El Cid 

Also known as: Cid (Le)

Genre: historical epic 

With: Charlton Heston (Rodrigo de Vivar, a.k.a. El Cid), Sophia Loren (Jimena), Raf Vallone (Don Garcia, Count Ordóñez), Geneviève Page (Princess Urraca), John Fraser (Prince Alfonso), Gary Raymond (Prince Sancho), Douglas Wilmer (Moutamin the Moor)

Director: Anthony Mann

Screenplay: Philip Yordan, Fredric M. Frank and Ben Barzman, based on a story by Fredric M. Frank

Release: 1961

Studio: Samuel Bronston Productions, Dear Film Production

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10

A Man Who Sought Peace… and Had to Kill for It

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Story-line: in or around 1110, Spain is in total turmoil. While the kingdom’s Catholics resist Moorish invaders and a Moroccan warlord plans a second invasion of his own, Rodrigo de Vivar, a local nobleman, dreams of stopping the bloodshed and marrying fair Jimena. Now that’s a tall order, Rodrigo!

Pluses: a forceful cast led by Charlton Heston (for his strength), Sophia Loren (for her emotional range and beauty), Geneviève Page, John Fraser and Gary Raymond, remarkable direction (the battle and crowd scenes in particular), a robust symphonic score (Miklós Rózsa), sumptuous visuals (Robert Krasker) and magnificent costumes, sets and exteriors.

Minuses: you may feel a certain déjà vu if you have already seen two other Heston blockbusters, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (the exile scene, Urraca’s behaviour) and BEN-HUR (Rodrigo’s white horse).

Comments: although it keeps to the established formula of big budget epics – A-list actors speaking solemnly, lots of drama and pageantry, the usual mix of elevated sentiments, tough talk, mayhem and ever-threatened love, a majestic soundtrack and ultra-high-grade production values – EL CID rolls along with such overwhelming power that it captivates for all of its 182 minutes. Even Rodrigo can’t resist it: ‟I told my love it had no right to live. But my love won't die...” Well said, my Spanish friend…

MBiS

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