TROY

US, 2004, 166 minutes, Colour.
Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Bryan Cox, Peter O’ Toole, Brendan Gleeson, Diane Kruger, Saffron Burrowes, Rose Byrne, Julian Glover, John Shrapnel, Nigel Terry.
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

Had Gladiator not been such a critical and box-office success, I wonder would backers have financed Troy. It is not fair to make too much of comparisons, but it does throw light on how Troy works (or does not work) and in trying to gauge its strengths and weaknesses. Russell Crowe brought a serious demeanour and physical strength to his role as general and gladiator, voicing his lines with sonorous voice and diction. Richard Harris brought wisdom and dignity to his Marcus Aurelius. The plot of military battles, betrayal and the struggles of the gladiator slaves symbolizing the fall of the Roman Empire contained great substance. There was a gravitas about the whole film.

Troy does not have quite the same gravitas despite its origins in Homer’s Iliad. In fact, the plot is rather simple: the wife of a warlord flees with a lover which leads to an invasion and siege which ends in catastrophe for the Trojans and empire for the ambitious Greeks - and all compressed into a far shorter period than the long siege of Troy.

The special effects are, of course, very impressive: the thousand ships, the military might, the battles, the destruction of Troy.

The plot, however, centres on Achilles, a maverick warrior, who irritates king Agamemnon no end but who is drawn into the war when Hector kills his cousin in battle thinking that it was Achilles himself. Achilles, despite being portrayed by Brad Pitt, seems too sullen and surly to be a classical hero, without classical diction - to engage audience sympathies. In terms of sympathy, the Trojans win it all. Eric Bana is a decently heroic Hector. Peter O’Toole’s? Priam is a magnificent presence, the actor who does bring some gravitas to the film. Orlando Bloom who looks too young and slight as the wilful Paris eventually finds some courage. The Trojan women, Rose Byrne and Saffron Burrows (even Diane Kruger’s Helen) elicit our concern.

The Greeks, on the other hand, come across as a vicious and power hungry lot, especially the bluff Brendan Gleeson as Menelaus who wants to avenge his humiliation by the absconding Helen and his cruel brother and leader of the invasion, Agamemnon, effectively played by Brian Cox. It is only Sean Bean’s wily Odysseus (whose idea it was to build the wooden horse) who makes the Greeks interesting to watch. (And, despite the screenplay’s frequent reference to Achilles’ wanting to be remembered in history, it is Odysseus/Ulysses who is the best remembered of those who fought the Trojan War.)

There has been a long tradition of mighty, expensive historical spectaculars. Troy takes its place - but does not stand out.

1. Audience knowledge of and interest in the events of the Trojan War? The theme of who would be remembered for millennia? Achilles, Hector, Odysseus? The film drawing its story from the Iliad and the Aenead? The characters, the events? The wooden horse?

2. The big budget, the re-creation of the era, Sparta, Troy, the ocean? The computer graphics and special effects, the spectacle?

3. The internationality of the cast?

4. The re-creation of battles, the courts of the kings of Greece and Troy, the fleets on the sea, the city of Troy, the interiors, the beachfront? The musical score, the final song?

5. Who was the focus of the story, the characterisations? Where did audience sympathies lie? The Greeks, Achilles? Troy, Hector, Paris? Priam? The focus on Helen of Troy herself?

6. The information about the history of the Greeks, the history of the Trojans? Wars, Agamemnon and the campaign against Thessaly? His wanting to expand his empire? Power struggles, the possibility of treaties and peace?

7. The opening with the battle against Thessaly, Agamemnon and his leadership, wanting his hero to come forward, Achilles and his dallying with the women? His quick riding to the battle scene? The King of Thessaly and his champion, a Goliath type? The challenge, the boasts, the response of the armies? Achilles, his run, his leap, his stabbing the giant in the neck? The King of Thessaly submitting to Agamemnon?

8. The transition to Sparta, its look, the port, the cliffs? The celebration of peace? Hector and Paris at the dinner? Agamemnon and Menelaus? Helen and her going upstairs, Paris following her? Their relationship, the week of dalliance? The decision to leave Menelaus and Sparta? Paris and his telling Hector, Hector’s dilemma, on the ship, wanting to return, his being persuaded to go on to Troy?

