Quo Vadis?
About Quo Vadis?
In Nero's last years, officer Marcus Vinicius (Amleto Novelli) wants Lygia (Lea Giunchi), a young Christian living under the protection of Ursus (Bruto Castellani). Following her, he reaches a catacomb meeting led by the apostle Peter (Giovanni Gizzi) and starts to doubt himself. Nero (Carlo Cattaneo) has Rome burned and blames the Christians. In the circus Lygia is tied to a bull; Ursus wrestles the animal and kills it. Peter, fleeing the city, meets Christ on the Appian Way, asks where he is going, turns back, and is martyred.
Cast & crew
More about Quo Vadis?
Enrico Guazzoni directed, wrote, and edited the Cines production, and designed the costumes. Camillo Innocenti designed the sets, built as solid pieces of ancient Rome rather than painted cloth. Italian sources put the shoot at two months. Italy released it in March 1913. George Kleine handled the United States.
Themes
Background
Cines made it in Rome as a feature meant for large theaters, not for a short slot on a variety bill.
Making
Nine reels, about two hours, was long for 1913. The arena sequence puts Lygia on the bull in imitation of Europa, with Castellani's Ursus taking the animal on in the ring.
Audiences
In New York it was the first film at the Astor Theatre on Broadway and played there from April through December 1913. In the United States it was also road-shown in legitimate theaters at a top price of one dollar.
Look
Eugenio Bava and Alessandro Bona photographed the crowd scenes and the arena.
Technique
The Roman streets and the circus were three-dimensional sets, not backdrops, filled with about 5,000 extras. The negative ran 2,250 meters.
Preservation
Prints survive. A commonly shown version runs about two hours, close to the original 2,250 meters.
Notes
- It opened the Ufa-Pavillon am Nollendorfplatz in Berlin on 19 March 1913. Costumed performers were placed in the auditorium during the crowd scenes.
- The first London screening was for King George V at the Royal Albert Hall. He complimented the performers.
- Gustavo Serena plays Petronius, Amelia Cattaneo plays Eunice, Olga Brandini plays Poppaea, and Cesare Moltini plays Tigellinus.
- When a 1924 version was issued, Unione Cinematografica Italiana bought George Kleine's American and Australian rights in the 1913 film, including remaining prints, stills, posters, and slides, so theaters would not keep playing the older picture against it.
Scenes
- Vinicius follows Lygia into Peter's meeting in the catacombs.
- Nero's men set Rome on fire and the blame is put on the Christians.
- Ursus kills the bull Lygia is tied to.
- Peter meets Christ on the Appian Way and turns back.
Influenced by
- Henryk Sienkiewicz's novel Quo Vadis (1896)
Influenced
- Cabiria (1914)
- Intolerance (1916)
Quotes
Quo vadis?
