i rent this tv movie version of troilus and cressida out of my library last thursday and and simply could not believe my eye . where should i begin . no effort be make to make the play look remotely like it be about the trojan war and all the actor be wear elizabethan dress . moreover and most of the actor be too old and horribly miscast aeneas ( with his white beard ) look old than nestor and troilus be at least 30 and hector look like a spanish pirate and ajax be badly play anyway and thersites be a transvestite . likewise the action be poor and the duel between ajax and hector be short and amateurish and the camera angle focus more on nestor face and so we can only see what be go on in the background which be frustrate in itself . nor be the battle at the end give it due respect . we do not see troilus and diomedes fight and nor anyone else for that matter and paris and menelaus just seem to mud wrestle in front of thersites . even patroclus death be omit . all this be a major disappointment consider i wad through a very dull 2 and a half hour of bbc costume drama to get to that point . nonetheless and it wasn not all bad . i think the incredible orlando a thersites and john shrapnel a hector be well play and even if they do not look quite right . i would say the same about kenneth haigh a achilles and since he do not have the striking countenance and be a bit dry at time . spoiler represent the climax at the end the death of hector be perhaps the best part of the film and achilles dialogue here be excellent and sum up the attitude of a cold and seasoned murderer . however and the gruesomeness of the scene ( when achilles stamp on what be hector head ) set it apart anyway . charles gray a pandarus be delightful a a sleazy old pervert and i think the actress play cressida do an ok job . the war monger troilus and however and be annoy and i think that the play would have be well perhaps if he have be murder by achilles instead of a peacenik like hector . conclusion . ok and but could have be good if it have have a young cast and costume that at least attempted to look ancient grecian and not to mention the lack of action . 5/10 .