Gianna Terribili-Gonzales

In ancient Rome, tyrannical Emperor Caligula is assassinated through the machinations of Messalina. She then makes a conquest of Marcus, who forces the Senate to name her husband, Claudius, as emperor. Messalina's wicked ways continue when she falls in love with Ennio, a slave. Ennio is also loved by Egyptian princess Mirit, but he loves neither of them, preferring the company of Ela, a Greek slave.

Based loosely on Shakespeare's play, Plutarch's "Life of Antony", and Pietro Cossa's dramatic poem, "Cleopatra", this movie was spectacular for its time. It offers location shots made in Italy and Egypt, large crowd scenes (e.g., the Roman army embarking in Alexandria), lots of emotional drama (Marc Antony & Cleopatra, his wife Octavia, sister of Antony's rival Octavian, unhistorically coming to Alexandria to beg him to return to her, and some mean, mean looks exchanged between Octavia and Cleopatra.

An ageing couple, Papa Martin and his wife Genovieffa, live modestly while their son Armando and goddaughter Amelia complete their studies away from home. When the young pair return to celebrate Armando’s law degree, a debt collector exposes that his qualification is forged and demands repayment. To protect his son’s honour, Papa Martin sacrifices his own comfort, returning to work and sending Armando away to start anew. As time passes, the family’s love, guilt, and redemption intertwine in a heartfelt story of sacrifice and moral reckoning.