El Cid (Allied Artists) (1961)

Scale, Sweep of ‘EI Cid’ Told InProductionData Squadrons of the finest cavalry in the world, an armada, the women of whole villages, the smiths and forges of a giant foundry, jewelers, antiquarians, painters, and virtually every able-bodied man in a 50-mile stretch of Spanish Mediterranean coastline took The spectacular Samuel Bronston Super Technirama Technicolor presentation starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren begins a special engagement at the..«......... CHEAUED 5 es Sas after extended runs as a roadshow across the country. Heston plays the lusty medieval warrior-hero of the title, which means “The Lord,’ or “Leader,” and Miss Loren, the Lady Chimene, who after plotting the great knight’s death was to become his wife and fight beside him in one of the most celebrated love stories of history. More than 12,000 of the people of Spain alone, where most of “El Cid” was filmed, flung their energies and talents into the creation of this cinematic retelling of a mighty drama directed by Anthony Mann. Spain profited by the visitation by Bronston and his movie-makers, since they restored many of the crumbling castles used in “E] Cid,” and to the people of Peniscola, on the Mediterranean coast, Bronston presented the great Moorish gates he had caused to be wrought and set into the walls of the ancient city where he re-staged, first, the siege, and then the defense of Valencia by El Cid’s forces. The filming of these scenes consumed five weeks. It was for them that the Spanish Army lent its cavalry, Madrid sent 500 riders of her famed Municipal Honor Guard, the “every able-bodied man” call went. out, and commercial ships were converted into a black-sailed Moslem armada. North of there, the company moved to the fabled castle country of Valladolid, and at two of the most colorful castles director Mann shot the scenes of El Cid’s young manhood. One of the most beautiful works of Gothic architecture in all Europe is the castle of Belmonte, overlooking the province of La Mancha, stamping ground of Don Quixote himself, This became the setting for the jousting tournament of Calahorra, in which El Cid slays the giant champion of Castile. Bronston did not merely restore and use old Spanish structures. One of the largest sets ever built, the Cathedral of Burgos, rose on the back lot at Sevilla Studios, Madrid, and was used for only three scenes —the wedding of El Cid and Chimene, the coronation in which El Cid forces King Alfonso to swear his innocence of his brother’s death, and the scene of the hero’s prayer as he leaves Burgos for exile. The task of arming the film’s 7000 Christian and Moorish knights went to the Garrido Foundry of Toledo, makers of some of the world’s most finely tempered steel, whose craftsmen took three months turning out the broadswords, maces, scimitars, battles axes, lances, and daggers. More than 10,000 new costumes were created for “E] Cid,” including some 700 dazzling garments of velvet and brocade, made by Italy’s Peruzzi & Cerratilli. part in the making of “El Cid.” Research on El Cid’s times took antiquarians all the way from the archives of Spain’s Escorial to the museums and opened Moorish tombs of Sicily, a Moslem stronghold until the 16th Century. Less than 36 hours after completion of the last scene scheduled to be shot in Spain, the Bronston company resumed work 1100 miles away in Rome, where the picture was completed at Titanus Appia Studios. “El Cid,” starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and is distributed in the Western Hemisphere by Allied Artists. The screenplay is by Fredric M. Frank and Philip Yordan, EL CID MAT 1F Raf .Vallone .(above) .plots .ihe death of El Cid in the picturization of Spain’s warrior-hero, “El Cid,” NOW:-at. the ee oe theatre with Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren topping the cast. In Super Technirama Technicolor, the film is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and was directed by Anthony Mann. Rat Vallone Plays Heston's Rival in ‘Cid’ Raf Vallone is cast as Charlton Heston’s rival for the hand of Sophia Loren in “El Cid,” now playing a special engagement Biber GINOscos Meee as to ee theatre. Vallone, an Italian star, has been seen also in “Bitter Rice,” “Two Women” and “View From ~ the Bridge.” FILM OF VAST SCOPE NOW HERE “El Cid,” epic film with vast scope is: now. abthe: jcdaeon ce theatre with Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren starred. It is the story of El] Cid, legendary figure of Spanish history. The film in Super Technirama Technicolor is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions. It was directed by Anthony Mann. EL CID MAT 2] John Fraser as Prince Alfonso and Genevieve Page as Princess Urraca are shown in a scene from “El Cid,” story of Spain’s great hero now at the PR ee tie in theatre with Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren top billed. In Super Technirama Technicolor, the epic film is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions. EL CID Chariton Heston (left) and Christopher Rhodes meet on the field of Calahorra where their combat-to-thedeath in “El Cid” rocks the screen for eleven breathtaking minutes as one of the most spectacular scenes ever fied. Starring Heston and Sophia Loren, the film in Super Technirama Technicolor is at the........ race theatre and is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions. SPECTACULAR One « the most spectacular