Lee Eisenberg Mario Camerini's "Ulisse" ("Ulysses" in English) is a fun romp, with Kirk Douglas as the Greek warrior who spends years trying to return to Ithaca after participating in the destruction of Troy. A lot of the movie is corny, but no one watches these movies expecting the sort of material that you'd see in a Stanley Kubrick movie.Probably the greatest adaptation of "The Odyssey" is the Coen brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", starring George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson as escaped convicts in Depression-era Mississippi (it has one of the greatest soundtracks ever). Watching this version, I kept picturing the characters from the Coens' movie.All in all, this movie definitely hits a Homer!

anglhnsn1 I remember seeing this movie at about 8 yrs. old; I thought it was thrilling; I enjoyed it a lot better than Jason & The Argonauts; If any one knows where I can purchase the DVD/VCR please let me know; I've been waiting such along time to see it again. I think this is one of Kirk Doughlas' best; a lot of action and a good story; it doesn't matter if it were true or not, I think it was very well done; I was fully entertained; I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this movie. I think Kirk Douglas is such a great actor; I don't believe there were any of his movies that I didn't enjoy. He can play any character; I don't know if he ever won an Oscar but if he hasn't, he should have.

bkoganbing Kirk Douglas entered the sand and sandal genre six years before his acclaimed Spartacus with this version of Ulysses and his long voyage home from the wars of Troy. If you'll remember your classical history, and the recent movie Troy, Ulysses was the guy who finally broke the siege at Troy with that wooden horse gambit. But as the Greeks ran amuck in Troy, behaving very much like barbarians, Cassandra the high priestess of Poseidon, called on the big guy to do his very worst to Ulysses. Of course in the film Poseidon is called by his Roman name of Neptune.As Ulysses, Kirk Douglas invests the part with his own combination of aggressiveness and charm. It ain't exactly the classics, but realize that the film was aimed at a juvenile market and it works out rather well. Even the grownups will get a good hearty laugh at how the clever Ulysses outwits the Cyclops.Silvana Mangano does very well as the long suffering Penelope, the wife of Ulysses who's needs just aren't being met and as Circe the witch whose profession kind of scares the guys away. Anthony Quinn has a small role as one of Penelope's suitors for the hand of the presumed widow. Why he took such a small part in a film I'm not quite sure, but this would be the first of three films he did with Kirk Douglas. The next one, Lust for Life would gain Quinn a second Oscar.Ulysses is not one of Kirk Douglas's greatest roles, but the film still holds up well today and kids and grownups will appreciate it.

Brent Beebe Kirk Douglas saves the film from otherwise becoming too languid. The director may have thought he was directing an "epic", but should've just realized he had another sword and sandle flick on his hands. The scenes which re-tell Ulysses journey are the best parts. Oh, and the end is kick ass as well. But again, without Douglas...