Teodora, imperatrice di Bisanzio (1954) - film review

Whilst walking around Byzantine incognito, Emperor Justinen is enchanted by a beautiful young slave girl, Teodora.  He offers her a pendant, which she takes before disappearing.  Later when the slave girl is captured and brought to the emperor for trial, he demands that she be severely punished.  Teodora escapes and returns to her lover, Arcal, who is about to compete in a chariot race, representing the ordinary people of Byzantine against the ruling Patriarch.  Teodora takes Arcal’s place and wins the contest, redeeming herself in Justinen’s eyes.  The emperor makes the former slave girl his queen, a move which angers his entourage.  When Teodora uses her position to improve the lot of ordinary people, her opponents start to plan her downfall...

Like many grand historical epics, the Franco-Italian production Teodora was an achievement for its time but, several decades on, it appears unimaginably kitsch and dated.  The spectacular set-pieces (including a magnificently choreographed chariot race) and elaborate sets are still impressive, but the dialogue and general quality of acting rob the film of any sense of realism or drama.    This is one of a number of lavish historical films made by the Italian director Riccardo Freda.

© James Travers 2001

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