Watch Helen of Troy For Free

Such a frustrating disappointment

best movie i've ever seen.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Surprisingly good, many factors adding to an excellent Cinemascope version of the Trojan war, above all the script, which is clear and consistently relevant and sticking to the subject; and although very far from Homer, this variation of the intrigue is impressively intelligent and definitely logical. The first half of the film deals with the Spartan argument, (Homer's epic doesn't start until 75 minutes into the film,) Achilles (Stanley Baker) making an impressing entry, with Brigitte Bardot as Helen's slave girl who is given for the night to Paris by Menelaos but instead helps him escape - she is only 22 but striking - you recognize her figure before you see her face. Niall McGinnis is very convincing as the jealous Menelaos whose jealousy Helen finds it necessary to escape, while most surprising of all is the convincing excellence of Paris especially but also Helen. Jacques Sernas (totally unknown to me) is the perfect Paris, a beautiful young man of great charm, sympathetic intelligence and audacious insolence, and Rossana Podestà (also unknown to me) is a very credible Helena, masking her real identity to get away with Paris from Menelaos.Among the Trojans, Cedric Hardwicke makes a very plausible Priam, he is given the most famous quote of the Trojan war, taking Helen round her chin: "So this is the face that launched a thousand ships," (Christopher Marlowe), and also Nora Swinburne as Hecuba, Ronald Lewis as Aeneas and Janette Scott as Cassandra, a Trojan parallel to Brigitte Bardot. Only Hector is not quite convincing, Harry Andrews being the wrong type, (Eric Bana is the better compensation in the 2004 Wolfgang Peterson version), and all the battle scenes are dramatically violent and bloody enough.The action is swift and never dull, the dialogue is comfortably fluent all the way, the story is well but not exaggeratedly sugared with romanticism, and to all this comes Max Steiner's glorious music, culminating in the orgy of the wooden horse.Of course, you have to make a comparison with the 2004 "Troy" version. None is better than the other. Both have their great credits and very few lacks. The 2004 is technically more excellent, while Robert Wise's contribution (in the shadow of Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" of the same year) is more realistic and human.The Trojan adventure is such a great story that it's impossible to make a mess of it. As far as I know, no one has ever been unsuccessful in dealing with it - the characters are too individually outstanding, all of them, not to naturally add to a great show. But of all the film versions, I think Robert Wise, with his concise and clever editing of the story, with its flamboyantly efficient story-telling (it's less than 2 hours,) and exciting virtuosity constituting an excellent epic for all time, has made the best of it.

Now first of i am not a fan of Greek stories the only ones that i like is this one , Walt Disney's Hercules; and Pompeii.Beginning with this movie i was going into it with the intention of hating it.But boy did this one surprise me.I didn't even catch on that this is the story of the Trojan horse i realized it first when the wooden horse showed up on the screen.That aside the love story that's inter wined is perfect Rosanna podesta and Jack sernas was a perfect cast even though their voices were dubbed seeing that both of them are french.That aside this is remarkable movie.Give it a try and you will fall in love.

