Maciste in der Gewalt des Tyrannen

Gordon Scott as Maciste at the Chinese Emperor's court

Maciste was actually an invention of the Italian author Gabriele D'Annunzio. The hero from the history of Carthage, blessed with Herculean powers, first appeared on the screen in the Italian monumental silent film "Cabiria" (1914). Bartolomeo Pagano (1878-1947) became a silent film star with this role. When the Peplum craze began in Italy at the end of the 1950s after Steve Reeves' hit Hercules films, Maciste was virtually recycled as a hero. This time he was not only used in ancient Carthage, but wherever and whenever a muscle-bound hero was needed.

So it happens that in this film the American bodybuilder Gordon Scott (1927-2007) has to intervene in a dispute between the Mongolian Great Khan and the Chinese emperor. Since a size smaller is not possible, Maciste has to use his bearish strength to trigger an (all too ridiculous) earthquake. Yoko Tani, Gabriele Antonini and Helene Chanel can be seen in other roles. During those years, the Franco-Japanese actress Yoko Tani (1928-1999) was married to Roland Lesaffre, Marcel Carne's favorite actor.

Definitely not the best Italian-made sandal film, even if director Riccardo Fredda has cult status among fan circles.