The acting schools are extremely expensive. And what they teach you is how to control your breathing, how to scratch your balls or jump up. Anthony Quinn is a real acting school only by himself, just watching any of his movies, you have a lot to learn. Even in this film, the one born in Chihuahua, Mexico, makes us a great demonstration of huge talent, embodying "The Scourge of God". He is the most credible Attila of all the movies. Sophia Loren, very young, is good as Honoria. Henri Vidal is convincing too as Aetius. Same Claude Laydu as the idiot Emperor Valentiniano Caesar. Irene Papas, also very young, is OK as Grune. Christian Marquand, who was to become the director of the "Candy" masterpiece, is a Hun leader.

After starring in La Strada Anthony Quinn went on to do two more films while in Italy, Ulysses where he supported Kirk Douglas and Attila where he starred as the bloodthirsty Hun chief who nearly conquered Rome. This one is possibly the least of the three.Attila as Quinn plays it is one dude who only really gets his Mojo going with some hand to hand combat. The Huns have a treaty with Rome and to show how times have changed, the Romans pay them tribute to not attack. But in his view of things that is not quite a legitimate way for conqueror to do things. Quinn who co-rules with brother Ettore Manni murders Manni and puts the Huns on a war footing.But Rome by 450 AD has grown soft and futile and ruled by a kid Emperor with Mom issues. The Dowager Empress is French actress Colette Regis and her idiot son is Claude Leydu. She also has a daughter played by Sophia Loren in an early role and Sophia is out to use her considerable charms to cut her own deal with Attila. But she doesn't realize that Quinn just ain't interested when he can go out run people through with sword and lance. To General Henri Vidal comes the disagreeable task of saving this worthless bunch. And there is also the Pope who as legend has come down to us got the deed done, but only temporarily.Attila is a film I saw half a century ago on WOR TV in New York on Million Dollar movie. Could not appreciate the color on our black and white TV set at the time. I could also not appreciate Sophia Loren who's half the reason for seeing this film.It's passable Peplum, not down to the level of Maciste or Hercules later on. But not one of Anthony Quinn's better remembered films.

The script is admittedly very badly written but it follows roughly Attila 's biography.Of course ,as it is a 75 min movie,many moments are passed over in silence but all that concerns the main characters is accurate: the brother was slain by Attila and his German vassals ,Honoria tried to forge an alliance with him,(but her brother locked her into a convent),and yes,the pope found the right words to stop the conqueror.He had previously failed in front of Paris ,reportedly with a little help from Saint Genevieve ,a woman of God who urged the Parisians to resist.The film suffers from an international ill-assorted cast:an American (Quinn) ideally cast as the bar bar,an Italian (Sophia Loren) which made sense,but also a Greek thespian (Irene Pappas) plus three French actors :Henri Vidal cast as the noble loyal hero- a character not unlike the legionnaire he played in "Fabiola"-,who was formerly Attila's good friend (?),Claude Laydu who gives a passable performance of an effeminate fearful emperor ,probably influenced by Peter Ustinov's masterful portrayal of Nero in Mervyn Le Roy's "Quo Vadis" ,Colette Régis,an obscure actress plays his mother ,an over possessive one of course.Also handicapped by a last scene which verges on Christian propaganda -the last picture is revealing-,the film is to recommend only for Quinn's fans.

Destroying towns and cities across the Alp to Italy, the mounted hordes led by Attila, King of the Huns, reached the gates of Rome where they were stopped by the Cross and turned back by Pope Leo I...Anthony Quinn is Attila, the infamous 5th Century barbarian in this Italian unworthy spectacular...Sophia Loren offers a pretty presence as the ambitious tempting Honoria who accepts Attila as a husband just to save Rome... She loses her life and half of her kingdom...Quinn tries his best in his portrayal of the infamous Attila, but the script is bad and unreasonable...