Producer: Lamar Trotti. The producers wish to acknowledge the advice and co-operation of the Mexican Government and the National Museum, Mexico. All scenes of the Cortez Expedition were photographed in Mexico, wherever possible on the actual locations.
Copyright Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. 25 December 1947. U.S. release: 26 November 1947. New York release at the Rivoli: 25 December 1947. U.K. release: 26 September 1949. Australian release: 7 October 1948. U.S. release length: 12,707 feet. 141 minutes. Australian release length: 13,091 feet. 145½ minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Effete young caballero escapes the Spanish Inquisition by joining up with Cortez and the conquest of Mexico.
COMMENT: Dull. Bosley Crowther's review in "The New York Times" is pretty accurate. He doesn't go far enough in underrating Tyrone Power's pallid and insipid performance, yet falls short in valuing the magnificent color photography and impressive locations which alone make the film worth seeing.
The rest of the players take their cue from Mr Power in listlessness, ineffectuality, amateurishness and apathy. Only George Zucco breaks the mold in his two brief scenes of resonant villainy. In fact, some of the players are even worse than Ty. Lee J. Cobb is absolutely ridiculous, and Alan Mowbray atrociously miscast. Jean Peters, in her film debut, gives absolutely no indications of either talent or personality, and is not even attractively photographed. Cesar Romero's genial Cortez is an odd characterization to say the least, while John Sutton's stiff, callow villain is no match for the likes of a Robert Douglas, a Claude Rains or a Basil Rathbone.
But the film's greatest problem is actually its script: Wordy and garrulous in dialogue, superficially off-hand in background, casual in pace, one-dimensional and dull in characterization, repetitious and incredible in melodramatic plot.
The worst sin of all is that the story lacks a climax. Not only is the villain disposed of quickly and undramatically by a minor player, but the battle we have been awaiting and anticipating for all of 140 minutes does not occur. The film ends as our heroes are marching off!
Henry King's direction is equally tired and lifeless. But fortunately, Newman's score is rousing enough. And true, there is a bit of excitement and loads of production values in sets, costumes and extras milling around, but these full-blooded scenes are allowed to flash by too briefly in order to allow the film to linger on long, tedious scenes of boring verbosity or attenuated, unbelievable "romance".
I have not read the book, but thought surely the novel was more exciting than this. I am glad to have Mr Crowther's verdict that it is. Rarely has such breathtaking Technicolor photography enhanced such an empty script!
Copyright Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. 25 December 1947. U.S. release: 26 November 1947. New York release at the Rivoli: 25 December 1947. U.K. release: 26 September 1949. Australian release: 7 October 1948. U.S. release length: 12,707 feet. 141 minutes. Australian release length: 13,091 feet. 145½ minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Effete young caballero escapes the Spanish Inquisition by joining up with Cortez and the conquest of Mexico.
COMMENT: Dull. Bosley Crowther's review in "The New York Times" is pretty accurate. He doesn't go far enough in underrating Tyrone Power's pallid and insipid performance, yet falls short in valuing the magnificent color photography and impressive locations which alone make the film worth seeing.
The rest of the players take their cue from Mr Power in listlessness, ineffectuality, amateurishness and apathy. Only George Zucco breaks the mold in his two brief scenes of resonant villainy. In fact, some of the players are even worse than Ty. Lee J. Cobb is absolutely ridiculous, and Alan Mowbray atrociously miscast. Jean Peters, in her film debut, gives absolutely no indications of either talent or personality, and is not even attractively photographed. Cesar Romero's genial Cortez is an odd characterization to say the least, while John Sutton's stiff, callow villain is no match for the likes of a Robert Douglas, a Claude Rains or a Basil Rathbone.
But the film's greatest problem is actually its script: Wordy and garrulous in dialogue, superficially off-hand in background, casual in pace, one-dimensional and dull in characterization, repetitious and incredible in melodramatic plot.
The worst sin of all is that the story lacks a climax. Not only is the villain disposed of quickly and undramatically by a minor player, but the battle we have been awaiting and anticipating for all of 140 minutes does not occur. The film ends as our heroes are marching off!
Henry King's direction is equally tired and lifeless. But fortunately, Newman's score is rousing enough. And true, there is a bit of excitement and loads of production values in sets, costumes and extras milling around, but these full-blooded scenes are allowed to flash by too briefly in order to allow the film to linger on long, tedious scenes of boring verbosity or attenuated, unbelievable "romance".
I have not read the book, but thought surely the novel was more exciting than this. I am glad to have Mr Crowther's verdict that it is. Rarely has such breathtaking Technicolor photography enhanced such an empty script!