El Cid
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El Cid

Year:
Duration:
182 min
Genres:
Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | Romance | War
IMDB rate:
7.3
Director:
Anthony Mann
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 8 nominations
Details
Country: Italy
Release Date: 1961-12-14
Filming Locations: Sevilla Studios, Madrid, Spain
Earnings
Budget: $6,250,000
Gross: $26,620,000 (USA) Rentals $12,000,000 (USA)
Cast
Actor
Character
Raf Vallone
Raf Vallone
El Cid
Charlton Heston
El Cid Rodrigo de Vivar
Sophia Loren
Jimena
Geneviève Page
Princess Urraca
John Fraser
Prince Alfonso
Gary Raymond
Prince Sancho
Hurd Hatfield
Arias
Massimo Serato
Fanez
Frank Thring
Al Kadir
Michael Hordern
Don Diego
Andrew Cruickshank
Count Gormaz
Douglas Wilmer
Moutamin
Tullio Carminati
Priest
Ralph Truman
King Ferdinand
Christopher Rhodes
Don Martín
Carlo Giustini
Bermúdez
Gérard Tichy
King Ramírez (as Gerard Tichy)
Fausto Tozzi
Dolfos
Barbara Everest
Mother Superior
Katina Noble
Nun
Nerio Bernardi
Soldier (as Nelio Bernardi)
Franco Fantasia
Soldier
Herbert Lom
Ben Yussuf
Antonio Mayans
(uncredited)
Paul Muller
Arabian Assistant Doctor (uncredited)
Paul Naschy
(uncredited)
Rosalba Neri
Harem Girl (uncredited)
Robert Rietty
Fanez (voice) (uncredited)
Virgilio Teixeira
(uncredited)
Did you know?
Trivia
The first film to be shot at all three of Madrid's large studios: Sevilla, CEA, and Chamartin.
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El Cid's sword "Tizona" can still be seen in the Army Museum (Museo Del Ejército) in Madrid. Soon after his death, it became one of the most precious possessions of the Castilian royal family. And in 1999, a small sample of the blade underwent metallurgical analysis which partially confirmed that it was made in Moorish Cordoba in the eleventh century, although the report does not specify whether the larger-scale composition of the blade identifies it as Damascus steel. In 2006 "El Museo Del Ejércitp" (The Army Museum) was moving from Madrid to Toledo and apparently the sword was not available to be seen in public. El Cid also had a sword called Colada.
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Michael Hordern who plays Charlton Heston's Father is only 14 years older than Heston .
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Goofs
In one shot of the dead El Cid atop his horse, Charlton Heston can be seen to blink.
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When he is fighting another king's champion, the figure of Rodrigo, as he is being run into by his opponent's horse, is clearly a motionless stick-figured dummy with Rodrigo's armor on it.
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After talking with Rodrigo on their wedding night, Jimena has a stern look on her face. With the next cut, slightly closer, she is visibly upset with tears already streaming down her face.
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Quotes
Ben Yussuf: The Prophet has commanded us to rule the world. Where in all your land of Spain is the glory of Allah? When men speak of you they speak of poets, musicmakers, doctors, scientists. Where are your warriors? You dare to call youselves sons of the Prophet? You have become women! Burn your books! Make warriors of your poets! Let you doctors invent new poisons for our arrows. Let you scientists invent new war machines! And then, kill! Burn! Infidels live on your frontiers. Encourage them to kill each other. And when they are weak and torn, I will sweep up from Africa, and the empire of the One God, the true God, Allah, will spread, first across Spain, then across Europe, then the whole world!
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Moutamin: [after El Cid claims Valencia for the King] What a noble subject, if only he had a noble King.
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Jimena: Can you forgive me, Rodrigo?
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Faq
Q
"El Cid"---Was It Filmed in Spain?
A
Chicago Sun-Times, Wednesday, December 13, 1961, p. 62, c. 1:KUP'S COLUMNYou think, maybe, the armies of the world have but one responsibility, to defend the precious soil of their native lands?Then you haven't reckoned with the persuasive charms of the motion picture industry. One of the more recent trends in the movie-making business is "renting" armies. The soldiers come fully equipped and trained and are far less costly than hiring and rehearsing movie extras. We're prompted to bring this to your attention by the use of regular armies in such movies as "The Longest Day" and "El Cid."Many Persons Were Surprised that the Pentagon had given Darryl Zanuck permission to use regular military personnel and equipment in filming "The Longest Day." Our government's policy, apparently, is to provide such personnel it the movie is in the best interests of the nation. "Longest Day," the story of D-Day, written by Cornelius Ryan, apparently qualifies. Zanuck, as producer, has to defray whatever costs are involved in transporting, housing and feeding the troops he uses. He reportedly has expended $300,000 for this purpose, which is peanuts compared to what his costs would b in hiring, training and equipping a similar number of actors.The British Army is Available for movies, too, but on another basis. The producer must provide the same pay for each soldier that an actor would get And this sum goes into the British Army's benevolent fund. This discourages producers from making too frequent use of the army. The French Army also is for rent, but its policy is similar to the British, hence you don't see much of this one on the screen, either. Zanuck probably is the first producer who was able to make deals for all three armies--U.S., British and French--in "The Longest Day."South American Armies also are frequently employed in movies. Once upon a time these were comic-opera armies, available for a few pesos slipped under the table to a revolutionary general, always temporarily in command. Times have changed somewhat. When United Artists decided to film "Taras Bulba," starring Tony Curtis, in Argentina, the studio learned it would cost the equivalent of $7 per man per day for the use of the army. The studio didn't mind the fee, but when the soldiers stopped whatever they were doing promptly at 4:45 p.m. because that was the end of their normal day, the studio realized it was in for trouble. But little did they realize what trouble was ahead. The soldier-actors were called off the movie for 11 days because of a general strike in Argentina. The studio reportedly ordered the army to settle the strike and return to movie-making--or else.There Are Other Armies that not only come cheaper to movie producers, but actually seek the work. Yugoslavia's army, for instance. A number of Hollywood producers shot their movies in Yugoslavia largely because the army was available, at little or no cost. Any producer in need of five or six thousand soldiers would leap at the offer. The Greek Army, too, is available and willing. In fact, the Greek Army was outstanding in "Lion of Sparta," one of the finest performances by an army. Seldom has an army been so brave.One of the Most popular armies, for moviemaking thiat is, is Spain's. The colorful uniforms are especially dear to the hearts of the producers. And the Spanish Army, ever willing to oblige, will do something no other army will do. Their soldiers will don enemy uniforms. That's what they did for Samuel Bronston, producer of "El Cid," starring Charlton Heston. All that the Spanish soldiers demanded for portraying the enemy was a little more money than for playing themselves. In this case, Bronston crossed their palms with a few extra pesetas and he had two armies.Our only fear is that Hollywood may now add an Oscar for the best acting army._________________________________
Q
Midwest Premiere Happened When & Where?
A
The Midwest Premiere of the hit Allied Artists film, El Cid, a Samuel Bronston Production, happened on Thursday, December 21, 1961 in Chicago at the Cinestage theatre (Dearborn & Lake). An ad read: "The Greatest Romance and Adventure in a Thousand Years!"
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Photos from cast
Raf Vallone
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