I began my evening of viewing with ANDROCLES AND THE LION. I didn't remember much about it, and the mix of British and American talent seemed a little off. Also Androcles wasn't even the most interesting character in his own movie. I would love to have seen what Harpo Marx would have done with the role. (He was originally cast but fired by Howard Hughes.)
It also seemed a lot longer than 98 minutes.
John Hoyt was in this, and I'll swear his biceps were as well developed as Victor Mature's. If you remember, I was blown away by his physique when I reviewed BRUTE FORCE a year or two ago, and he surprised me again in this.
This was by far the best transfer of the three. It's so sharp and clear that the painted backdrops look just like what they are, the rear projection is painfully obvous, the fake lion is easy to tell from the real one (and you can see the guide wire with the real lion), and Robert newton's stunt double looks nothing like him in the arena sequence.
