Damon and Pythias

The original title of this film is "The Tyrant of Syracuse", and as a study in tyranny in the days of classical antiquity, it is very interesting, as it poses Greek philosophy and its traditions from Pythagoras against the military autocracy with its rule by military force run by the dictator Dionysius in a kind of pre-Christian concept. Plato's disciple Dion actually went across to Syracuse in an effort to convert the tyrant Dionysius from his dictatorship to philosophical humanity, which noble effort of idealism pitieously failed - a tyranny is hopelessly a tyranny as long as it lasts. Here the friendship between one philosophical adherent and a reguilar opportunist of Syracuse is posed and tried against the rule of oppression with some interesting and positive results, as human feelings always will overcome any inhumanity. The actors are good enough apart from the women, who desperately try to turn it all into a sob story, which naturally isn't successful. The music is also excellent and gilds the story, which in itself is good enough to make this film more watchable than any crtical cineast would think. In brief, a dashing adventure of the antiquities.