- Actors: Richard Burton, Fredric March, Claire Bloom, Danielle Darrieux, Barry Jones
- Directors: Robert Rossen
- Writers: Robert Rossen
- Producers: Robert Rossen, Gordon Griffith
- Language English
- Classification: To be announced
- Studio: MGM
- VHS Release Date: 20 Mar 2000
- Run Time: 141 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004RJ9B
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 15,058 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Richard Burton stars in Alexander the Great, a middling entry in the 1950s CinemaScope epic cycle. The film boasts excellent production values and a fine cast--including Frederic March, Claire Bloom, Harry Andrews, Stanley Baker, Peter Cushing and Michael Hordern--but it rarely comes to life other than as a big fat ancient Greek wedding of the talents of Burton and Bloom. They strike real dramatic sparks together, so much so they would be reunited in Look Back in Anger (1958) and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965).
The film's failures must be laid at the feet of writer, director and producer Robert Rossen, who never before or after helmed anything remotely on this scale; his best work would follow with the intimate The Hustler (1961). Rossen simply shows little sensibility for the epic, staging lavish but brief and rather pedestrian battles and somehow drawing from the usually mesmerising Burton a performance lacking the charisma essential to a great military commander. Burton fans can enjoy him at his epic best as Marc Anthony in Cleopatra (1963).
On the DVD: Alexander the Great is presented anamorphically enhanced at 2.35:1, although the picture is still obviously cropped at either side of the screen throughout. The print is very variable, in places quite grainy and soft with some serious flickering blotchiness, but otherwise it has strong colours, detail and contrast. The sound is primitive stereo. The only extra is the theatrical trailer, effectively presented in anamorphic 2.35:1. --Gary S. Dalkin
From the Back Cover
He was a fierce military commander who led huge armies into battle without a single defeat; a magnificent warrior who many believed was part god - this was Alexander the Great (Richard Burton), the legendary Greek hero haled by his countrymen as "The King of Kings". Born in 356 BC into a turbulent world of political unrest, educated by Aristotle (Barry Jones) and chosen to lead his people in the grand tradition of his powerful faith (Frederic March) this glorious world conquerer rose above all conflict to unite the continents of Europe and Asia, and become one of the most celebrated rulers of all time.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
In 1955 Alexander the Great was shown in cinemas worldwide over 50 years later it is being watched on DVD in the comfort of your own home and what a movie it is Richard Burton is gold as Alexander apart from the stiff wig he has on that never moves.
For people who know very little of Alexander this is worth every penny.
A great film to watch when you have a spare 2 hours a lot of people complain about this movie but they obviously jumped on the bandwagon on that subject
How ever don't watch the new Alexander film with Colin Farrell watch this instead.
I'm hoping someday they will bring a special edition of this film out but until then I'm happy with the DVD I have.
For people who know very little of Alexander this is worth every penny.
A great film to watch when you have a spare 2 hours a lot of people complain about this movie but they obviously jumped on the bandwagon on that subject
How ever don't watch the new Alexander film with Colin Farrell watch this instead.
I'm hoping someday they will bring a special edition of this film out but until then I'm happy with the DVD I have.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of the best things about this epic based on Alexander the Great is watching and listening to Richard Burton ply his magnificent craft. He was 29 at the time this film was made, and his resonant voice is remarkable, and one of the most unique sounds to be heard in the cinema. He is unfortunately wearing in a strawberry blonde wig that has so much spray on it, it could be made of plastic, but otherwise makes a marvelous Alexander, in one of his rare appearances in a "ancient costume epic", others being "The Robe" and the infamous "Cleopatra".
Written, directed and produced by Robert Rossen, it has some excellent dialogue, overall fine acting, and of course, battle sequences with 1001 extras. There is also quite a bit of "beefcake", but not many who are ready for the bare chest exposure, including Burton, whose abs are almost absent, and many of the extras are flabby and rotund, and hard to imagine are warriors.
Shot on location in Spain, the cinematography by Robert Krasner, in typical '50s vibrant Technicolor, is wonderful. Claire Bloom is beautiful as Barsine, a dark and hairy, savage and quite unrecognizable Frederick March is terrific as Philip of Macedon, Harry Andrews is a good Darius, and Danielle Darrieux is Alexander's crafty mother. Others of note in the cast are Stanley Baker as Attalus, and Peter Cushing as Memnon.
Though flawed, this is a film that can be viewed repeatedly, for its well written scenes, Burton's acting, and a smattering of history as well, which though condensed and altered to fit the Hollywood format, has some basis in truth; it is also fascinating to note that if one listens carefully, one will hear things reminiscent of recent news stories; history seems to be a wheel that is ever turning, and for the brief time that Alexander was in power, he would say "The world is my domain, and it is my mission is to rule it and rebuild it".
Total running time is 136 minutes, and the DVD extra is the original theatrical trailer.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Sadly there are no films made like this now , the main criteria for a film today is "how much money will it gross?". I am not saying that money was not a factor when this film was been made but there were other considerations to be taken into account also, like the cast & the story line & a very professional approach to accuracy & quality acting.
Sadly in today's world of "Blockbuster" movies action & blood are the main reason for what constitutes a "Success"
Richard Burton was a great choice to be Alexander he had it every way Looks Charm & most of all acting ability which is 90% of any film, the use of light & colour which is a trade mark of the 1950's & 60's make it all the more enjoyable, " perhaps I am just nostalgic" but its films like this what make it as I call it a Golden era.
Lets be glad they existed & can still be enjoyed all those years after.
Sadly in today's world of "Blockbuster" movies action & blood are the main reason for what constitutes a "Success"
Richard Burton was a great choice to be Alexander he had it every way Looks Charm & most of all acting ability which is 90% of any film, the use of light & colour which is a trade mark of the 1950's & 60's make it all the more enjoyable, " perhaps I am just nostalgic" but its films like this what make it as I call it a Golden era.
Lets be glad they existed & can still be enjoyed all those years after.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Burton great as Alexander
This dramatic epic story of Alexander the Great has many flaws, but still manages to entertain and inform. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Josh
Alexander the psycho!
It's always great to watch Richard Burton, he is a true super star, but as for Alexander, well he seems to be a sociopath, a psychopath and a homicidal maniac. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Justice Peace
rubber daggers and roal shakespeare acting
This is a 'time piece' Richard Burton in a dubious wig acts it a storm....at one point a dagger impaled on a table top wobbles for a good 30 seconds.... Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2010 by L. A. Melville-james
Alexander is REALLY Great!
Classic burtonesq epic of the time; based on true life of course it cannot match the effects of more recent films like alexander, but is nonetheless a throughly entertaining film... Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2009 by S. Mortimer
An ambitious but not always successful attempt at a thinking man's...
It was bold of Robert Rossen to attempt to make a 'thinking man's epic' four years before the term would creep into common usage with Spartacus and at a time when the popular image... Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2009 by Trevor Willsmer
Rossen the Lesser
The faux Shakespearian dialog by Robert Rossen not only induced me to chuckle but it has the unfortunate effect of inspiring Richard Burton to give a bellowing, mannered... Read more
Published on 26 July 2007 by J. A. Eyon
Somewhat boring history lesson
I got the feeling that this movie was trying to stay as close as possible to the known history. What emerges is a rather tedious history lesson. Read more
Published on 26 May 2004 by David C. Read
An Epic That Never Was
Someday, someone is going to make a great film about Alexander. Writer/director Robert Rossen took a worthy stab at it in the mid-50's. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2001 by Cowboy Buddha
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