Photographed in Italy in Supercinescope and Eastman Color. U.S. and Australian prints presented in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color. Producers: Virgilio de Blasi, Italo Zingarelli.Copyright 1960 by Alexandra Films/C.F.P.C./Lyre Films/Athena Films. English-language version released in the U.S.A. and Australia by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. Not theatrically released in the U.K. New York opening at neighborhood theaters, coupled with "The Wizard of Baghdad": 3 March 1961. U.S. release: December 1960. Australian release: 23 February 1961. 90 minutes.Original Italian release title: Le legioni di Cleopatra.SYNOPSIS: In the year 50 B.C. the Roman legions of Augustus Caesar land in Egypt to punish Marc Antony for having betrayed Rome for the love of Cleopatra. Though Antony has tried to strengthen his position by forming a secret alliance with the middle eastern kings, Caesar wins battle after battle and continues pushing onward. Knowing Antony is doomed, Caesar sends a faithful emissary, Curridius, to Alexandria in the hope of persuading Antony to surrender. This arouses the wrath of the Great Council of Priests who make numerous, but unsuccessful, attempts on the young courier's life. In the course of his journey Curridius meets and falls in love with the disguised Cleopatra, without ever realizing the woman is Egypt's queen. Eventually, with the aid of a young girl named Mariamne, Curridius manages to reach Antony. But the latter refuses to surrender.VIEWERS' GUIDE: Not suitable for kids.COMMENT: Fox bought this one FOR A COOL ONE MILLION DOLLARS, mainly to remove a threat to their projected "Cleopatra"! But as it turned out, this movie is much more entertaining. Directed with characteristic zing by Cottafavi, even the atrocious dubbing seems of minor concern when opposed to all the visual excitement throbbing from every corner of the vast screen.

I've seen "Le Legioni di Cleopatra" in a restored print in the original Italian language.If you want a history lesson you should not see this film (and the same applies to Hollywood movies), but the main historical facts are superficially presented (the details concerning the characters are, of course, fantasy) in it.Mark Antony (Georges Marchal) is in Alexandria (Egypt) with his lover Cleopatra (Linda Cristal), the queen of Egypt. They rule the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Octavian (Alfredo Mayo) rules the western part of the Roman Empire. He lands with his troops in Egypt. Octavian's forces are superior, but Mark Antony with the help of his allies may still be a force to reckon with. The battle that will decide who will rule the Roman Empire looms ahead.And Cleopatra! Her beauty is legendary. She conquered Marc Antony's heart and lives in a palace. Her legions keep watch over it. No one is admitted entrance without her permission. No one in the outside world is allowed to see her face. But at nights Cleopatra goes out in the streets, disguised in simple clothes, to dance in taverns! She just wants to leave the seclusion of her palace, meet people, and maybe, love.Meanwhile, Octavian sends one of his officers (Ettore Manni), the handsome Curridio (a friend of Mark Antony) to Alexandria to see how things stand and talk Mark Antony into surrendering."Le Legioni di Cleopatra" may be (as many Italian epic films) a low budget production, but it's highly entertaining - tavern brawls, dances, battles, pretty girls.... The story is well told, with good comic, dramatic and romantic moments.All in all, the film is very colorful - it's not only easy on the eyes and mind, but sometimes it's surprisingly serious and moving (that is, if you turn off your critical brain and let yourself flow with the film).The European Community asked of 15 filmmakers of 15 countries that each one should choose a film of his/her country to be restored. Gianni Amelio, representing Italy, chose "Le Legioni di Cleopatra".

Mankiewicz's movie,even if it's unfairly looked upon by pretty much as a failure is a great director's /writer's work.It's not only a question of money;give the same big budget to Vittorio Cottafavi and he will not do what Mankiewicz does.Definitely not."Some French critics ,much to the Italians' surprise,called Cottafavi "an auteur" who transcends the peplum genre".(Jean Tulard;dictionnaire du cinéma,T1).It's wishful thinking.The cock and bull screenplay cannot be taken seriously one single minute.Unlike Mankiewicz's work,which encompasses the whole story,beginning with the rivalry Cleopatra/Ptolemy,"legioni" begins after Actium (maybe it was too expensive to direct a naval battle.So we have Cleo and Mark-Anthony back in Egypt,waiting for Octavius' armies. History is given a rough ride as ever:the plot focuses on a Marc-Anthony's friend,Carridius ,who tries to reconciliate the two former triumvirs.A spate of clichés waits for the audience:taverns where everybody's drunk and fighting,gladiators scenes,tortures aplenty -one of these nice pastimes might indicate that the wicked cruel Egyptians (we do not see the Romans do such a thing)invented the ancestor of the Nuremberg virgin-, and exotic dances,some of them in a low dive,by Cleopatra herself incognito.The plot loses itself in an uninteresting supporting cast which includes a gladiator who becomes friend with the hero Carridius and whose laugh will get on your nerves:a comic relief,this is definitely not;a young and gorgeous slave girl who falls in love with.. well you guess;a courageous slave boy;a very sadistic gladiator.Because of these pointless subplots,we lose sight of the essential,and Georges Marchal,the best actor of the cast,who plays Marc-Anthony ,takes a back seat to the secondary characters.He tries to do the best he can with the lines he gets ,but what can an actor who used to work in "la comédie française" theater do in such a company?

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Corridius (Ettore Manni), a valorous Roman, becomes unintentionally embroiled in the political intrigues of Queen Cleopatra (Linda Cristal.) While he frequents a favorite tavern of local brawlers, he meets a luscious slave girl dancer and falls in love with her. Although he is offically in opposition to the Queen, his light'o'love is actually the queen in disguise. The power struggle between Antony (Georges Marchal), Cleopatra and Ottaviano comes to a climax after a great deal of trouble for everyone involved and ends in the tragic death of the principals. The valiant Corridius manages to survive and finally ends up with a real slave girl who always loved him. Lots of entertaining action and color with Manni and Cristal standouts as the doomed lovers.