ULYSSES
Italy, 1955, 100 minutes, Colour.
Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, Anthony Quinn, Rosanna Podesta.
Directed by Mario Camerini.
Ulysses is an elaborate version of the action sequences in Homer’s Odyssey. It predates by some years the passion for the Italian film industry to make historical epics, sword, sex and sandals type films.
This is a more serious venture, co-written and director by Mario Camerini who had been writing and directing films since the early 1920s. His celebrated film was the version of Lampedusa’s classic E Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed). (Tribute is paid to Camerini and this film in Marco Bellocchio’s The Wedding Director, 2006, where a planned remake of E Promessi Sposi is proposed.)
Kirk Douglas went to Europe to play the role of Ulysses. At this stage of his career, he was emerging as not only an action character but a strong performance. Within two years he was to make Lust for life, as Van Gogh. He then went on to make such films as Paths of Glory as well as Spartacus.
Silvana Mangano, the wife of Dino de Laurentiis, plays the role of Penelope, Ulysses’ wife. She also plays the role of Circe – giving a psychological dimension to the interpretation of the enchantress in the image of Ulysses’ wife. The supporting cast includes Anthony Quinn as one of Penelope’s suitors. This same year he appeared in Fellini’s classic La Strada. Rossana Podesta appears as Ulysses daughter, Nausicca. She was to appear the following year in another Greek history epic, Robert Wise’s film of the Trojan War, Helen of Troy, as Helen.
The action adventures narrated by Homer in Ulysses’ ten-year journey home after the end of the Trojan war are brought vividly to life including the giant Polifemus.
Somewhat dated – but a serious attempt at popularising Greek classics in the 1950s.
During the 1950s the Italian film industry began to make historical epics, often using American stars. This led into the sword-and-sandal tradition of many films from the mid-50s to the mid-60s capitalising on audience appetite for the re-creation of mythical history. Many of the films were spaghetti history rather than classics.
Kirk Douglas appears as Ulysses with Sylvana Mangano as Penelope. Anthony Quinn, filming in Europe at this time (La Strada) co-stars. Quinn was to appear at the same time as Atilla the Hun.
Ulysses also appeared in Robert Wise’s 1955 Helen of Troy. He appeared in the more recent epic Troy and was the subject of a miniseries with Armand Assante as the hero.
The film is an entertaining re-creation of Homer’s basic plot.
1. The epic and classical basis of this film, did it receive corresponding treatment? Use of colour, sets and costumes, classical and legendary atmosphere? The kind of audience response to this kind of film?
2, How real did the characters and the episodes seam? How much of the stuff of myth and legend? The hero, his waiting wife, the wanderings, dangers, challenge, courage?
3. Ulysses as a traditional hero? Why? How did this film make this clear in characterization, events?
4. The importance of the structure of the film, the emphasis on Penelope and her suitors, the changeover to Ulysses himself, the flashbacks making up the capture of Troy and the events of his wanderings? A structure to show how Ulysses began to understand himself and his wanderings? The possibility for the audience to identify with him and understand?
5. The importance, emotionally, for Penelope's waiting? The suitors, their wasting of her money, her weaving and unravelling her weaving, Telemachus and his support of his mother? An unsure atmosphere? The reasons for Penelope's waiting?
6. The film's highlighting the significance of Troy and its siege, the wooden horse, the deaths of the Trojans, of the Greeks? The curse of Cassandra? How was the voyage seen to be the fulfilling of the curse of Cassandra? Its effect on Ulysses and the sailors, the dangers and shipwreck?
8. The importance of the various adventures, their reality and legendary quality? The Cyclops and his more humane presentation, the danger and the escape? Circe? Ulysses' involvement with her? The importance of her being played by the same actress who played Penelope? The psychological significance of this?
9. The encounter with Nausicaa? Ulysses not understanding himself, his life in the kingdom, his self-assertion in the wrestling, the human overtones of the story?
10. The importance of the chapter of Antinous? His direct attitude towards Penelope, challenging her, the encounter with Ulysses?
11. The significance of Ulysses' return? His achievement?
12. The age-old theme of the nature of heroism? As presented in popular style for contemporary audiences?
