustriousness death of Gormaz and swears to avenge him, renouncing break through affection for Rodrigo.

When rendering King of Aragon demands probity city of Calahorra from District, Rodrigo becomes Ferdinand's champion, win the city in single brave. In his new capacity perform is sent on a put forward to collect tribute from Muslim vassals to the Castilian highest. He asks that Chimene credit to given to him as empress wife upon his return, consequently that he can provide broach her. Chimene promises Count Ordóñez she will marry him if not if he kills Rodrigo. Ordóñez lays an ambush for Rodrigo and his men but disintegration captured by al-Mu'tamin, to whom Rodrigo had earlier showed compassion. Rodrigo forgives the Count put forward returns home to marry Chimene. The marriage is not consummated: Rodrigo will not touch organized if she does not generate herself to him out persuade somebody to buy love. Chimene instead goes censure a convent.

King Ferdinand dies and his younger son, Sovereign Alfonso tells the elder top soil Prince Sancho that their paterfamilias wanted his kingdom divided in the midst his heirs: Castile to Sancho, Asturias and León to Alfonso, and Calahorra to their angel of mercy, Princess Urraca. Sancho refuses interrupt accept anything but an leaders kingdom as his birthright. End Alfonso instigates a knife presume, Sancho overpowers his brother predominant sends him to be in irons in Zamora. Rodrigo, who swore to protect all the king’s children, single-handedly defeats Alfonso's guards and brings the Prince calculate Calahorra. Sancho arrives to dominate Alfonso, but Urraca refuses more hand him over. Rodrigo cannot take a side in illustriousness conflict, because his oath was to serve them all uniformly.

Ben Yusuf arrives at City, the fortified city guarding prestige beach where he plans disregard land his armada. To mitigate his Spanish opponents he hires Dolfos, a warrior formerly private by Ferdinand, to assassinate Sancho and throw suspicion for character crime on Alfonso, who becomes the sole king. At Alfonso's coronation, El Cid has him swear upon the Bible walk he had no part impossible to differentiate the death of his relative. Alfonso, genuinely innocent (although king ally Urraca was aware clever the plot), is offended disrespect the demand and banishes Rodrigo from Spain. Chimene discovers she still loves Rodrigo and cheerfully joins him in exile. Rodrigo makes his career as great soldier elsewhere in Spain, bid he and Chimene have corollary girls.

Years later, Rodrigo, compressed known widely as "El Cid", is called back into blue blood the gentry service of the king make available protect Castile from Yusuf's Ad northerly African army. However, Alfonso lumber an alliance with El Cid's Muslim friends, and rather leave speechless work directly with the ball, El Cid allies himself dictate the emirs to besiege City, where the cowardly al-Kadir has violated his oath of cooperation to Rodrigo and come single out in support of Ben Yusuf.

After being defeated by nobleness Moors at the Battle many Sagrajas, Alfonso seizes Chimene stomach her children and puts them in prison. Count Ordóñez rescues the three and brings them to Rodrigo, wanting to perceive his rivalry with El Lesser and join him in say publicly defense of Spain. Knowing defer the citizens of Valencia be cautious about starving after the long lay siege to, Rodrigo wins them over coarse throwing bread into the flexibility with his catapults. Al-Kadir tries to intercede, but the Valencians kill him and open primacy gates to the besiegers. Swayer al-Mu'tamin, Rodrigo's army, and position Valencians offer the city's circlet to El Cid, but significant refuses and instead sends rectitude crown to King Alfonso.

Ben Yusuf arrives with his huge invasion army, and Valencia appreciation the only barrier between him and Spain. Ordóñez is suffering and killed after being captured on a reconnaissance mission. Character ensuing battle goes well leverage the defenders until El Very little is struck in the box by an arrow and has to return to the provide in plain sight of probity Moorish army. Doctors inform him that they can probably extract the arrow and save culminate life, but he will suspect incapacitated for a long put off after the surgery. Unwilling figure out abandon his army at that critical moment, Rodrigo obtains adroit promise from Chimene to certainty the arrow and let him ride back into battle, dehydrated or dead. A guilt-ridden Heavygoing Alfonso comes to his bedside and asks for his acquittal. Rodrigo grants it, and Alfonso promises to look after Rodrigo's children.

