Watch Sign of the Gladiator

During the time of the Roman Empire, the country was known for its power-hungry rulers and fierce battles in the Colosseums. Sign of the Gladiator, a 1959 film directed by Guido Brignone, is set in this backdrop and follows the story of Marcus Ventidius, played by Georges Marchal, a Roman centurion who is betrayed by his own people and is sentenced to death.

As he is being transported to Rome, he manages to escape from his captors along with a fellow prisoner, who is the fierce but beautiful Vestal Virgin, Ursus (Anita Ekberg). Together they flee to the coastal city of Ostia, where Marcus falls in love with Claudine (Linda Cristal) and begins a new life. However, his past soon catches up with him and he is forced to confront his enemies and settle the score once and for all.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Sign of the Gladiator is its survival story. The film was shot in Eastmancolor, but no prints or negatives of the film exist anymore. It was thought that the film was completely lost until a 28-minute-long cut was discovered in 2011. The footage, mainly composed of the action scenes, is representative of the skillful and dynamic style of certain directors from that time, who knew how to convey the intensity of action scenes without the use of special effects.

The hefty and imposing Marchal, who bears a strong resemblance to Kirk Douglas in Spartacus, displays excellent swordsmanship and fighting skills that make for some exciting action sequences. In addition, the stunning Ekberg's fascinatingly fierce Ursus is a woman of her own kind. Her beauty, combined with her deadly fighting skills, present a character that can beat any man in a one-on-one battle. Ursus remains one of the most imposing and potent female characters ever created in a sword-and-sandal movie.

Though the title of the movie is Sign of the Gladiator, the protagonist Marchal actually does not wear a gladiator's outfit. Instead, he is dressed as a typical Roman centurion, who is trying to redeem himself for his failure in a battle that caused the defeat of his unit.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the movie is its exceptional cinematography. The director Brignone, the cinematographer Marco Scarpelli, and the art director Enzo Bulgarelli create a spectacularly beautiful image of the world of ancient Rome that is awe-inspiring. The camera captures every detail of the vast Colosseums, and the production design makes you feel as if you are right inside the movie set.

The story of Sign of the Gladiator is a typical one of love, revenge, and redemption, but the movie sets itself apart from other movies of the same genre with its excellent action and fight sequences. The film has been lost for more than 50 years, and this shortened cut, as it was formerly produced as a two-hour-long feature, is not exactly the same as what fans of the genre could hope for. The loss of the full feature is a shame, as it seems the remaining footage could have made for an excellent film.

All the elements add up to create a visually rich movie that never lags or becomes predictable. Even if the final cut is not perfect, the sheer fact that we can watch a previously thought-to-be-lost relic of a time when action movies were made with real stunts and not CGI is alone worth the effort of seeking out this elusive classic. Sign of the Gladiator is a must-watch for fans of the sword and sandal genre who want to experience a unique and thrilling period piece.

Sign of the Gladiator is a 1959 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.3.