The Trojan Horse [La guerra di Troia] *** (1961, Steve Reeves, Juliette Mayniel, John Drew Barrymore, Edy Vessel) – Classic Movie Review 8581

Steve Reeves (aka Mr Universe) stars as Aeneas and John Drew Barrymore plays Ulysses in co-writer/ director Giorgio Ferroni’s popular, robust and manly, if amusingly daft 1961 muscleman action adventure from Italy. The Trojan Horse [La guerra di Troia] is entirely typical and unremarkable of many such movies made in its Sixties period, re-telling the famous age-old story with much enthusiasm and a bit of flair.

Reeves and Barrymore do well enough, and Mimmo Palmara is strong as Ajax, while Hedy Vessel [Edy Vessel] is perfectly cast as Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships, though she is a bit of an empty Vessel acting-wise.

As usual, in the international version the dubbing of the Italian actors is a problem, though Reeves and Barrymore both filmed their roles in English.

Also in the cast are Juliette Mayniel as Creusa, Arturo Dominici as Achilles, Nando Tamberlani as Menelaus, Giancarlo Bastianoni, Giovanni Cianfriglia, Luigi Ciavarro, Giulio Macalani, Lidia Alfonsi as Cassandra, Luciana Angiolillo as Andromache, Mimmo Palmara as Ajax, Warner Bentivegna as Paris, Nerio Bernardi as Agamemnon Carlo Tamberlani as Priam, Giovanni Cianfriglia as Diomedes and Nello Pazzafini.

The Trojan Horse [La guerra di Troia] [The Wooden Horse of Troy] [The Trojan War] is directed by Giorgio Ferroni, runs 105 minutes, is made by Europa Cinematografica, CICC, Les Films Modernes and Lovcen Film, released by Grand National Pictures (1962) (UK) and Colorama Features (1962) (US) , is written by Ugo Liberatore, Giorgio Stegani, Giorgio Ferroni and Federico Zardi, is shot in Technicolor by Rino Filippini, is produced by Gian Paolo Bigazzi, is scored by Giovanni Fusco and Mario Ammonini, and is designed by Pier Vittorio Marchi.

It is followed by The Avenger [La leggenda di Enea] (1962), with Reeves back as Aeneas.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8581

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