Ulysses (1954)

Very disappointing...

the audience applauded

Highly Overrated But Still Good

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

I remember seeing this movie at about 8 yrs. old; I thought it was thrilling; I enjoyed it a lot better than Jason & The Argonauts; If any one knows where I can purchase the DVD/VCR please let me know; I've been waiting such along time to see it again. I think this is one of Kirk Doughlas' best; a lot of action and a good story; it doesn't matter if it were true or not, I think it was very well done; I was fully entertained; I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this movie. I think Kirk Douglas is such a great actor; I don't believe there were any of his movies that I didn't enjoy. He can play any character; I don't know if he ever won an Oscar but if he hasn't, he should have.

If this is the film I watched over 35 years ago, I will give it a 5 star. The one I saw in the early 70's, has the similar plot. There are several memorable scenes: 1) The one-eye giant eats the fellow crews of the king. The special effect of the giant is astonishing. I suspect that the making of the special effect is too advanced in 1955.2) The king sticks a ram into the giant's only eye. The blind giant chases around the king and his crews. This is one of the most heart pounding scene I have ever seen in my life. 3) The king resists a powerful sorceress' spell by not looking back while walking through a forest.4) The Queen hosts a contest of the seat of the king. The returned king reclaims his own seat by successfully shooting an arrow through a series of rings of axes. I myself still have a love of archery because of this scene.If some of you knows there are other films with similar plot, I would be grateful if you let me know. Thanks.

I just bought a dvd of this film as it was going for under 10 euros and had always been interested in the adventures of Ulysses. I opted as always for the original version on the dvd and was amazed to hear Italian, not English !! I had no idea that Kirk Douglas could speak italian so fluently.......absolutely amazing !! That is, unless the notes on the dvd were incorrect and it wasn't the original version at all but one dubbed into Italian. I suppose we'll never know! I was expecting a better film than what I saw, something of the quality of The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, but was rather disappointed with the script, a lot of useless talk and not enough action ! I suppose this is what we can expect of Italian cinema ( the director of the film was italian as were a number of the actors ! ). The picture quality, although announced as Technicolor had too much contrast plus clicks and spots and certainly left to be desired. There was a good passage with the Cyclops, Polyphemus, however, we saw nothing of the sirens and I was desperately looking out for Charybde and Scylla but saw no sign of them. I really thought too much of the story had been omitted and too much time given over to boring soporific chat. Certainly not a film to be recommended !

I saw this movie in the fifties at the little local theatre. There was the dashing Kirk Douglas, the frightening Anthony Quinn, the story of the deeds of the great Odysseus (Ulysses). When I bought my used copy and watched it again, I was devastated. I've always had trouble with Kirk Douglas anyway, but this dull, talky waste of time just floored me. I was hoping Douglas would take the wax out of his ears and crash the ship. Everything is so emotive and so pained and there really isn't any fun of this film's contemporaries ("Jason and the Argonauts" and "The 7th Voyage of Sindbad"). Douglas poses, romances, watches dancing girls, tells stories. I agree with a previous writer that the made for TV "Odyssey" was no great prize, but at least something happened once in a while. Another of my childhood memories squashed!!