Although the most glamorous and the most exquisite ancient epics have mostly been associated with Cecil B DeMille who, after D.W. Griffith, reigned in the Hollywood showmanship throughout the years, here comes the name of Robert Wise, a renowned director; yet, inexperienced in this very genre. After the innovative style of his EXECUTIVE SUITE in the mid 1950s, he takes time and effort to film 'all the storied wonders of Homer's immortal 'Iliad' and all the gloried moments of its inspired romance,' as HELEN OF TROY trailer announced... Mr Wise's effort aimed at creating a genuine production and resulted in one of Homer's best screen adaptations ever made. For me, personally, it was an additional pleasure to watch this film because of a certain sentiment. I have heard about Wise's HELEN OF TROY since my childhood from my father who had seen it on the big screen as a young boy. Therefore, it is one of the films that has a place in our family tradition. But let me leave my own sentimental targets and get to the objective analysis of this greatly significant production.In the mid 1950s, it was not difficult to predict that filming the story of a woman whose 'face launched a thousand ships' and whose 'temptations plunged the world into the conflict' would occur a smashing success. After the triumphant return of epics with LeRoy's QUO VADIS? and Koster's THE ROBE, the motion picture was in need for new thrilling stories of antiquity, the immortal stories filmed in Technicolor, the 'towering wonders' that could span the period. Therefore, the first and the most significant 'wounder' of this film is the love story of Prince Paris (Jacques Sernas) and Helen (Rossana Podesta). It occurs to be at the core of viewers' attention and rightly so. Their scenes shine with memorable chemistry and appear to be truly convincing. The handsome Sernas and the beautiful Podesta are still an underrated cinema pair. Not much has been said about them in film articles and we should regret that. Not a top notch couple in fame but a top notch couple in love!Another 'towering wonder' of the film are some clear references to universal cinema merits. Mr Wise nicely combines the ancient plot with the modern depiction of the events perfectly adjusted to the needs of the audience. The couple occurs to be very modern, we empathize with them and follow their thoughts as if the story took place in our times. That subtle and up-to-date handling of the topic together with the desirable respect towards Homer and historical material is a great merit of the film. Although it has often been seen by some critics as 'Hollywood ignorance towards history,' I think that this combination with the right balance makes this film valuable. There are certain limits in the liberties taken and HELEN OF TROY clearly respects them.The supporting cast offer us very clear appearances so that the characters can remain vividly in our memories. That is a feature not every epic film can boast of. In many films, certain characters are being confused because of some shortage in the uniqueness of concrete portrayals. HELEN OF TROY does not commit that 'sin.' Starting with Sir Cedric Hardwicke who beautifully portrays the good hearted and kind ruling Priam, through yet to come sex symbol Brigitte Bardot as Andraste, Stanley Baker as the brave warrior Achilles, Nora Swinburne as subtle and delicate Hecuba, Harry Andrews as good hearted Hector to Niall MacGinnis as cruel and wretched Menelaus. Except for the aforementioned cast, the real revelation appears to be Janette Scott in the role of Cassandra, a key figure in the mystery of Troy's downfall. Ms Scott is excellent as the priestess of Athena and a prophetess who foresaw the events, the one whose heart was with Troy and whose thoughts dwelt in the inevitable tragedy. Cassandra, though not given much time on the screen, remains forever in the memory of a viewer after seeing this film. Her face is DESTINY and this face is youthful Janette Scott's.Finally, the most significant wonder of HELEN OF TROY is undoubtedly its colossal nature. Thanks to some scenes that still occur impressive especially when being viewed on the big screen, it is certainly one of the grand spectacles. Thanks to the cinematography by Harry Stradling and music by Max Steiner, the moments provide the epic with glamor and majesty. I hereby refer to the monumental depiction of the siege of Troy with crowds of extras (more than 30,000), the lavish sets built in the Cinecitta Studios near Rome, the sea storm that brings Paris to the shore of Aphrodite, the lustful bacchanalia scene when the Trojan horse has just been brought within the city walls...The bacchanalia moment requires special attention as a very daring yet a tasteful depiction... 'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts...' yet, 'the night smiles at us...' The entire drama and illusion of this moment is so awesome: dancing girls, orgasm-like tunes, ancient melodies, laughing god of vineyards... do they make us dwell in the final hour of Troy? Is it all real or just an illusion? Can we recapture the spirit of the 'almost' victorious citizens? Can we look forward to the dawn that will never come?A very nice epic film, a must see for all film freaks and buffs of old motion pictures; indeed another production of those golden years when the commercial gave way to the artistic, the heyday of might and majesty that you will never forget.

Now over fifty years old, this almost epic film pales in comparison to other more notable sword and sandal movies. The scale of the film cannot be faulted, hundreds of extras & huge lavish sets are evident, while the piece is given a well regarded director in Robert Wise to chart its course.However, the problems with it are many. First off is that the film is terribly pedestrian for the first hour, a tepid script fails to engage and at times is unintentionally funny. Then there are major cast issues. Taking the leads of Paris & Helen are Jacques Sernas & Rossana Podestà respectively. They look the part, both of them undeniably pretty, but neither of them can act for toffee. Filmed in Rome, Italy, it begs the question on if the casting director walked around Lazio and picked the two blondest people available for the roles! In support of the Blondie's are a host of usually fine performers, Cedric Hardwicke, Stanley Baker, Niall MacGinnis, Harry Andrews, Torin Thatcher & Robert Douglas. A mixture of actors either too old for their roles, poorly written, or in the case of Douglas, an underused important character (Agamemnon).Shifting away from the awful back projection work, the action sequences fair much better. There's enough here in the second hour to please the sword & sandal fan. But if it's enough to make this a safe recommendation to the potential first time crowd? Well I wouldn't stake my life on it you know! It's a genre I personally love, so I wondered why I hadn't heard about it long before now? After viewing it it became evident why, it's just not any good. A generous 4/10 from me for the siege of Troy action construction, the stunt work throughout and for Baker's moody show as Achilles.