This minor epic with standard plot in a different setting displays action , adventures , humor , climactic battles , luxurious scenarios and results to be quite amusing . It is the standard-issue one about the oppressed citizens rising up to overthrow a tyrant . Thus we have the usual scenes of the townspeople being drilled in the fighting to prepare them to eliminate the occupying force along with a court intrigue in which a nasty princess attempts to overthrow the loyal ruler , a kid whose leadership is his birthright . These scenes are wrapped around a predictable plot about rebel gladiators and a rebellious leader who leads his submitted country . Marcus Numidius (Ettore Manni) , a Roman tribune sent to Armenia to put down a gladiators' revolt , captures the rebels' popular leader , Aselepius (Georges Marchal) and frees a Roman officer (Rafael Luis Calvo) . Later on , Marcus is treated well by the Roman governor (Jesús Tordesillas) who gives him a great attention as guest of honour and splendid welcome but countrymen carry out a revolt . Meanwhile , Princess Amira (Gianna Maria Canale) , with ambitions of being Queen executes astute plans , as the little King is being poisoned to overthrow him . And jealous of Asclepius' popularity , she schemes his death in the arena by substituting a lion for his human opponent . But then , the bare-chested warrior helped by a dwarf (Salvatore Furnari who gives the comic relief) goes in an all-out rampage to save the boy .
"La Rivolta Dei Gladiatori" or "The Warrior and the Slave Girl¨(international title) directed by sometimes-lauded Cottafavi packs brief historical events about Armenia encroachment by Romans , gorgeous landscapes , glimmer scenarios, and battles well staged with hundreds of people . It is a fun film plenty of action , humor , fights , entertainment and amusement . The movie has not characterization accuracy neither expectation historic . This is a simple chronicle about an Oriental province at the Roman Empire where takes place a rebellion . Evocative costumes , bright photography , and a few good vistas help detract from the overall familiarity , and Ettore Manni makes an appealing though not especially charismatic hero . Highlights are gladiator combats , breathtaking battles , thrilling soundtrack and color cinematography . Being a Spain/Italy production there appears several secondary actors , many of them Peplum and Spaghetti's usual such as : Mara Cruz , Rafael Luis Calvo , Santiago Rivero and Jesús Tordesillas . Atmospheric as well as evocative musical score by Roberto Nicolisi . Colorful cinematography by Mario Pacheco , being filmed on location in La Pedriza , Manzanares Del Real , Madrid , Lazio , Rome , as well as studios : Pisorno Studios, Tirrenia, Tuscany, Italy and Sevilla Film Madrid, Spain . The flick will appeal to minor epic films buffs . Rating : Better than average and entertaining .
This motion picture titled ¨La Rebelión de los Gladiadores¨ is an enjoyable Sword and sandals flick , being professionally directed by Vittorio Cottafavi (1914-1998) ; he was a complete artist , painter and Peplum expert , as he directed : ¨Conquest of Atlántida¨, ¨Goliath and the Dragon¨(1961) with Mark Forest , Broderick Crawford , Bruce Cabot , ¨Hércules and the captive woman¨(1963) with Reg Park and the ordinary Ettore Manni , ¨Legions of Cleopatra¨, ¨Mesallina¨ and this ¨rebellion of gladiators¨. Vittorio began his professional career in the film industry as a clapper boy . After progressing to write motion picture screenplays and working as assistant director under Alessandro Blasetti and Vittorio De Sica, he became a director in his own right in 1943. Many of his films have been lavishly-produced, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, "sword-and sandal" or ¨Muscleman¨ epics, dealing with mythological subjects involving the Roman Empire or Ancient Egypt . From the mid-60's, Cottafavi concentrated exclusively on directing TV series and mini-series, under contract to RAI , many of them dealing with historic events or known personages such as Oliver Cromwell , Don Giovanni , Napoleone a Sant'Elena , Vita Di Dante and Cristóbal Colon .
