The first of the big Biblical/ancient epics of the 1950s and '60s. Hardly the best, though. It's a film I was quite clearly mixed about - one half of it I found a total bore, the other half I was in love with. No prizes for guessing how I felt about which. Quo Vadis is, of course, the story of young Christianity during the rule of Emperor Nero in Rome. The Christians meet in secret (with St. Peter and St. Paul) and are mostly harmless at first. Nero is kind of a pretentious dope and fairly harmless, too, until he decides he must set fire to Rome for true artistic inspiration. Afterward, however, the poo hits the fan and he scapegoats Christians to get the heat off of him. Oh, and there's a love story. Yes, it's the love story that sinks Quo Vadis. Robert Taylor is an army leader who falls for hottie Deborah Kerr. She's a Christian, though, and that eventually leads him to the lion's den (where he finally accepts the religion). Taylor has to be one of the blandest actors of all time and, I hate to say this, Kerr is no better in this film. She sure is beautiful, but one just has to roll their eyes at her utter piety. Her love for him is ridiculously abrupt. One scene she is spurning him, the next she has always been in love. Oh, if only the film were all about Nero! Peter Ustinov is hammy as Hell, but how else do you play Nero? And no one (whom I've seen) has ever done it better, not even Charles Laughton. He of course was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, as was Leo Genn as Petronius (historically this character was more like Seneca, who is a very minor character here). Genn is okay, but rather forgettable after Ustinov. The only other performer who deserves mention is Patricia Laffan as Nero's wife, Poppaea. Oh, and Peter and Paul are here, but the film loves to forget they even exist. There's a brief shot of the infamous upside down crucifixion, but it's quickly passed by for more dull romance.
