Demetrius and the Gladiators

In "Demetrius and the Gladiators," released in 1954, which Twentieth Century-Fox has made in Cinema Scope and color as a sequel to its film version of "The Robe," Bosley Crowther said in his review, "the boys out on Pico Boulevard have cast off the wraps, as it were, and got right down to the business of making a good old-fashioned Roman circus film." 

The conflict of Christian faith versus pagan ruling, which was really the issue for discussion in most of the two hours of "The Robe," as Crowther states, "underlies the dramatic action in this sequel at the Roxy, to be sure, but the conflict between the two forces is expressed in more direct and muscular terms." 

Now the focus of Demetrius, "The Robe's" freed Christian slave, who – along with Caligula and Peter – is the only recurring character in this film, is, as Crowther said, "not of such paralyzing gravity that it keeps him from wading in, when occasion demands, and knocking tigers and gladiators all over the place. Nor is his spirituality so unswerving that he doesn't backslide just a bit when the young wife of Claudius vamps him and hauls him off to a villa by the sea." 

In all honesty, you have to credit Producer Frank Ross and Philip Dunne, the writer who made this film out of everything instead of "The Robe." It looks like they understood that religion may make people go to church, but it has to be more besides the action to get them in the seats. 

Crowther said, "And so they have millinered this saga along straight Cecil B. Devotional lines, which means stitching on equal cuttings of spectacle, action, sex and reverence." They have got Demetrius, reprised by Victor Mature, as a prisoner of the Romans and a selectee at the gladiator school. Crowther described, "This place, which has a strong resemblance to the training camp of the Chicago Bears, is presided over (of all people!) by the fellow who played Fatso in "From Here to Eternity."" It doesn't take long before Demetrius is not only taking abuse but also finding good reasons to do so, gracefully. 

At the same time, his holy resistance to Susan Hayward, who plays the wife of Barry Jones' stumbling Claudius, breaks eventually before the hissing passion of Hayward and a few jabs of circumstance. That's not until Michael Rennie, as Peter, arrives like an accountant and tells him that he needs to get himself together. 

Crowther said, "Meanwhile, Mr. Ross, Mr. Dunne and Director Delmer Daves have dropped in a vast lot of slamming and banging of gladiators, dancing by gauzy handmaidens, rolling around on the floor by assorted female entertainers and general raising of hob." Here and there, Jay Robinson, who didn't get tired of playing the role of Caligula, the evil emperor in "The Robe," makes the gracious effort to finish what he started in the same role. If we never see him again, we will not be sad. 

The description says that the film starts were "The Robe" left off. It does – and they've included a part of the Crucifixion part from the previous movie as a type of dream. Crowther said, "But that is the sum and substance of it." This one is not more like "The Robe," than either of them is like nature or Roman history. 

If you saw "The Robe" and you loved it, then definitely check this one out. It's actually a good sequel, which got more praise than "The Robe." If you find it, give it a watch, but make sure you have seen "The Robe" first. 

Look out next week for the next installment in "Religious Epic Month."