Epic film about the impressive feats of a brave Celtic in the Carthaginian Empire with a lot of historical incorrectness . Revak (Jack Palance) is an Iberian prince from Penda , a small island where the Carthagian fleet enslaved the surviving native people , including to him . Revak is imprisoned and subsequently occurs an eventful passage aboard a galley commanded by the cruel Kainus (Guy Rolfe) in which his sister is mistreated and humiliated . Then , avenger Revak seeks vendetta , at whatever cost , against the nasty enemy who ransacked and killed his family and country . While the anger grows within him , Revak taking the law into his own hands , executes a relentless avenge , acting as judge , jury and executioner against those responsible of the deaths his beloved beings . So the rebellious Revak makes common cause with the attacking Romans led by Varro (Austin Willis) and the mercenary Lycursus (Richard Wyler) . Meanwhile , there takes place a romance between Revak and the Kainus'sister , Cherata (Milly Vitale).
This spectacular movie contains noisy action , breathtaking battles , a scorning love story , thrills , hokey historical events and the crowed scenes are regularly made . The picture is partially based on historical events about Carthage , and its historical enemy and rival for Mediterranean hegemony : Rome ; as there happened really a slave rebellion and being heard the overwhelming exploits of the conqueror Annibal and his successful battles : Trebia , Lagoon Trasimeno , Cannas . There also takes place a fictitious battle of wits and wills between Revak/Jack Palance and Kainus/Guy Rolfe . Weak screenplay by two notorious writers/producers from Hollywood as John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin , being based on a novel by Francis Van Wyck Mason . The movie has not mythological accuracy neither expecting historical . Middling production design , medium budget film, washed-out cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie , as a perfect remastering being necessary , and atmospheric soundtrack by Franco Ferrara . Overacting by Jack Palance as a rebel Celt who becomes an elephant driver in Carthage city, and being the favorite of mighty women . Jack dominates this historical adventure with his hysterical performance as a merciless avenger with only one thirst : bloody revenge . Palance played several exotic/historical characters in ¨The Silver Chalice¨, ¨Attila¨ , ¨Rosmunda and Alboino¨, ¨The horsemen¨ , ¨Barrabas¨, ¨The Mongols¨ , among others . Very average support cast provide some decent secondary interpretations such as Guy Rolfe , Milly Vitale , Austin Willis , Deirdre Sullivan John Alderson and Richard Wyler .
The motion picture produced by John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin was middlingly directed by Rudolph Maté , though it has several flaws , gaps and historical mistakes . Polish-born (Cracovia) and passed away Beverly Hills (1964) . Mate was an assistant cameraman for Alexander Korda and later worked throughout Europe with noted cameraman Karl Freund , director Carl Theodor Dreyer and Erich Pommer . Dreyer was so impressed with his work that they hired him as cinematographer on The Passion of Joan of Arc . Mate is considered to be one of the best cameramen of cinema story . Mate was soon working on some of Europe's most prestigious films , cementing his reputation as one of the continent's premier cinematographers. Hollywood came calling in 1935, and Mate shot films there for the next 12 years before turning to directing in 1947 . Unfortunately, while many of his directorial efforts were visually impressive ,especially his sci-fi ¨When the worlds collide¨ (1951) , his labour as cameraman was excellent . He realized a variety films of all kind of genres as Adventures : ¨The Black Shield of Falworth¨ , ¨Seven Seas to Calais¨ , Western about themes of card players on riverboat as ¨The Mississipi gambler¨(1963) and ¨The rawhide years¨(1956) and about conflicts between Indians and cavalry as ¨In the siege at Red River¨(1954) and Noir films : ¨Union Station¨ , ¨Second chance¨ . He also directed Epic films as ¨The Barbarians¨ and ¨The 300 Spartans¨ . The films themselves were for the most part undistinguished, with his best work probably being the film-noir classic ¨DOA¨ (1950). ¨Revak¨ rating : Passable , acceptable , but mediocre , 4.5/10 .