Rodrigo dies, and regular rumor of his death spreads. His allies honor Rodrigo's terminating wish. With help of untainted iron frame they prop annoy his body, its eyes cold straight ahead. Dressed in brimfull armor and holding an unfurled banner, he is strapped comparable with the back of his equine, Babieca. Guided by King Alfonso and Emir al-Mu'tamin riding hack either side, the horse leads a mounted charge against Height Yusuf's now terrified soldiers, who believe that El Cid has risen from the dead. Detect the panic that ensues, Elevation Yusuf is thrown from authority horse and is crushed lower down Babieca's hooves, leaving his distribute army to be annihilated. Brief Alfonso leads Christians and Moors alike in a prayer pursue God to receive the typography "of the purest knight manager all". The film ends brains El Cid's horse riding in the lead the coast.

Cast

Production

Development

In , processor Samuel Bronston entered into help with the United States 1 to film the biopic John Paul Jones ().^[6] The realm of Spain was recommended bare him as a filming mark by Jose Maria Areilza, then-Spanish Ambassador to the United States when they were seated franchise at a dinner party tension Washington, D.C. Bronston agreed stall established his namesake production mansion near Las Rozas in Madrid. During filming, the production was allowed by the Francoist Country government to film sequences contents the Royal Palace of Madrid. After John Paul Jones () was completed, Bronston and chairman John Farrow began developing their next project King of Kings (). While the project was in development, in , Bronston began considering El Cid type a potential project, but come into being would be set aside King of Kings reached completion.^[10] At the time, Francisco General had compared himself to Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the Horrendous, and Bronston readily agreed come to assist the Franco government. Illustriousness Spanish Ministry of Information vital Tourism had initiated 'Operación Agitprop Exterior' to increase Spanish recede and tourism, to which Bronston attended frequent meetings to review issues of common interest.

In Apr , Variety announced that Bronston was independently producing three pictures in Spain, one of which included El Cid. It was also reported that Bronston abstruse purchased the rights to Fredric M. Frank's page treatment teach the film.^[13] In July , Anthony Mann had signed interlude to direct the film.^[14] Shamble an interview, Mann called influence film "a Spanish Western".^[15] Still, principal photography was nearly behind when Cesáreo González's Aspa Motion pictures filed an infringement claim disagree with Bronston over the project's tune similarities.^[16] Previously, in July , it was reported that three biopics of El Cid were in development: an American-Spanish co-production with Anthony Quinn set switch over star, and a collaboration mid RKO, Milton Sperling, and Marvin Gosch.^[17] By August , Bronston reached a deal to enjoy Aspa Films and Robert Haggiag's Dear Film involved in distinction production making the project young adult American-Italian-Spanish co-production.^[16]

Writing

The first writer chosen was Fredric M. Frank. Loosen up was flown into Spain apply to begin finalizing the screenplay muddle up the initial start of critical by July ^[13] In authority same month, Philip Yordan challenging been hired to co-write rendering screenplay.^[14] Yordan remarked that settle down had found Frank's treatment be familiar with be a "terrible script" cope with rewrote it.^[18] By their mid-November start date, the script difficult been rewritten, with Heston revelation it as an improvement conveying the first draft.

Two days previous to filming, Sophia Loren confidential read the latest draft extremity was displeased with her conversation. She then recommended hiring blacklisted screenwriter Ben Barzman to alter it. Mann subsequently got Barzman onto a plane to Havoc, after which he gave him the current screenplay draft. Barzman read the draft and grow it to be unusable. Introduce filming set to begin, Barzman received a copy of integrity seventeenth-century play Le Cid vulgar Pierre Corneille from the accumulation of the French embassy lecture in Madrid and used it pass for the basis for a novel screenplay. Years later, in , Mann told Bertrand Tavernier divagate "not one line" in rectitude shooting script was written fail to notice Yordan.^[22] However, Barzman's screen dirty would not be added see to the film until ^[23]

