El Cid [VHS] [1961]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Sumptuous in every way, visually magnificent, with grandiose sets, panoramic Spanish vistas and intricately detailed costumes, possessor of one of cinema's greatest music scores, boasting vast and astonishingly kinetic battles, and breathing heroic virtue in every scene, IEl Cid/I is the very epitome of epic. For this reworking of the medieval legend of the Cid (Arabic for "Lord") who united warring factions and saved 11th-century Spain from invasion, producer Samuel Bronston and director Anthony Mann insisted every set had to be created from scratch, every costume specially made for this movie alone; they also shot entirely on location in La Mancha and along the Mediterranean coast of Spain to enhance the film's authenticity. The cinematography is saturated with the burnished hues of the Spanish landscape, as are the palatial sets and rich costumes; Miklos Rozsa's resplendent score is also the result of painstaking research into medieval Spanish sources. The screenplay is imbued with knightly gravitas and more than a little salvation imagery, from the opening scene of the young Rodrigo rescuing a cross from a burning church, to the movie's indelible finale as The Cid rides "out of the gates of history into legend". p Charlton Heston is at his most indomitable as Rodrigo, "The Cid", a natural leader of men and the embodiment of every manly virtue (note that he fathers twins--a sure token of his virility); Sophie Loren is ravishing as Chimene, the woman whose love for Rodrigo conflicts with her filial instincts after he kills her father, the king's champion, over a point of honour. Their scenes together create a humane warmth at the heart of this vast movie: the moment when Chimene finally declares her love (beneath a shrine of three crosses--more symbolism) to the exiled Rodrigo forms a pivotal and very intimate centrepiece. Shortly thereafter he must rise from their rural marriage bed to lead his followers into battle, and the tension between his public and private lives adds a piquancy to the film's stunning battle sequences. The international supporting cast sometimes look like makeweights, especially when chewing on the occasionally stilted dialogue, but any such faults are easily forgiven as the scale and spectacle of IEl Cid/I carries the viewer away on a tide of chivalry. --IMark Walker/I

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-07-25 rating:
The perfect knight
The first of Anthony Mann and Samuel Bronston's ambitious and intelligent epics, El Cid has to boast the most gorgeous use of the widescreen ever - the Cid and Chimene's first meeting makes the most of every inch of the screen, while Robert Krasker's gliding camera is remarkably sympathetic to screen format, architecture and exteriors alike. Indeed, the whole film displays Mann's typically intelligent use of location, here in interiors (often his weak spot) as well - during their bleak wedding feast, he keeps Chimene and the Cid at a distance, the staircase where he killed her father (never a great start to any marriage) prominent between them; and while the good king's court is filled with colour, light and people, once the weak Alfonso assumes power it is a dark, empty hall. Despite some occasional over emphatic Christian imagery - when he's not standing in front of a cross, he's literally carrying one - this spectacular account of Spain's greatest hero uniting Christians and Moors alike against a common enemy, making friends of enemies and teaching his weak king the path to greatness by example manages to put a surprisingly human face on the myth of the perfect knight: the Cid's quest to do the honourable and right thing brings him little joy and much sorrow and even his resolve is nearly broken by his burden. br / br /Charlton Heston when he was still an icon instead of an ass is one of the few actors who could carry off such a part, and he does it very well despite his curious conviction that Mann's superb direction was below par. The pomp and splendour never swamps the drama, and the setpiece duel for Calahora still stands out as one of the most remarkable and remarkably vicious screen swordfights of all time. A great score from Miklos Rozsa and good support from John Fraser and Douglas Wilmer too, although Andrew Cruickshank's portly King's champion implies that there was something seriously amiss in the kingdom long before the warring infantas succeeded to the throne. br / br /The Weinsteins' new 2-disc NTSC set is a slight improvement picture wise over the Criterion laserdisc but still doesn't look as good as a film shot in 65mm should - largely because they mastered it from a 35mm version. Still, it's a great film and the extras are good, though it's a shame they didn't include the full Anthony Mann interview from the laserdisc (though that can be found on Criterion's DVD of The Furies). Still, it does include the overture, intermission, entr'acte and playout music have all been cut from the European DVDs of the film.

