The Coming of the Titans

The huge box office success of the 1958 movie “Hercules” resulted in the creation of a whole new genre of motion pictures. The Italian film industry began producing dozens of “Sword and Sandal” movies, also called “Peplum” pictures. Many of these were franchise projects built around such heroes as “Hercules” or “Maciste.” Others were unique and original.

This week’s movie was “Arrivano I Titani,” (“The Coming of The Titans”), from 1962. This was the debut feature of director Duccio Tessari, based on a screenplay that he co-wrote with Ennio De Concini. The delightful soundtrack was composed by Carlo Rustichelli. The story is set in the time of ancient Greco-Roman mythology. Mexican actor Pedro Armendáriz plays the wicked “King Cadmos” of Crete. He murders his wife so that he can be with “Ermione,” (Italian actress Antonella Lualdi). The gods are angered, and inform Cadmos that he will die when his infant daughter falls in love. Cadmos and Ermione bathe in the waters of the river Styx which renders them both invulnerable. The king declares himself to be a god. He isolates his daughter “Antiope,” (French actress Jacqueline Sassard), so that she will never fall in love with a man. We next visit the Underworld where we see Prometheus, Tantalus, and Sisyphus enduring their respective punishments. The unseen god “Jove,” (“Jupiter”), decides to release one of the “Titans” from imprisonment to bring justice to the arrogant Cadmos. Jove chooses “Crios,” (Italian stuntman Giuliano Gemma), the youngest and cleverest of the Titans. He is made a mortal and dispatched to Crete. There he befriends “Achilles,” (French actor Gérard Séty), a mute servant of Cadmos who shares his name with the legendary hero. Crios also eventually befriends the mighty “Rator,” (played by the famous black French bodybuilder Serge Nubret making his movie debut). Crios secretly meets Antiope, and the two fall in love. The young Titan and his allies must rescue the princess and find a way to cast the evil king to the judgment of the Underworld.

This movie is an absolute delight! Director Tessari leans heavily into the humor of this story, and the result is a movie that is both exciting and frequently hilarious. The plot is filled with clever and unexpected twists. Gemma gives a wonderful and athletic performance as the muscular hero with a smile. The romance with Sassard is surprisingly sweet. Armendariz is marvelous as the evil but likable king. The production design is lovely and clearly made with a respectable budget. I adore this movie!

This picture has fun with its mythological roots. The Gorgan “Medusa” and a Cyclops show up in small but entertaining parts. The Titans are also a lot of fun, although all twelve are male bodybuilders. Six of the Titans should have been female, but that’s a minor issue.

United Artists released this film to America in 1963 as “My Son, The Hero.” This was undoubtedly to capitalize on the popularity of Allan Sherman’s best-selling 1962 comedy album “My Son, The Folksinger.”

Pedro Armendariz is best-known for his role as “Ali Kerim Bey” in the 1963 James Bond movie “From Russia With Love.” He had appeared alongside John Wayne in the 1956 picture “The Conqueror.” This movie was filmed near a nuclear test site and many members of the cast and crew contracted cancer. Armendariz suffered such pain from his cancer that he eventually took his own life.