Review of Demetrius and the Gladiators

This film of Delmer Daves is not without interesting features despite being on the whole a load of tosh. Franz Waxman's score is super. There is Barry Jones as Claudius, an early appearance by Anne Bancroft and a masterclass in the art of coarse acting by Jay Robinson as Caligula. Apparently this actor developed a 'drug problem'. One is hardly surprised! Best of all we have a small but telling performance as a gladiator by William Marshall whose voice and bearing would mark him out as an impressive Othello but who deserved much better than the roles he was destined to play in the worthless Blaxploitation films of the 1970's. The self-righteous and sanctimonious Christians put one in mind of Mark Twain's observation: 'You go to Heaven for the climate, to Hell for the company'. Were I to find myself consigned to the nether regions I would ask the powers that be for a meeting with Messalina although I have no doubt there would be a long waiting list!