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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"It's only painted plaster, Your Holiness.",
By
This review is from: The Agony And The Ecstasy - Studio Classics [DVD] (DVD)
This fictionalized account of the painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling focuses on the battle of wills between the artist, Michelangelo (Charlton Heston), and his patron, Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison). As the story opens, Michelangelo, already an established sculptor, is commissioned by the warrior Pope to decorate his ceiling. Michelangelo doesn't want to do it, preferring to concentrate on the 40 statues intended for Julius' tomb. But the Pope wins that battle, the first of many, for the two men are equally matched in their stubbornness and pride. Renaissance Rome is finely recreated with great sets and costumes, not to mention the step-by-step painting of the ceiling. Both Michelangelo and Julius are portrayed as stiff-necked, driven men who use reverse-psychology on each other to get what they want. The dialogue is literate, but each line is delivered like a grand speech. We learn a great deal about Julius as a man and not as much about Michelangelo. These are great performances by Heston and Harrison; they play men with monumental egos and ambitions but infuse them with human faults and foibles. A wonderful documentary over-view of Michelangelo's work that precedes the film would have been better at the end. I enjoyed the film almost as much as Irving Stone's novel, and that's saying a lot.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great performance by Charlton Heston.,
By
This review is from: The Agony And The Ecstasy - Studio Classics [DVD] (DVD)
This movie is based on Irving Stone's book the Agony and the Ecstasy. Charlton Heston gave an awesome performance as the obstinate painter Michelangelo commissioned by the Pope Julius the 2nd (Rex Harrison) to paint the ceiling of the Sistine chapel.The project became a battle of wills between the two men, fuelled by artistic temperament and differences. This a great story turned into a fascinating movie, played by two iconic stars of our time. It is very inspiring, poignant and emotive. A great entertainment. I recommend.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"I planned a ceiling, he planned a miracle",
By Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: The Agony & the Ecstasy W/S [VHS] [1966] (VHS Tape)
There is no other film on the subject of art that is better than this one in my opinion. Irving Stone's best-seller was a great read, but in this case the film is better than the book. It centers on the creation of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and the contentious but invigorating relationship between Michelangelo and Pope Julius II; one drove the other "to complete his work", and even their verbal battles were productive. It is about the courage of putting one's vision into reality, the hard work, and the faith in one's self and in God.The script by Irving Stone and Philip Dunne is fabulous; the words flow like sweet wine and there is not a single unnecessary scene, or rarely one that is not meaningful. The direction by Carol Reed is meticulous, the cinematography by Leon Shamroy a marvel, and the score by Alex North adds much to the film. The costuming and sets are lavish for the papal quarters and the Medici household, and give one a sense of 16th century Rome, and the depictions of the fresco painting technique is interesting and educational. Charlton Heston, gaunt and bearded, is brilliant as Michelangelo, as is Rex Harrison as the warrior pope. The interactions of these two actors is riveting, and the dialogue between them worth hearing repeatedly. Others of note in the cast include Diane Cilento as the Contessina de Medici, Harry Andrews as Bramante, and Tomas Milian as Raphael (the most famous papal portrait I know of is by Raphael, of Pope Julian II). Though Stone's book and script take much artistic license, there is also a good deal of accuracy. This period of 16th century Italy was one of the most fascinating in all world history, and Pope Julius II was not only one of its greatest art patrons, but also an extraordinary man. The film includes a Prologue, a mini-documentary of modern-day Rome and Florence, which traces Michelangelo's life, from his birth in Tuscany in 1475, showing his many wondrous works, including an early sculpture he did at the age of 15, through his death in 1564. Total running time is 139 minutes.
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