The Rape of the Sabines

Of the 3 different productions released around the same time in the early 1960's that deal with early Rome, this one is hands-down best. "Duel of the Titans" w/ Steve Reeves & Gordon Scott is a carbon-copy of 1,000 other Reeves/Scott sword & sandal "epics" and has really nothing to distinguish it. "Rape of the Sabines" with Roger Moore is laughably bad and horribly mis-cast. For an star with at least some pretense of being a "serious actor", Moore comes off as pathetic, as did Paul Newman in his early effort "The Silver Chalice". But "The Rape of the Sabine Women" doesn't make any pretenses, it's a action and fun-filled adventure romp. The performance of veteran character actor Lex Johnson (the token American in an otherwise all-Spanish cast) really holds this film together. A solid, competent actor, just a shame he didn't get more roles. P.S. Catch Lex Johnson in the beginning of the all-time classic TV movie "Along Came a Spider" (1970), which starred Suzanne Pleshette. It's a small, but crucial, role as Dr. David Furie, working in a lab with nuclear fission, in an experiment that goes horribly wrong. His death is what propels the rest of the terrific storyline.