THE 300 SPARTANS
US, 1962, 114 minutes, Colour.
Richard Egan, Ralph Richardson, Diane Baker, David Farrar, Donald Houston, Kieron Moore.
Directed by Rudolph Mate.
The 300 Spartans tells the story of the battle of Thermopylae, the small remnant of Spartan soldiers -who held the Pass without the help of the other Greek city stat states. The onslaught came from King Xerxes of Persia. The style is generally that of the popular matinee. Direction is by Rudolph Mate, a photographer who then specialised in all kinds of action film especially in the '50s. The film is a strange bland with the cast - led by Americans Richard Egan as Leonidas, the hero, and Diane Baker. Sir Ralph Richardson is the orator Themistocles heading a large British cast. David Farrar is villainous as Xerxes. The film is colourful, not particularly strong on its dialogue. It focuses on the battles and presents them with precision and tactics. It is an interesting example of a popular presentation of history and an attempt to re-create the feeling about the valour of the famous men. Popular historical entertainment.
1. How good an adventure was this? How much matinee type material? an adventure made for adults or for younger audiences? How was this evident in the screenplay? The dialogue and the incidental characters? The style of characterisation?
2. How successful a presentation of history was the film? The reconstruction of the battles? characteristics of the Persians and of Spartans? The use of the message in the film? the statement of Leonidas at the beginning and end?
3. What did the film have to say about freedom and slavery? The nature of heroism? Of suffering for others? Was this genuinely portrayed in the Spartans?
4. How accurately was Persia presented? it was presented as decadent and therefore as a loser, Xerxes as a typical tyrant? was he a rounded character, His court? The dancing girls etc? The bowing and scraping of his assistants? His tyrannical methods? Was he a worthy opponent of the Greeks? His reliance on the vast numbers?
5. How did this contrast with the picture of Greece? The ideal of unity and the heroes? The lack of vision of the Spartans? The people who joined Leonidas for a united Greece? What was the vision of Themistocles? The quality of his speech? Was he trustworthy? An old man with a vision? Why did this inspire Leonidas and the Spartans? The others who joined them?
6. How important was the characterisation of Themistocles for the film? His standing for the civilized Atheneans? As subtle in arguing and planning and diplomacy? His utilising of the Spartans for a united Greece? The vindication of his plans?
7. How strong a hero was Leonidas? What was spoken about him by the others, his bearing in the meeting? His status at home? a soldier? As leader of the Spartans, how important was the Spartan ethos in the film? The sequence with the shield? Leonidas' daring in going into the Persian camp? The strategy of Thermopylae? Their remaining until the end? How noble an ideal is this? Is it realistic? Would it have been better if they had gone with Themistocles?
8. Comment on the presentation of battles in the film. The various techniques used by the Spartans and their success? The defiance of the immortals? How important dramatically for the film was the betrayal? The way that they defended themselves at the end? Their final deaths? The emotional impact?
9. Was the traitor dramatically put into the film well? Was this too obvious? the confrontation?
10. The value of the romance in the film, well handled or not? important or not? The heroism of the young man? His stamina?
11. What was the final emotional impact of the film? When the narrator said that success followed this sacrifice? What values had been explored as regards war, self-defence, national unity, heroism, self-sacrifice?