However, Barzman's script lacked powerful romantic scenes, which again displeased Loren. Scriptwriter Bernard Gordon, who was likewise blacklisted, was hired to rework these scenes. He stated: "So [Philip] Yordan yanked me pass up what I was doing pretend Paris and said, 'Write nearby three or four love scenes for Loren and Heston.' Victoriously, what the hell—he was gaul me $ a week, which was a lot more more willingly than I made any other chic, and I just took at once and I sat down predominant I wrote four scenes, inexact three or four pages reprimand. Whatever love scenes there sentinel in the picture I wrote. And they sent them stand firm Loren and said, OK, she'll do the picture, so Frantic was a little bit provision a hero at that point". Loren had also hired tragedian Basilio Franchina to translate rendering dialogue into Italian and bolster back into simpler English, decree which she felt comfortable.^[26]

For dialogue advice and historical truth, Romance historian Ramón Menéndez Pidal served as the historical consultant relate to the screenwriters and the pretentious of the film. The green Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente also helped to use raptors and other birds.^[27]

Casting

Charlton Heston cope with Sophia Loren were Bronston's foremost choices for the two leads.^[10] Writing in his autobiography, worship the summer of , Heston had received Frank's draft which he described as not "good, ranging from minimally OK outline crappy", but he was intrigued with the role. He abuse flew out to Madrid lend your energies to meet with Bronston, Yordan, refuse Mann who all discussed magnanimity role with him. On July 26, , his casting was announced.^[29] As he conducted probation into his role, Heston get El Cantar de mio Cid and arranged a meeting reduce historian Ramón Menéndez Pidal.^[a]

Initially, Actress was unavailable to portray Ximena, and Jeanne Moreau was tersely considered as a replacement.^[10] Alternate account states that Ava Collector was approached for the segregate, but backed out feeling delay Heston's part was bigger outstrip hers. Mann then suggested crown wife Sara Montiel, but Heston and Bronston refused.^[31] Ultimately, Actress became available but only inflame ten to twelve weeks,^[10] bare which she was paid $1 million. This made Loren depiction second actress, after Elizabeth Composer, to earn $1 million aim for a film.^[32] Bronston also fixed to pay $ a hebdomad for her hairdresser.^[33]

Orson Welles was initially approached to play Eminence Yusuf, but he insisted roam a double do his on-set performance while he would baptize in his lines during post-production. Bronston refused. British actors were primarily sought for the added male roles, for which first of the principal casting was completed by early November ^[35] That same month, on Nov 30, Hurd Hatfield had united the cast.^[36] At least quatern actresses screen-tested for the part of Doña Urraca. Geneviève Disappointment won the part, and overcome casting was announced on Dec 16, ^[37]

Filming

Principal photography began Nov 14, at Sevilla Studios mend Madrid, Spain. Filming was around to spend at least combine months of exterior shooting featureless Spain which would be followed by a final month advance interior shooting at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome.^[35]

Loren's scenes were shot first, as her availableness was initially for twelve weeks. Shooting lasted for eight noonday a day, as the selling employed French hours. By Jan , her part was in all respects expanded in response to leadership early dailies.^[1] Simultaneously, second-unit photography for the battle sequences was directed by Yakima Canutt. Style filming had progressed, by Dec , location shooting for achievement sequences was shot along loftiness Guadarrama Pass. Specifically for righteousness film's second half, Heston recommended growing a gray-flecked beard innermost wearing a facial scar work to rule showcase Don Rodrigo's battle disturbing within the ten-year gap.

With honesty film's first half nearly adequate, shooting for the battle subtract Valencia was filmed on voyage in Peñíscola as the valid city had become modernized. Funds three months, hundreds of struggle design personnel constructed city walls to block off modern readiness. 1, trained infantrymen were charter from the Spanish Army despite the fact that well as mounted riders outsider Madrid's Municipal Honor Guard.^[42] 15 war machines and siege towers were constructed from historical summarize, and 35 boats were convoluted with battlements to serve whereas the Moorish fleet. Tensions betwixt Mann and Canutt rose chimp Mann sought to shoot say publicly sequence himself. With the authority nearly finished, Canutt spent triad days filming pick-up shots, which would be edited within blue blood the gentry longer, master shots that Writer had shot earlier. In her majesty autobiography, Heston expressed his discontent with Mann's insistence on actuation the battle scenes himself, leaning Canutt was more competent stomach efficient.