motion picture scenes ever filmed, the Tournament at Calahorra, eleven breathtaking minutes of combat to thedeath in which Charlton Heston is pitted against Christopher Rhodes, is a _ high“ght of “El Cid,” starring Heston and Sophia Loren and now at the pst aon oe theatre. In Super Technirama Technicolor, the film tells the story of Spain’s famed llth Century warrior-hero and is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions. FI Cid Hailed As Man Of True Greatness A man of enduring greatness. Not many men live in such manner as to earn that description. History tells of the relatively few. One of them, one of these men of enduring greatness, was born Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar in the 11th Century. Spain has Known him and revered him ever since as El Cid, a phonetic adaptation of the Arabic “seid,” meaning lord or leader, a name. given him by his Moorish enemies in recognition of his unusual character and _ leadership ability. El Cid at once was a great warrior, strong and fierce and brilliant, and a lover, tender, understanding, forgiving. And the stories of his soldiership, of his defeat of the Islamic hordes that invaded his land and would have driven to the very core of Europe often have been told. So also have been the stories of his love for Chimene, the beautiful Castilian noblewoman whose feeling for him turned from burning love to almost killing hate and then back again to a love knowing no bounds. Until now, this gripping story had never been brought to the screen. But now, in “El Cid,’ a Samuel Bronston presentation starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, it may be seen on the screen of GHE aceon. eee theatre where it is playing a special engagement after scoring hits in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and other cities as a roadshow attraction. The Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions is in Super Technirama Technicolor and was directed by Anthony Mann. It is being distributed in the Western Hemisphere by Allied Artists. Adapt Old Ideas; Make New Fashions For Today As any student of fashion knows, there is nothing really new under the sun; for today’s fashions, smart designers merely adapt old ideas. For brilliant color combinations, they may look to Thailand; for classic evening styles, they may turn their eyes to Greece; for delicate patterns, they may draw from Japan. An excellent example of something old that is also something new is found in some of the exquisite costumes worn by the beauteous Sophia Loren in Samuel Bronston’s presentation of “El Cid,” now in a special engagement at UNOS as conte theatre. Miss Loren, cast as the Castilian noblewoman Chimene_ opposite Charlton Heston, who plays the title role, particularly liked wearing the rich brocades and damasks Which were authentic replicas -of the fabrics of the 11th Century when El Cid became Spain’s great warrior-hero. She also wears what is probably one of the first pinafore dresses ever to be worn, a form fitting wool sheath with a braided neckline and bejeweled girdle winding around the waist and crossing seductively over the hips. Under this she wears a richly embroidered, high collared blouse with long, tight sleeves, This today is high fashion, In two of her outfits, the glamorous star uses the modern mixmatch. For her brilliant wedding, she wears a classic ivory damask gown with long sleeves and high neck, and over this she wears a Sleeveless robe of ivory damask edged with gold braid. Later in her bridal chamber she wears a delicate long-sleeved chiffon nightgown with this same sleeveless robe serving as her peignoir. The stately Genevieve Page, as the Infanta Urraca, wears a gold mesh snood, and with all the hair tucked inside the effect is elegant simplicity — and this suggests a GLITTERING One of the most glittering scenes Of EL Gids now ab the ay 6c theatre in Super Technirama Technicolor, is the royal command wedding of Charlton Heston, as El Cid, and Sophia Loren, portraying Chimene. The film tells of the exploits of El Cid, who drove the Islamic invaders from Spain in the llth Century. The picture is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions. perfect style for today’s theatregoing (or for the date when the hair isn’t in the best shape). Another beautiful idea for evening occasions is seen in the long silk searf worn by Miss Loren, worn draped first around the head snood-fashion and then allowed to fall widely around the shoulders, held in place by a large jeweled pin. Linking her costumes to history, Miss Loren says: “We sometimes are surprised when we look back into history and run across vaguely familiar finery. But we must remember, history got there first and our designers have merely borrowed from it and done a bit of adapting here and there. It’s always permissable, of course, to add a dash of difference for charming effect.” “El Cid” is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Films Productions, was directed by Anthony Mann and is being distributed in the Western Hemisphere by Allied Artists. The film is in Super Technirama and Technicolor. ELCID.. “MAT: 1H Genevieve Page is seen as Princess Urraca in “El Cid,’ Charlton Heston Sophia Loren starrer telling the story of Spain’s llth Century warrior-hero and now at the...... ee ee theatre in Super Technirama Technicolor, The epic film is a Samuel Bronston Production in association with Dear Film Productions and was directed by Anthony Mann.