Quo Vadis?

"The Roman Banquet, the golden glories, the unrivaled luxuries, the wine, the dance, the song, the beautiful women, the sumptuous splendors that taxed a barbaric world for a night of feasting and revel-- Re-created for your entertainment in the most colossal drama produced", reads an ad in the Daily Argus of New York. Unione Cinematografica Italiana's lavish production of the oft-told tale stars Emil Jannings as Nero.

It was apparently more about finance than anything else that led to Emil Jennings being cast as Nero in this adaptation of the acclaimed Sienkiewicz novel about the rise of Christianity despite the best efforts of the Roman Emperor Nero. And lucky it did, for he turns in quite a decent performance in this quickly paced adaptation. The supporting cast work quite well too as the tale of decadence and depravity at the Imperial court gather pace. "Vinicius" (Alphons Fryland) - an erstwhile loyal soldier, falls in love with "Ligia" (Lillian Hall-Davis) but when she is discovered to be a Christian and invites the enmity of the Emperor he must use all his wits and guile to save her for from his megalomanic master who needs a scapegoat after he famously fiddled while Rome burned. The cinematography here is pretty good, the scenes flow well and the inter-titles are frequent and concise enough to support the clear narrative of the story. It's even got it's own chariot race - with a difference - at the end.