Spear Movies

spear•movie /’spir ‘mû-v-é/ n 1 : motion picture depicting ancient people thrusting or throwing sharp-pointed weapons or blades  2 :  pre-Christian, biblical, Dark Ages or medieval cinema  3 : historical drama, usu. on an epic scale (genus Braveheart or Gladiator)

The following is a random chronological selection of films that we feel have, or have not, successfully depicted ancient times.  Of course, ‘nobody is interested in making a film like that any more’ -- right? 

You be the judge.

Napoleon (1927) - Abel Gance’s masterpiece, moody and psychologically intense.

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) - powerful vision of 15th Century France.

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) - Laughton is possibly the best ever Henry.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - and no one came close to Errol Flynn.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) - Bette Davis matches Flynn.

The Sea Hawk (1940) - the only pirate movie we’re including here, simply the best.

Henry V (1944) - Lawrence Olivier’s surreal Shakespearean masterwork.

Hamlet (1948) - not quite as spectacular as Prince Harry, but haunting nonetheless.

Quo Vadis (1951) - Peter Ustinov steals the show as Nero.

Scaramouche (1952) - one of the best adaptations of Rafael Sabatini swashbucklers.

Ivanhoe (1952) - highly fictionalized, but entertaining Walter Scott classic.

Young Bess (1953) - Jean Simmons is a luminous young Elizabeth.

The Robe (1953) - Tribune Richard Burton sees the light; surprisingly powerful.

The Egyptian (1954) - not the best ever Egyptian epic, but one of the best.

The Ten Commandments (1956) - DeMille out does his earlier b&w version.

Saint Joan (1957) - Jean Seberg is a luminous Joan.

The Vikings (1958) - very corny, enormously entertaining, great score.

Ben Hur (1959) - still the most impressive cinematic depiction of Ancient Rome.

Spartacus (1960) - heart-tugging, powerful and immensely human epic.

El Cid (1961) - Chuck Heston chews scenery, Sophia Loren steals the show.

Cleopatra (1963) - Taylor and Burton are magnificent; the best ever Egyptian epic.

Tom Jones (1963) - Tony Richardson’s bawdy adaptation of Fielding’s classic.

Zulu (1964) - rousing, powerful, tragic and heroic, magnificent ensemble piece.

Becket (1964) - a bit dry, but an interesting drama about political power play.

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) - Tony Mann’s epic, currently being remade.

Chimes at Midnight (1965) - Orson Welles’ ferocious and atmospheric triumph.

Andrei Rublev (1966) - Tarkovsky’s dreamlike time machine to medieval Russia.

A Man for All Seasons (1966) - excellent cinematic adaptation of Bolt’s superb play.

The Lion in Winter (1968) - superb and atmospheric; O’Toole and Hepburn rule.

The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) - wonderful insane ‘60s take on Victoriana.

Carry on Up The Khyber (1968) - we had to include one of these.

Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) - Glenda Jackson is a magnificent tragic Mary.

Macbeth (1971) - Polanski’s nightmarish, gripping twist on the Scottish play.

Fellini’s Roma (1972) - Ancient Rome on LSD, better than Satyricon.

Barry Lyndon (1975) - Kubrick’s sublime Thackeray adaptation.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - no one has done Dark Ages filth better.

Robin and Marian (1976) - Connery and Hepburn will break your heart.

The Duellists (1977) - Ridley Scott’s Napoleonic psychodrama.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) - the most quotable Biblical epic, evar.

Excalibur (1981) - Boorman’s insane, gleaming vision of Malory’s romance.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) - not bad; but Costner is no Flynn.

1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) - Ridley Scott delivers with grit and verve.

Gettysburg (1993) - Daniels, Sheen, Berenger in stirring Civil War drama.

The Madness of King George (1994) - interesting and atmospheric, if stagey.

Braveheart (1995) - Gibson revitalizes medieval epics, plays loose with facts.

Rob Roy (1995) - powerful and overlooked later Scottish saga, good swordplay.

Elizabeth (1998) - Blanchett is a stunning Bess in this epic with a strange MTV-vibe.

Gladiator (2000) - Ridley finds a powerful muse in gladiator Russell Crowe.

A Knight’s Tale (2001) - daft and silly, Heath Ledger in armor with Queen songs.

The Last Samurai (2003) - Tom Cruise is a ferocious Yankee Samurai.

King Arthur (2004) - dreary and improbable twist on the legend.

Troy (2004) - Wolfgang Peterson is no Homer; but spectacular nonetheless.

Alexander (2004) - Oliver Stone likewise reaches for the stars, with variable success.

Kingdom of Heaven (2005) - effective 12th Century crusader epic. Ridley was making this when we approached him with Blood Royal; talk about bad timing.

The New World (2005) - borderline spear movie, Malick’s magical Pocahontas tale.

Apocalypto (2006) - Mel Gibson’s gutsy, all-Mayan-speaking action epic.

Marie Antoinette (2006) - pop culture take on 18th Century French monarch.

300 (2006) - a gaudy historical comic book brought to life.

The Golden Age (2007) - sequel to Elizabeth manages to make Cate Blanchett boring.

Beowulf (2007) - mad motion-captured take on the Norse poem.

10,000 B.C. (2008) - preposterous caveman fantasy.

The Young Victoria (2009) - lovely Emily Blunt as the youthful British Queen.

Clash of the Titans (2010) - noisy remake of Ancient Greek fantasy.

The Eagle (2011) - more Romans on the rampage in Celtic Britain.

Game of Thrones (2011-2019) - Dark Ages HBO fantasy series.

Lincoln (2012) Spielberg’s Great Emancipator.

A Field in England (2013) Ben Wheatley’s English Civil War mind-bender.

Pompeii (2014) Ancient Roman disaster.

In the Heart of the Sea (2015) Victorian whalers ahoy!

The Lost City of Z (2016) mesmerizing Victorian explorer drama.

Dunkirk (2017) Christopher Nolan’s propulsive WWII thriller.

The Favourite (2018) gorgeous 18th century debauchery.

1917 (2019) The Great War in one take.

Benedetta (2020) Paul Verhoeven’s mad tale of 17th century nunnery.

The Last Duel (2021) Ridley Scott’s 14th century moral tale.

The Northman (2022) Robert Eggers’ wild Viking saga.

Napoleon (2023) Ridley Scott re-teams with emperor Joaquin Phoenix.

Gladiator 2 (2024) Ridley returns to Ancient Rome.

Cleopatra (2025) Zendaya stars as the young Egyptian queen in 58 BC.