Amazingly, this is the third “Amazon Women” film I’ve watched in a month but, unlike the others, this is a relatively serious undertaking and, in any case, the American title is misleading – but, then, probably so is the Italian one, which translates to “THE VIRGINS OF ROME”! When it was shown on late-night Italian TV, I had never heard of it but was willing to give it a try considering the talent involved (director Cottafavi and stars Louis Jourdan, Sylvia Syms and Michel Piccoli) – but also due to the fact that French director Bertrand Tavernier, apparently, considers this one of his favorite films!
Distressingly, I came across very few reviews of the film and these were all-too-brief; besides, the only other two comments on the IMDb aren’t very favorable! Despite the scratchy print with washed-out colors that was shown on TV, I’m glad I taped it because it turned out to be one of the most satisfying peplums I’ve ever watched and, consequently, the film ought to be much better known! Besides, it allowed me to understand a bit better Cottafavi’s cult reputation (given the type of films he dabbled in!) – though, apparently, he was replaced after 3 weeks by Bragaglia because Cottafavi couldn’t see eye to eye with star Jourdan (though the change in director didn’t effect the film in any perceptible way).
I had only watched four Cottafavi films prior to this: the modern-day melodrama NEL GORGO DEL PECCATO (1954) and the following peplums – GOLIATH AND THE DRAGON (1960), HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN (1961) and I CENTO CAVALIERI (1964; perhaps the director’s best work and which I was lucky to watch, along with the hilariously awful GOLIATH, at the 2004 Venice Film Festival with lead Mark Damon in attendance!). Likewise, I had seen four by Bragaglia – three of them starring the popular Italian comic Toto’ and, eons ago, HANNIBAL (1960) – another one of his peplums and which was co-directed by Edgar G. Ulmer!
The casting of the two leads is surprising, but they certainly number among the most talented ever featured in this type of film: Jourdan is quite amusing as the leader of the barbarian horde who’s seen constantly, and nonchalantly, munching on fruit – even when leading his men into battle!; the beautiful Syms adds grace and intelligence to the film – but, apart from Nicole Courcel (who is also pretty good as an unusually sympathetic villainess, sharing a secondary love interest with Piccoli!), is the only female character who is developed in any substantial way. The battle scenes – highlighted by a running duel between Jourdan and a one-eyed Roman general played by genre regular Ettore Manni – are nicely handled, though mainly relegated to the opening and closing moments of the film.
