El Cid (Allied Artists) (1961)

Sophia Loren Wins Five Major Acting Awards Sophia Loren, the Italian beauty co-starred with Charlton Heston in “El Cid,” not only is an Academy Award winner but has won every major European award as best actress. Her new film, in which she plays the Castilian noblewoman Chimene loved by Spain’s 11th Century warrior hero, is a Samuel Bronston presentation and opens a special enPASEMECNL ON isa. cee nes at the Heston is cast as El Cid, the warrior who united Christian and Moor to drive the Islamic hordes from the country he loved. The film, in Super Technirama Technicolor, was directed by Anthony Mann. Miss Loren, who won Hollywood’s highest acting honor for her performance in “Two Women,” emerged as a top international star in 1961 after winning the Golden Palm Award at the Cannes Film Festival in France, the Bambi Award in Germany, and _ two Italian awards, the Silver Film Strip and the David di Donatello award. Her role in “El Cid” is as exciting as anything she ever has done. Portraying El Cid’s wife, she is called upon to depict a marriage which was in real life turbulent and dramatic. The epic film about Spain’s hero and the beautiful Chimene is included on the “10 Best Pictures of the Year” lists selected by many EL CID metropolitan newspapers and outstanding national magazines. The film comes here after scoring a sensational success in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and several other cities where it played as a roadshow attraction. “El Cid” is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and is being distributed in the Western Hemisphere by Allied Artists. MASSIVE Three scenes of massive proportions highlight the action in “El Cid,” story of Spain’s beloved warrior of the 11th Century, now at the ita cG Sees theatre with Charlton Heston in the title role and Sophia Loren as his co-star, The scenes are the Tournament of Calahorra, a duel to the death; Coronation at Burgos, at which King Alfonso is crowned king of Castile, and the Siege and Battle of Valencia. “El Cid” is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and was directed by Anthony Mann. MAT 2A Sophia Loren is pictured as Chimene, Castilian noblewoman who experiences a turbulent romance with El Cid (Charlton Heston), Spain’s war. rior-hero, in “El Cid.” The Super Technirama Technicolor film, now playing at the........ theatre, is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions. Anthony Mann directed the picture which Allied Artists is releasing in the Western Hemisphere. EL CID MAT 3C A quiet moment in the life of Spain’s great warriorhero El Cid (Charlton Heston) and Chimene (Sophia Loren), with whom he engages in a fiery and turbulent romance, is pictured in this scene from “El Cid,” Super Technirama Technicolor film, currently at the.................... theatre. The picture is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions. Anthony Mann directed the epic which Allied Artists is releasing in the Western Hemisphere. ‘0 ' ° scar Winners e . eg With ‘El Cid Participating importantly in the production of “El Cid,’ screen spectacle picturing the exciting and romantic life of Spain’s 11th Century warrior-hero, were six winners of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences awards. The “Oscar” winners include Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, who are starred in the Samuel Bronston presentation now in a special engagement at the........ 3. tea theatre after scoring sensationally as a roadshow attraction in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and many other. cities. The other “Oscar” winners associated with “El Cid” are writers Fredric M. Frank and Philip Yordan, composer Miklos Rozsa and cinematographer Robert Krasker. Heston won his “Oscar” for his performance in “Ben-Hur” and the gorgeous Miss Loren received the Academy’s award for her acting in ‘Two Women.” Rozsa three times has won an “Oscar,” the result of ithe scores he composed for “Ben-Hur,” “Spellbound” and “A Double Life.” Frank and Yordan won the award for their story contributions to “Greatest Show On Earth” and “Broken Lance,” respectively. Kraskei’s photographing of “The Third Man” won him the award. “El Cid,” in Super Technirama Technicolor, is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and was directed by Anthony Mann, It is being distributed in the Western Hemisphere by Allied Artists. Heston In Long Training For Title Role In'El Cid’ Charlton Heston, who stars in the title role in “El Cid,” arrived in Spain two months in advance of the start of production to begin a rugged physical conditioning program for the part of the 11th Century Spanish warrior-hero. The screen epic, a Samuel Bronston presentation in which Sophia Loren co-stars, will open a special engagement on.......... at It was included in countless ‘10 Best Motion Pictures of the Year” lists selected by metropolitan newspapers and top national magazines, and has scored successfully as a roadshow attraction in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and _several other cities. Daily horseback workouts were only a small part of Heston’s physical conditioning program. Each morning, under the tutelage of Enzo Musumeci Greco, one of Europe’s leading fencing masters, Heston and others went through a rigorous two-hour practice session with broadsword, mace and other weapons that were to be used in the film. During the afternoon, Heston attended a one-hour gymnasium class and then went on a walk, gradually increased in length until he had paced five miles daily. Heston, already lean and muscular, trimmed off 12 pounds during the conditioning program. When he stepped onto the sound stage for the first day’s shooting he declared himself to be in “the best shape of my entire career.” As El Cid, Heston is a courageous THE STORY (Not For Publication) Aroused by a fanatical Moorish war-lord, Ben Yussuf (Herbert Lom), Emirs of Spain raid a Castilian village where, after a battle, they are captured by Rodrigo (Charlton Heston). Compelled by stirrings of mercy, alien to those llth Century days of cruelty, Rodtrigo