Demetrius and the Gladiators

Demetrius and the Gladiators was the sequel to The Robe, and though they were released several months apart, the films were shot at the same time. Based on characters originally conceived by Lloyd C. Douglas, the film stars Victor Mature as the title character, an ex-slave who embraced Christianity ...more

Although it was lavishly produced and blessed with an obviously generous budget, the fund of Demetrius and the Gladiators lies in its cheesiness. There's no mistaking Demetrius for a good movie, but as an exercise in good clean camp (sword and sandals variety), it's hard to beat. Start with Victor Mature, never anyone's idea of a great actor; in a role of this sort, however, most of the acting is done by way of biceps, and by that measure, he does very well. Forget the fact that he has maybe two ...more