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review by: date: 2008-02-26 rating:
Ignore the reviews about the "other" DVD -- this is the real deal
Stupidly, Amazon have linked reviews from the older and rubbish pan scan DVD releases to this new edition -- thus misleading customers into thinking that this MIRIAM TWO-DISC DELUXE EDITION is in some way as shoddy as earlier releases. It is not. br / br /Here are the tech specs for this release: br / br /Original aspect Ratio 2.35:1 br /Commentary with William Bronston (Samuel's Son) and biographer Neal Rosendorf br /Vintage Radio promo interviews br /Text Filmographies and Still Galleries br /Disc 2 Featurettes: br /Hollywood Conquers Spain: The Making of An Epic (23:56) br /Samuel Bronston: The Epic Journey of a Dreamer (52:20) br /Behind The Camera: Anthony Mann and El Cid (17:22) br /Miklos Rozsa: Maestro of the Movies (30:11) br /Preserving Our Legacy: Gerry Byrne on Film Preservation and Restoration (7:38) br /Trailer Gallery br /

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review by: date: 2007-07-05 rating:
El Cid, the Lord
This film is based on the life of a legendary Spanish hero, and set during the troubled times of the 11th century. Spain was then a jig-saw puzzle of Christian and Moorish kingdoms, fighting each other, and unaware of the threat of the invasion being planned by the Almoravids of Africa. Then, as this became imminent, a man rose and called upon the different peoples to fight the enemy together - not as Christian or Moors, but as Spanish. And this one man led the Spanish to union and to victory. br /Thus, it is a story wrought of high-minded politics and deadly battles; but also of striving for peace, and of undying loyalty to one's country and king. And as a golden thread, runs through it a noble love, that neither time, nor distance, nor death itself will ever end. br /The adjective "epic" has been applied to too many films, and there is no point in using it here; it would not convey the right meaning. I will rather say that this film is heroic. For it is about a hero: a man who has dignity without pride; who is magnanimous and pious (which we see almost nowhere nowadays), and who has "vision to be just, and courage to be merciful". br /Obviously, a good story and main character are not enough to secure the film itself will be good; but "El Cid" is technically considered a masterful production. The performances of the actors are all excellent; the music is very good; the costumes are perfect; and the locations and scenery, though made without all the special effects modern films have, are imposing and verisimilar. br /Of all the films made about the Middle Ages, "El Cid" is by far the best. I will go even further; I will say it is one of the best films ever made. I know this may sound exaggerated, but it is the truth, for few other films have such depth and beauty. Even "Ivanhoe" (1954), which may be considered the second best Middle Ages film, lacks "El Cid's" piety and nobility. br /As for more modern films, there is nothing to be said. When you decide to watch "El Cid", all thought of films like "Kingdom of Heaven" is put aside; all prejudice against old movies is forgotten. And when the sound of the trumpets stirs your blood, and the melody of the violin sounds within your heart, you know deep inside that this film is timeless, because it is a story of things that never come to an end. It is a story of nobility and strenght: the strenght of God, of truth and of man. br /

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review by: date: 2007-07-05 rating:
El Cid, the Lord
This film is based on the life of a legendary Spanish hero, and set during the troubled times of the 11th century. Spain was then a jig-saw puzzle of Christian and Moorish kingdoms, fighting each other, and unaware of the threat of the invasion being planned by the Almoravids of Africa. Then, as this became imminent, a man rose and called upon the different peoples to fight the enemy together - not as Christian or Moors, but as Spanish. And this one man led the Spanish to union and to victory. br / Thus, it is a story wrought of high-minded politics and deadly battles; but also of striving for peace, and of undying loyalty to one's country and king. And as a golden thread, runs through it a noble love, that neither time, nor distance, nor death itself will ever end. br / The adjective "epic" has been applied to too many films, and there is no point in using it here; it would not convey the right meaning. I will rather say that this film is heroic. For it is about a hero: a man who has dignity without pride; who is magnanimous and pious (which we see almost nowhere nowadays), and who has "vision to be just, and courage to be merciful". br / Obviously, a good story and main character are not enough to secure the film itself will be good; but "El Cid" is technically considered a masterful production. The performances of the actors are all excellent; the music is very good; the costumes are perfect; and the locations and scenery, though made without all the special effects modern films have, are imposing and verisimilar. br / Of all the films made about the Middle Ages, "El Cid" is by far the best. I will go even further; I will say it is one of the best films ever made. I know this may sound exaggerated, but it is the truth, for few other films have such depth and beauty. Even "Ivanhoe" (1954), which may be considered the second best Middle Ages film, lacks "El Cid's" piety and nobility. br / As for more modern films, there is nothing to be said. When you decide to watch "El Cid", all thought of films like "Kingdom of Heaven" is put aside; all prejudice against old movies is forgotten. And when the sound of the trumpets stirs your blood, and the melody of the violin sounds within your heart, you know deep inside that this film is timeless, because it is a story of things that never come to an end. It is a story of nobility and strenght: the strenght of God, of truth and of man. br /


review by: lambrettaboy date: 2005-04-01 rating:
El Cid: A great epic, unfortunately not a great DVD.
It's a pity that this film wasn't released on DVD in it's full widescreen glory with full stereo or surround sound. I hope this will be re-released in the near future with a much improved DVD as it is one of the classics.

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