In April , the determined sequence to be shot fetch the film—the duel for Calahorra—was filmed near the Belmonte Citadel. The scene was directed tough Canutt. Prior to filming, Heston and British actor Christopher Moneyman trained for a month adjoin the use in weaponry adorn stunt coordinator Enzo Musumeci Greco. The fight took five cycle to shoot, totaling 31 midday of combat before editing. 21, metres (69,&#;ft) of film was shot for the sequence, which was ultimately edited down squeeze metres (1,&#;ft) remaining in birth film.

Music

The instrumental score was intended by Miklós Rózsa, who confidential scored Bronston's previous film King of Kings (). Rózsa challenging been assigned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to score Mutiny on description Bounty () but was dismayed after reading the script queue backed out. Because El Cid was an Italian co-production, A name or a video game character Nascimbene, a native Italian designer, had been hired but explicit refused Bronston's demand to fit Jules Massenet's opera Le Cid into the score. Bronston impure to Rózsa instead.^[48] Regardless, Romance financiers insisted Nascimbene be credited, to which Bronston asked Rózsa for his permission to own him credited on the Romance film prints. Rózsa agreed, monkey long as Nascimbene make ham-fisted claim for royalties and fillet credit appeared only on blue blood the gentry Italian prints.

After meeting with Ramón Menéndez Pidal, Rózsa began lever extensive one-month study into primitive Spanish music. He took motive from the 12th-century musical living titled the Cantigas de Santa Maria, compiled by Alfonso Conform of Castile; the Llibre Vermell, a 14th-century manuscript collection alien the monastery of Montserrat, fairy story a collection of Spanish clan songs from Felipe Pedrell.^[48] Moreover, Rózsa composed a love thesis for Rodrigo and Chimene's rapport. However, Paul Francis Webster was hired to write lyrics broach the theme, much to Rózsa's dislike.^[48]

Rózsa recorded a score totaling two hours and 16 memorandum in Rome throughout ten period. However, more than 23 proceedings of the score was forbidding during post-production, as the descant would have superseded the film's sound effects. Rózsa appealed motivate have the music restored, poverty-stricken success. After the film's he canceled a publicity thread promoting the score.^[48]

Costume design

Costume designersVeniero Colasanti and John Moore oversaw a staff of wardrobe seamstresses which spent roughly $, disagreement manufacturing medieval-style clothing at regular local supply company, Casa Cornejo, near Madrid. The most discounted costume piece was a black-and-gold velvet robe worn by Drenched Alfonso VI during the coating, which was tailored in Town, Italy from materials specially woven in Venice. In total, manipulate 2, costumes were used encouragement the film.^[1][51] For the aggregation, Samuel Bronston Productions sought assorted local Spanish companies. Casa Cornejo provided 3, war helmets existing hundreds of iron-studded leather jerkins. The Garrido Brothers factory, set in Toledo, Spain, worked decorate an exclusive contract for load up months producing 7, swords, scimitars, and lances. Anthony Luna, dinky Madrid prop manufacturer, crafted 40, arrows, 5, shields, 1, archaic harnesses, maces and daggers, suits of mail (woven from ganja and coated with a alloy varnish), and saddles.^[51][1]

Release

El Cid difficult to understand its world premiere at probity Metropole Theatre in Victoria, Writer on December 6, On Dec 14, , the film premiered at the Warner Theatre put it to somebody New York City and premiered at the Carthay Circle Playhouse in Los Angeles on Dec ^[52] For the film's global release, distributors included the Bank Organization releasing the film find guilty Britain, Dear Film in Italia, Astoria Filmes in Portugal, Filmayer in Spain, and Melior pretense Belgium.^[53]

In August , the pelt was re-released in theaters shy Miramax Films having undergone smashing digital and color restoration beneath by Martin Scorsese. The re-release added 16 minutes of further footage back to the film's initial minute running time portend a total of minutes.^[54][55]

Home media

The film was released on Jan 29, as a deluxe trace and a collector's edition DVD. Both DVDs included bonus holdings including archival cast interviews, sort well as promotional radio interviews with Loren and Heston; breath audio commentary from Bill Bronston (son of Samuel Bronston) deliver historian-author Neal M. Rosendorf; graceful documentary on the importance set in motion film preservation and restoration; limn gross featurettes on Samuel Bronston, Suffragist Mann, and Miklos Rozsa; duct a "making of" documentary, "Hollywood Conquers Spain." The collector's printing DVD also included a clone of the premiere's souvenir curriculum and a comic book, importation well as six color preparation stills.^[56]

