The Agony & the Ecstasy (B or 3/4 stars)
'The Agony & the Ecstacy' (adapted from an Irving Stone novel by Philip Dunne & directed by Carol Reed, of Oliver!) is the story of the 16th c. war of wills btwn. Renaissance artist Michelangelo (Charlton Heston) & 'warrior pope' Julius II (Rex Harrison). Commissioned to paint a religious fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the strong, independent-minded Michelangelo doesn't want the assignment. He is nearly strong armed into accepting the job by Pope Julius II, who wants to leave something for future generations so as to remember him by. Director Carol Reed cleverly juggles screen time btwn. Michelangelo's slow, burdensome completion of his monumental task … and Pope Julius II's actions on the battlefield.
These 2 men battle their egos to create what would be both men's greatest legacy. At times, their relationship is depicted as one of respect and - at times - it is heated {Michaelangelo's insolence & brilliance coincide} ... but the movie is almost always about their relationship, regardless of much else. This movie also carefully approaches the topic of Michelangelo's sexual orientation regarding his relationship with the beautiful Contessina de Medici (Diane Cilento, of Tom Jones). Part historical epic, part biopic, part docudrama, and even part buddy comedy ... 'TA&TE' aims to teach & entertain.
Philip Dunne's script provides some compelling insight into the ENORMOUS undertaking that would have broken many a man (it actually took 4 long yrs. to complete) & serves as an intriguing character study of 2 strong-willed, strong-minded men who constantly clash while in pursual of the same goal. Now, acting-wise, both men offer up completely different styles. Charlton Heston plays Michelangelo as a thoroughly tortured, brooding artist, suffering in body, mind & soul for his art, while Rex Harrison's Julius goes broader; providing a showier performance {that sounds bad but Harrison is so charming & provides some much-needed levity, at times -- so it's completely fine}. Despite the yin-&-yang differences, Heston & Harrison exhibit strong chemistry, and both were well cast, here.
Visually, 'The Agony & the Ecstasy' is a stunning, majestic film to behold. Leon Shamroy's (of The King & I) bold color cinematography is stunning. Vittorio Nino Novarese's costumes are elegant recreations of the garbs of the time {hundreds of extras are costumed, here}. The colors & rich detail of the outfits pop due to the Technicolor lensing. And the period sets are also incredible recreations of the Vatican (and the milieu surrounding it). It's a shame that this film ran into the likes of Doctor Zhivago, The Sound of Music, Inside Daisy Clover & The Greatest Story Ever Told; otherwise, this film would've likely won Oscars for its visuals. I also enjoyed the crisp sound design & lush musical score by the wonderful Alex North.
Now, the reason why I don't bestow this film a super high rating {B instead of an A} is because I found various segments to be too slow, dry & straightforward. Some sections don't work. The 'romance' angle didn't wow me. And really, at 138 minutes in length, it could have been trimmed, a bit. There's a languid stateliness to the proceedings that work against it. Still, I tend to enjoy these lengthy epics about historical figures from a bygone era. The performances, amazing visuals & pleasant sonic quality of 'The Agony & the Ecstasy' go a long way in giving me some cinematic satisfaction.
These 2 men battle their egos to create what would be both men's greatest legacy. At times, their relationship is depicted as one of respect and - at times - it is heated {Michaelangelo's insolence & brilliance coincide} ... but the movie is almost always about their relationship, regardless of much else. This movie also carefully approaches the topic of Michelangelo's sexual orientation regarding his relationship with the beautiful Contessina de Medici (Diane Cilento, of Tom Jones). Part historical epic, part biopic, part docudrama, and even part buddy comedy ... 'TA&TE' aims to teach & entertain.
Philip Dunne's script provides some compelling insight into the ENORMOUS undertaking that would have broken many a man (it actually took 4 long yrs. to complete) & serves as an intriguing character study of 2 strong-willed, strong-minded men who constantly clash while in pursual of the same goal. Now, acting-wise, both men offer up completely different styles. Charlton Heston plays Michelangelo as a thoroughly tortured, brooding artist, suffering in body, mind & soul for his art, while Rex Harrison's Julius goes broader; providing a showier performance {that sounds bad but Harrison is so charming & provides some much-needed levity, at times -- so it's completely fine}. Despite the yin-&-yang differences, Heston & Harrison exhibit strong chemistry, and both were well cast, here.
Visually, 'The Agony & the Ecstasy' is a stunning, majestic film to behold. Leon Shamroy's (of The King & I) bold color cinematography is stunning. Vittorio Nino Novarese's costumes are elegant recreations of the garbs of the time {hundreds of extras are costumed, here}. The colors & rich detail of the outfits pop due to the Technicolor lensing. And the period sets are also incredible recreations of the Vatican (and the milieu surrounding it). It's a shame that this film ran into the likes of Doctor Zhivago, The Sound of Music, Inside Daisy Clover & The Greatest Story Ever Told; otherwise, this film would've likely won Oscars for its visuals. I also enjoyed the crisp sound design & lush musical score by the wonderful Alex North.
Now, the reason why I don't bestow this film a super high rating {B instead of an A} is because I found various segments to be too slow, dry & straightforward. Some sections don't work. The 'romance' angle didn't wow me. And really, at 138 minutes in length, it could have been trimmed, a bit. There's a languid stateliness to the proceedings that work against it. Still, I tend to enjoy these lengthy epics about historical figures from a bygone era. The performances, amazing visuals & pleasant sonic quality of 'The Agony & the Ecstasy' go a long way in giving me some cinematic satisfaction.