Minus the beard and the voice that came from the large intestine., Steve Reeves
is cast in this film as a Roman centurion and highly regarded aide to Julius
Caesar. Yet because of an amulet he wears he's discovered to be the son of the
legendary Spartacus.
It helps to understand the film if you've seen the Kirk Douglas classic Spartacus. If you remember the end the widow of Spartacus Jean Simmons is rushed out of Rome and out of the reach of Crassus. Presumably the kid had a good Roman upbringing and now has a career in the Roman Legion. He's come to the attention of Julius Caesar in a good way.
Which is why he's sent on a mission to Crassus who's guarding the Empire out in the East and getting richer and richer on plunder. This is where Steve Reeves discovers his real roots, kind of like the Charlton Heston as Moses discovered his roots in The Ten Commandments.
Reeves is all in sympathy with the people rebelling against Crassus and like in The Desert Song the Roman Centurion and establishment figure becomes a Red Shadow like leader. Good he could be ridding Julius Caesar of a rival figure in his quest for power, bad he is rebelling against Rome. What's a dictator to do?
Although The Slave blends elements of far better films in it, it's an all right piece of peplum product. Reeves has a decent speaking voice on his own for this film. And those pecs and abs are still outstanding.
It helps to understand the film if you've seen the Kirk Douglas classic Spartacus. If you remember the end the widow of Spartacus Jean Simmons is rushed out of Rome and out of the reach of Crassus. Presumably the kid had a good Roman upbringing and now has a career in the Roman Legion. He's come to the attention of Julius Caesar in a good way.
Which is why he's sent on a mission to Crassus who's guarding the Empire out in the East and getting richer and richer on plunder. This is where Steve Reeves discovers his real roots, kind of like the Charlton Heston as Moses discovered his roots in The Ten Commandments.
Reeves is all in sympathy with the people rebelling against Crassus and like in The Desert Song the Roman Centurion and establishment figure becomes a Red Shadow like leader. Good he could be ridding Julius Caesar of a rival figure in his quest for power, bad he is rebelling against Rome. What's a dictator to do?
Although The Slave blends elements of far better films in it, it's an all right piece of peplum product. Reeves has a decent speaking voice on his own for this film. And those pecs and abs are still outstanding.