liberates the Emirs on their promise never again to attack Castile. For this, one of the Emirs, Moutamin (Douglas Wilmer), honors Rodrigo with the name of “Seid,” meaning lord or leader, and his countrymen adapted the title to their own tongue — Cid. In the court of King Ferdinand (Ralph Truman), however, El Cid’s act of mercy is misinterpreted, and he is accused of treason by his rival, Count Ordonez (Raf Vallone), and Count Gormaz (Andrew Cruickshank), father of his beloved Chimene (Sophia Loren). Even Chimene fails to understand his act. El Cid is brought to ‘trial, and during it his aged father, Don Diego (Michael Hordern), is insulted by Count Gormaz. El Cid begs an apology: it is refused: a duel ensues and Count Gormaz is slain. Before he dies, he asks Chimene to avenge him. She petitions the king for the court's official revenge. Her appeal is interrupted when King Ramiro of Aragon (Gerald Tichy) challenges King Ferdinand for possession of the border city of Calahorra. El Cid convinces King Ferdinand to permit him to fight Don Martin, Champion of Aragon (Christopher Rhodes). Thus, according to the custom of trial by combat, God would judge his guilt or innocence. Chimene, torn by conflicting emotions, asks Don Martin to avenge her father's death; King Ferdinand’s daughter, Princess Urraca (Genevieve Page), to taunt Chimene, gives her colors to E] Cid. The two mounted knights fight with shattering violence. El Cid kills his opponent. Later Count Ordonez visits Chimene, confesses his love for her and promises to kill E] Cid. She pledges herself to him in return. When El Cid is on a mission, his group is waylaid, but the attack is beaten off. It is discovered that the ambush was plotted by Count Ordonez, who tells El Cid that Chimene had offered herself as the prize if he succeeded in killing him. Despite Chimene's part in the murder attempt, El Cid still wants to marry her, and asks the king to order the wedding. Chimene accepts the king's command, but on her bridal night tells El Cid the marriage will become her means of revenge and that she will never live as his wife. At this time, the royal family of Castile is torn by the king‘s death. His two sons, Prince Sancho (Gary Raymond) and Prince Alfonso (John Fraser), quarrel over the division of the throne. Only the intercession of their sister, Princess Urraca, prevents a fratricide. Immediately, Ben Yussuf schemes to make the most of this quarrel, ar ranging the assassination of Prince Sancho, making it appear that he was killed by Prince Alfonso. Alfonso’s coronation is marred when El Cid forces the new king to swear, before the assembled nobles, that he is innocent of his brother's murder. Humiliated and made furious by E] Cid’s act, the king, in his first decree, orders the Champion exiled. On a lonely road near the border, the warrior-hero is met by Chimene, who begs his forgiveness and asks to join him in exile. Knowing, however, that Chimene cannot go with him and his little band of followers into Moorish territory, E] Cid leaves her at a convent. During the next few years, El] Cid tights under his own banner, winning many friends among the Spanish Emirs. Ben Yussuf now has landed troops on Spanish soil and has challenged King Alfonso. The king recalls El Cid to help defend the kingdom, but E] Cid refuses to help when the king rejects the aid of El Cid’s allies, the Spanish Emirs. El] Cid leaves, King Alfonso shouting curses after ‘him. EI Cid now visits Chimene and their two daughters whom he has never seen. He tells Chimene he will tight for Valencia, and speaks of the importance of winning that city before they may live together in peace. Later, in retreat from Ben Yussut, King Alfonso finds retuge where Chimene is staying. In his hatred for her husband, he holds her and the children as hostages. But Chimene, knowing the importance of the battle for Valencia, induces Count Ordonez to defy King Alfonso and take her and the children to EI Cid, outside the gates of the besieged city. The following morning, El Cid captures the city, and is presented with the crown of Valencia. Deeply touched, he accepts it, not for himself, but in the name of King Alfonso. This act of fealty moves King Alfonso to the realization of E] Cid’s devotion. Inside the walls of Valencia, El Cid watches Ben Yussut's hordes set up fheir camp on the beach. E] Cid plans a surprise attack. Leading his knights into the frenzy of battle, he is struck in the chest by an arrow. Barely able to ride his stallion, he gallops back to the city. Before showing himself to the townspeople, he breaks the arrow’s shaft and hides his wound. He decides that on the morrow a final attack must be made upon the enemy, and he makes Chimene promise that, alive or dead, he will again lead his men. King Alfonso arrives to join the battle. The next morning El Cid, at the side of his king, rides out to fight Ben Yussut's forces. Frightened by the seeming invincibility of Spain's greatest warrior, the enemy {flees toward their ships. With the enemy driven forever from Spanish soil. EI Cid rides down the beach, and the man becomes a legend. warrior who dreams for peace. But that peace is not to come to Spain until he has united Christian and Moor against the Islamic hordes and sent them into final retreat, Between exploits on the field of battle, El Cid is caught up in one of the great romances of all time, with Chimene, beautiful Castilian noblewoman, as the woman he loves. She is portrayed by Miss Loren. “El Cid,’ in Super Technirama Technicolor, is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and was directed by Anthony Mann. It is being released in the Western Hemisphere by Allied Artists. EL CID Spain’s great warrior-hero El Cid (Charlton Heston) is pictured as he prepares to joust to the death for the possession of the city of Calahorra in this scene from “E] Cid.” The Super Technirama Technicolor film currently at the........... theatre is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and stars Heston and Sophia Loren. Anthony Mann directed the picture which Allied Artists is releasing in the Western Hemisphere. MAT 1D