Sign of the Cross (The)
- Director: Cecil B. DeMille
- Writer: Wilson Barrett; Waldemar Young
- Producer: Cecil B. DeMille
CGiii Comment
The campest Nero you will ever see...
Laughton does not hold back and it's absolutely hysterical. Quite possibly, not the intention. But...great actors then are very different from great actors now.
DeMille throws everything at the screen - and, it turns out to be nothing more than a great big camp orgy.
Brilliant and rubbish at the same time.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
After burning Rome, Emperor Nero decides to blame the Christians, and issues the edict that they are all to be caught and sent to the arena. Two old Christians are caught, and about to be hauled off, when Marcus, the highest military official in Rome, comes upon them. When he sees their stepdaughter Mercia, he instantly falls in love with her and frees them. Marcus pursues Mercia, which gets him into trouble with Emperor (for being easy on Christians) and with the Empress, who loves him and is jealous.
Cast & Characters
Fredric March as Marcus Superbus;
Elissa Landi as Mercia;
Claudette Colbert as Empress Poppaea;
Charles Laughton as Emperor Nero;
Ian Keith as Tigellinus;
Arthur Hohl as Titus;
Harry Beresford as Favius;
Tommy Conlon as Stephan;
Ferdinand Gottschalk as Glabrio;
Vivian Tobin as Dacia;
William V. Mong as Licinius;
Joyzelle Joyner as Ancaria;
Richard Alexander as Viturius;
Nat Pendleton as Strabo;
Clarence Burton as Servillius