Duel of Champions

1961 Italian film

Duel of Champions

Directed by| Ferdinando Baldi
Terence Young
Written by| Carlo Lizzani
Ennio De Concini
Giuliano Montaldo
Story by| Luciano Vincenzoni
Produced by| Dominico Fazzari
Starring| Alan Ladd
Cinematography| Amerigo Gengarelli
Edited by| Renzo Lucidi
Music by| Angelo Francesco Lavagnino

Production
companies

Lovcen Film
Lux Film
Tiberia Film

Distributed by| Lux Film

Release date

| 19 October 1961

Running time

| 90 minutes
Countries| Italy
Yugoslavia
Languages| Italian
English

Duel of Champions (Italian: Orazi e Curiazi) is a 1961 film about the Roman legend of the Horatii, triplet brothers from Rome who fought a duel against the Curiatii, triplet brothers from Alba Longa in order to determine the outcome of a war between their two nations.

This film was directed by Ferdinando Baldi and Terence Young. The screenplay was written by Ennio De Concini, Carlo Lizzani, Giuliano Montaldo and Luciano Vincenzoni. It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome.

## Plot[edit]

During the period prior to the unification of Alba and Rome, the legendary Roman hero Horatius leads his troops against the forces of Alba in the region of Tullus Hostilius. He is wounded and taken prisoner but escapes and hides in the hills.

The king of Rome, believing Horatio to have been a coward, announces the engagement of his daughter Marcia to Horatio's brother Marcus, whom he names his heir.

Both Alba and Rome are anxious to find a peace. After consulting an oracle, the two kings decide that three brothers from each side should compete in a fight to the death, the winning side to dominate in the unification of the two kingdoms.

Horatio comes back to Rome, but finding his name dishonored and Marcia married, he returns to the hills.

On the day of the contest, however, he comes to fight alongside his two brothers. Both are killed. Horatio continues the fight alone and kills the three Alban brothers, including Curiazio, who was the lover of Horatio's sister, Horatia. She stabs herself to death. Horatio is now free to marry Marcia.

## Cast[edit]

* Alan Ladd as Horatius
* Franca Bettoia as Marcia
* Franco Fabrizi as Curiatius
* Robert Keith as Tullus Hostilius
* Jacqueline Derval as Horatia
* Luciano Marin as Eli
* Andrea Aureli as Gaius Cluilius
* Mino Doro as Caius
* Osvaldo Ruggieri as Warrior of Alba
* Jacques Sernas as Marcus

## Production[edit]

Tiberia Films had to cooperate with Lux Film in order to finance the venture.[1] Lux were making a number of movies aimed at the international market around this time, others including The Tartars, The Thief of Bagdad, and The Wonders of Aladdin.[2]

The film was originally called Horatio and was also known as Ojario and The Gladiator of Rome. Shooting took place in Yugoslavia and Rome.[2][3] Ladd walked off the set after 11 weeks of filming because he had not been paid. When his salary was guaranteed he resumed filming. "My advice to any American actor making a film abroad is to develop his own foreign policy beforehand", said Ladd. "My own, for the future, will be 'Speak softly, but carry an iron contract'."[4]

## Bibliography[edit]

* Hughes, Howard (2011). Cinema Italiano – The Complete Guide From Classics To Cult. London – New York: I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-608-0.

## See also[edit]

* List of historical drama films

## References[edit]

1. ^ Hughes, p.55
2. ^ a b Archer, Eugene (26 Apr 1961). "2 FILM SPECTACLES SLATED BY ITALIAN: Head of Lux to Do 'Pontius Pilate' and 'Sign of Cross'". New York Times. p. 32.
3. ^ Hopper, Hedda (Feb 16, 1961). "Entertainment: Bryan Foy Returns to Warner Brothers Will Produce Drama of Marines; Julie London to Sing in D.C.". Los Angeles Times. p. B12.
4. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (Mar 31, 1961). "More TV Notables Grabbed for Films: Ladd Among Us for 'Tiger'; Should Nation Honor Artists?". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.

## External links[edit]

* Duel of Champions at IMDb
* Duel of Champions at Rotten Tomatoes
* Complete copy of film at Internet Archive
* Historical analysis of film[usurped] at Vernon Johns
* Duel of Champions at the TCM Movie Database

* v
* t
* e

Films by Terence Young

Films directed|

* Corridor of Mirrors (1948)
* One Night with You (1948)
* Woman Hater (1948)
* They Were Not Divided (1950)
* Valley of Eagles (1951)
* The Tall Headlines (1952)
* The Red Beret (1953)
* That Lady (1955)
* Storm Over the Nile (1955)
* Safari (1956)
* Zarak (1956)
* Action of the Tiger (1957)
* No Time to Die (1958)
* Serious Charge (1959)
* Too Hot to Handle (1960)
* Black Tights (1961)
* Duel of Champions (1961)
* Dr. No (1962)
* From Russia with Love (1963)
* The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965)
* The Dirty Game (1965)
* Thunderball (1965)
* The Poppy Is Also a Flower (1966; TV)
* Triple Cross (1966)
* The Rover (1967)
* Wait Until Dark (1967)
* Mayerling (1968)
* The Christmas Tree (1969)
* Cold Sweat (1970)
* Red Sun (1971)
* The Valachi Papers (1972)
* War Goddess (1973)
* The Klansman (1974)
* Jackpot (1974–1975; unfinished)
* Bloodline (1979)
* Inchon (1981)
* The Jigsaw Man (1983)
* Run for Your Life (1988)

Screenplays|

* On the Night of the Fire (1939)
* Dangerous Moonlight (1941)
* Secret Mission (1942)
* On Approval (1944)
* Theirs Is the Glory (1946)
* Hungry Hill (1947)
* The Bad Lord Byron (1949)
* Atout cœur à Tokyo pour OSS 117 (1966)

* v
* t
* e

Luciano Vincenzoni

Films written|

* Path of Hope (1950)
* They Stole a Tram (1954)
* The Railroad Man (1956)
* The Wanderers (1956)
* The Italians They Are Crazy (1958)
* The Great War (1959)
* Venetian Honeymoon (1959)
* Crimen (1960)
* The Hunchback of Rome (1960)
* The Best of Enemies (1961)
* Destination Fury (1961)
* Duel of Champions (1961)
* Revolt of the Mercenaries (1961)
* Copacabana Palace (1962)
* A Girl... and a Million (1962)
* La vita agra (1964)
* Seduced and Abandoned (1964)
* For a Few Dollars More (1965)
* The Birds, the Bees and the Italians (1966)
* The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
* Death Rides a Horse (1967)
* The Mercenary (1968)
* A Quiet Place in the Country (1968)
* Duck, You Sucker! (1971)
* Black Turin (1972)
* Flatfoot (1973)
* The Heroes (1973)
* Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973)
* Mr. Hercules Against Karate (1973)
* War Goddess (1973)
* The Beast (1974)
* Policewoman (1974)
* Three Tough Guys (1974)
* The Boss and the Worker (1975)
* Cry, Onion! (1975)
* Libera, My Love (1975)
* Wanted: Babysitter (1975)
* L'Italia s'è rotta (1976)
* Black Journal (1977)
* Orca (1977)
* Count Tacchia (1982)
* Bonnie and Clyde Italian Style (1983)
* A tu per tu (1984)
* Casablanca, Casablanca (1985)
* Miami Supercops (1985)
* Raw Deal (1986)
* Blowing Hot and Cold (1989)
* Malèna (2000)

Plays|

* Sacco and Vanzetti (1960)

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