The Agony and the Ecstasy (film)

The Agony and the Ecstasy (film)

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The Agony and the Ecstasy
Theatrical release poster by Howard Terpning
Directed by	Carol Reed
Produced by	Carol Reed
Written by	screenplay by Philip Dunne Carol Reed from the novel by Irving Stone
Starring	Charlton Heston Rex Harrison Diane Cilento Harry Andrews Alberto Lupo
Music by	Jerry Goldsmith Alex North
Cinematography	Leon Shamroy
Editing by	Samuel E. Beetley
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release dates	October 7, 1965 (1965-10-07)
Running time	138 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$7,175,000[1]
Box office	$8,000,000[2]

The Agony and the Ecstasy is a 1965 film directed by Carol Reed, starring Charlton Heston as Michelangelo and Rex Harrison as Pope Julius II. The film was partly based on Irving Stone's biographical novel of the same name. This film deals with the conflicts of Michelangelo and Pope Julius II during the painting of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling. It also features a soundtrack co-written by prolific composers Alex North and Jerry Goldsmith.^[3]

The film was shot in Todd-AO and Cinemascope versions. The Todd-AO version was used for the DVD release because of its superior picture quality.

Contents

[show]

• 1 Synopsis
• 2 Cast
• 3 Production
• 4 Awards
• 5 References
• 6 External links

Synopsis[edit]

See also: The Agony and the Ecstasy (novel)

Michelangelo Buonarroti, a sculptor from Florence, is first commissioned to craft the Pope's tomb in Rome. Instead, Pope Julius II orders him to paint frescos on the Sistine Chapel ceiling depicting the 12 Apostles. After his first attempt at painting the Apostles, he destroys his work and flees to Carrara to quarry Carrara marble. He evades the pope's guard and flees into the mountains, where he becomes inspired.

On a battlefield, Michelangelo convinces the Pope to change the grand design and paint not just the panels of the ceiling, but the entire vault. The work proceeds nonstop, even with mass in session. Months turn to years. Michelangelo is accused of blasphemy and heresy by portraying Pagan symbols and myths, but is allowed to continue. Bounarroti suffers from blindness as a result of paint poisoning, and fatigue from overwork. While recovering, the Pope's architect Donato Bramante pressures the Pope to use Raphael to finish the ceiling. But Michelangelo garners the strength to continue. Meanwhile, the Pope's army is threatened by French and German forces, and Cardinals recommend fleeing Rome to safer territory. The painting scaffolds are torn down, and the commission is given to Raphael. Insulted and beaten, Michelangelo packs for Florence. Raphael, impressed with the work done, pleads with Bounarroti to finish his work. Contessina de'Medici, a former lover, convinces Bounarroti to beg the Pope for the commission again. A battle-bruised Pope is convinced a sacking of Rome is in order, but gives permission to continue painting.

Late at night in Rome, a war-torn and ailing Pope criticizes the images of God and Man (in The Creation of Adam), claiming they are too serene. The Pope becomes bed-ridden, and denies a request to stop painting the chapel ceiling. The conclusion is a mass where the congregation is shown the completed ceiling. After the congregation leaves, the Pope offers Michelangelo work on painting the lower walls, but seeing his own life fading, the Pope rescinds and asks him to complete the tomb.

Cast[edit]

• Charlton Heston – Michelangelo
• Rex Harrison – Pope Julius II
• Diane Cilento – Contessina de'Medici
• Harry Andrews – Bramante
• Alberto Lupo – Duke of Urbino
• Adolfo Celi – Giovanni de' Medici
• Venantino Venantini – Paris De Grassis
• John Stacy – Sangallo
• Fausto Tozzi – Foreman
• Maxine Audley – Woman
• Tomas Milian – Raphael

Production[edit]

This section requires expansion. (April 2013)

The re-creation of the Sistine Chapel ceiling for the film was largely by the Irish painter Niccolo d'Ardia Caracciolo.

Awards[edit]

The film was nominated for five Academy Awards:^[4][5]

• Best Art Direction (John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Dario Simoni)
• Best Costume Design (Vitorio Nino Novarese}
• Best Score (Alex North)
• Best Sound (James Corcoran)
• Best Cinematography (Leon Shamroy}

It was nominated for two Golden Globe awards:

• Best Actor (Rex Harrison)
• Best Screenplay (Philip Dunne)

It won two awards from the National Board of Review:

• Best Supporting Actor (Harry Andrews)
• One the Year's 10 Best

It won the Best Foreign Film from the David di Donatello Awards.