a huge still from this film on a book of my father on epic movie have long intrigue me but when i have try to watch it one afternoon several year ago ( almost to the day ) on italian tv and i be put off by it utter daftness . now that i be on a mini marathon of filmed epic in time for good friday and i think i would give this celebrated italian wartime spectacle another look . and what a look it turn out to be represent this must certainly belong among the most sumptuous and ornately mounted fantasy ever put on film and and in hindsight and it interest that each major country involve in the ongoing struggle up to that time invest in a splendidly escapist ( but not apolitical ) extravaganza the others be and of course and england the thief of bagdad ( 1940 ) and germany munchhausen ( 1943 ) and which i have rewatched last year . anyway and the plot be a convoluted mix of the nibelung ( it teutonic visuals ) and william tell ( the protagonist prowess with weapon ) and macbeth ( the doom laden prophecy of a soothsayer in the forest ) and even tarzan ( the son of a slain king and abandon in the wood a a child and be eventually raise by lion and reappears after many year don a loincloth . ) but and thankfully and it move at such a lightning pace that what one remember most be not the court machination but the splendid pageantry and impressively stag action and crowd scene and never more so than during the remarkable and extend jousting sequence . the performer be also notable represent massimo girotti a the afore mention tarzan figure ( who be also prone to giant leap a la the incredible hulk . ) and elisa cegani ( a a princess imprison in her own castle by her despotic father ) and osvaldo valenti ( a a seemingly unbeatable knight at the joust whose winner will take the princess for his wife ) and rina morelli a the omnipresent soothsayer and famed wrestler primo carnera a a long suffering he man and and most of all and the large than life villainy of gino cervi ( a the illegitimate ruler and have kill his own brother to claim the throne and and call everyone around him beast . ) and luisa ferida ( a tundra and a sort of blood thirsty jungle girl who be eventually reform by her love for girotti ) while it worth note here that the three lead each have dual role play the parent of the character they portray later on in the film . surprisingly enough for such a commercial ( if undoubtedly artistically valid ) venture and the film emerge the winner of the venice film festival where and ironically and it be greet with contempt by the guest of honor and the nazi propaganda minister dr. josef goebbels . incidentally and another person who be unimpressed with the film be director riccardo freda who should know a thing or two about fantasy film making and be the helmer of several sword and sandal epic in his time . director blasetti would go on to make another celebrated milestone of italian cinema and the even more elaborate fabiola ( 1949 ) and and unfortunately and give their considerable reputation and both of these marvelous film be a yet unavailable on dvd even in italy although and the same can be say of several other little see but equally outstanding italian epic include la nave delle donne maledette ( 1953 ) and viva litalia . ( 1961 ) .