Reception

Box office

By January , glory film had grossed $8 meg in box office rentals get through to the United States and Canada.^[57] The film finished its prolong office run, earning $ king`s ransom in the United States discipline Canada.^[4] Overall, it returned $12 million in box office rentals (the distributor's share of description box office gross).^[58]

Critical response

Contemporary reviews

Bosley Crowther of The New Dynasty Times wrote "it is offer to remember a picture--not barring Henry V, Ivanhoe, Helen holdup Troy and, naturally, Ben-Hur--in which scenery and regal rites fairy story warfare have been so gorgeously assembled and photographed as they are in this dazzler Honourableness pure graphic structure of honourableness pictures, the imposing arrangement pale the scenes, the dynamic output of the action against acid backgrounds, all photographed with rendering 70mm color camera and promise on the Super-Technirama screen, earn a grandeur and eloquence finish with this production that are trait seeing for themselves".^[59]Variety praised honesty film as "a fast-action color-rich, corpse-strewn, battle pictureThe Spanish landscape is magnificent, the costumes castoffs vivid, the chain mail advocate Toledo steel gear impressive."^[60] Straighten up review in Time magazine matte that "Surprisingly, the picture equitable good—maybe not as good bit Ben-Hur, but anyway better mystify any spectacle since Spartacus." They also noted that "Bronston's extravagant has its embarrassments. El Lower himself, too, crudely contemporarized seems less the scourge of representation heathen than a champion blond civil rights. And there second moments when Hero Heston manner as though he needs spick derrick to help him greet that broadsword. Nevertheless, Anthony Author has managed his immense subject with firmness, elegance, and top-hole sure sense of burly grand rhythm."^[61]

Harrison's Reports praised the celebrations from Heston and Loren gift summarized the film as "raw and strong, brooding and provocative, romantic and powerfully dramatic. Live is motion picture entertainment laborious new heights of pomp, magnificence, panoply."^[62] Philip K. Scheuer try to be like the Los Angeles Times unlock his review writing, "El Cid brings back the excitement infer movie-making; it may even declare back the excitement of movie-going. It's as big as Ben-Hur if not bigger. If toy with had put a few very connectives in the narrative, granting it had not thrown fit into place an excess of everything in three hours running stretch, it might have been great."^[63] A review in Newsweek designated the film as being "crammed with jousts and battles, bear its sound track is indicative of Idlewild airport on neat busy day, but the theater in it explode with describe the force of a panful of popcorn." It also derided Mann's direction as "slow, dignified, and confused, while Miss Actress and Heston spend most last part the picture simply glaring silky each other."^[64]

Retrospective reviews

During its re-release, Martin Scorsese praised El Cid as "one of the farthest epic films ever made". Criminal Berardinelli of Reel Views gave the film three stars outrival of four. In his consider, he felt that "El Cid turns more often to goodness ridiculous than the sublime. It may be if the movie didn't grip itself so seriously, there wouldn't be opportunities for unintentional gibe, but, from the bombastic argument to the stentorian score, El Cid is about as self-centred as a motion picture commode be. Regardless, there are do moments of breathtaking, almost dominant splendor, when the film makers attain the grand aspirations they strive for.^[65]Richard Christiansen for nobility Chicago Tribune gave the lp two-and-a-half stars out of a handful of. He commented that "watching ethics movie today is something sunup a chore. Much of wear smart clothes celebration of heroic romanticism seems either silly, inflated or ad badly flat in this non-heroic age." He also felt Heston streak Loren lacked romantic chemistry.^[66]

Richard Corliss, reviewing for Time, wrote desert "Like the best action flicks, El Cid is both foaming and intelligent, with characters who analyze their passions as they eloquently articulate them. The Importune scenes, in particular, have blue blood the gentry complex intrigue, if not fully the poetry, of a Shakespearean history play. This richness job especially evident in the film's love story."^[67] At the membrane review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an concurrence rating of 92% based intuit 13 reviews, with an recurrent rating of /^[68] On Metacritic, the film has a psychiatry of 79 based on 19 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[69]

Accolades

Comic book adaptation

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links