9. Menelaus, his character, bluff, a brother to Agamemnon? His reaction? His motivations, humiliation? The alliance with Agamemnon, the decision to go to war? Menelaus’ character, his vaunting and shouting against Helen, his death?

10. The strength of Agamemnon, power of character? The invasion of Thessaly, his ambitions? Wanting the war against Troy? His dislike of Achilles and not understanding him? The invasion on the beach, Achilles and his leading the troops, the initial attack, Achilles and his victory? The decision to stop the attack? Agamemnon, impulsive, wanting the army to go forward? Agamemnon and his arguments with Achilles, the discussions? His discussions about Achilles and knowing that he needed him for victory? Odysseus and his being an intermediary? His advice to Agamemnon? His wiliness, the invention of the wooden horse? Agamemnon and his final victory, the massacre of the Trojans? His death (unreal - and the classic plays of his returning and being destroyed by his own family)?

11. Achilles, Brad Pitt, his screen presence, diction and presentation as a hero? His life story, the meeting with his mother, her talking about his destiny? His myrmidons? His being the hero, the dalliance, killing the Thessalonian giant? In Sparta, sailing to Troy? His not wanting to go? A sense of detachment? His relationship with Agamemnon, antagonising him? His relationship with Patroclus, cousins, training him in battle? Their friendship? Troy, the attack, Achilles and his speed of attack, his warriors, his decision not to go further? His not fighting? His even deciding to sail home? The pressure from Agamemnon and his disregard for him? The encounter with the priestess, freeing her from the men, having her in his tent, the antagonism, the discussions, her gradual change of heart, the sexual relationship, his love for her, her love for him? Patroclus and his going in Achilles’ armour, the fight with Hector, his death? Achilles and his wanting vengeance, his relying on his servants, his anger with his faithful servant, apology? His going to the wall, his shouting for Hector to come out? The fight to the death? Killing Hector, dragging his body around the wall, the humiliation? Priam and his visit by night, Achilles’ respect, Priam pleading for respect for his son? Achilles agreeing that there would be mourning for twelve days? Achilles and the attack, the Trojan horse, the fight within the city, his being wounded, his being wounded in the heel? His continually asking would he be remembered and this being used as motivation for him to participate in the battles?

12. Odysseus, a decent man, warrior, the intermediary, wily, the suggestion of the wooden horse – and his being the story that has been most remembered?

13. The other Greeks, the capture of Patroclus, his relationship with Achilles, learning to fight, youth, inexperience, his death? Ajax the giant, vaunting himself, his quick death? The servants of Achilles, of Agamemnon? The soldiers and their brutality towards the priestess?

14. The character of Paris, his youth, inexperience, callous? The affair with Helen? Knowing the danger, her decision to go to Troy? On the ship? Menelaus and his wanting revenge? Parish and his going to his father, his going out to fight with Achilles, his not being killed? The love for Helen, his surviving?

15. Hector, the Trojan hero, the decent man, his relationship with his father, respect, not superstitious with his religion? His love for his wife, child? His success in the battles, the negotiation to stop battle at the end of the day? The orders for each side to get its dead to bury them? The defeat, his fight with Patroclus and killing him, the challenge from Achilles, the long ritual of his getting his armour farewelling his family? The priests and Priam watching? The warning to his wife and the plan for escape? The battle with Achilles, his death, humiliation?

16. Priam, his age and experience, his dignity? His respect for the gods, for the priest’s advice, when to do battle, to advance, to take in the wooden horse? His attitudes towards Paris, towards Helen? His grief watching Hector’s defeat? The visit to Achilles, the dignity in his imploring Achilles’ respect? His amazement at the destruction of Troy?
17. The priestess, the dedication in the temple, the slaughter in the temple? Her being taken, her response to the soldiers, her going to Achilles, antagonism, changing her attitude, in love with him? Her being returned to the Trojans, her escape with the women?

18. The wooden horse, a device, the reasons given by the priests as an omen of luck? The Greeks inside, their coming out, the visuals of the slaughter and the Greek army being let in the gate? The destruction of Troy?

19. The soldiers on each side, the number of men killed, Agamemnon and his boast about not caring about how many men were killed? The disregard for individual life?

20. The legends of Troy, the classic telling by Homer – and a film corresponding to this classic status or not?