Alexander the Great set out with an army in 334 BC to conquer the world and had just about conquered double what was known of western civilization at the time. Had he not died at the age of 33 touching on the borders of current India, who knows what might have happened.

Richard Burton with years of classical training behind him plays Alexander as the charismatic prince of Macedonia who arouses both the admiration and jealousy of his father Philip played by Fredric March.

The relationship between Philip and Alexander is what drives the film. The problems between them are not to unusual to more modern monarchies. The crown prince is always a rival source of power, by dint of his position he gets his own personal followers and that is always of concerned to the king.

In addition Philip is in doubt about his kid's paternity, doubt encouraged by his wife Danielle Darrieux, sick and tired of his infidelities.

As played by March, Philip is a parvenu, leading a warrior state and a man of little learning. He remedies that for his son by getting the best teacher around for him in Aristotle, played by Barry Jones. Aristotle gives Alexander the culture that Philip lacks and instills in him a belief of the superiority of Greek Culture against the rest of the world and it was his duty to spread it. Doesn't that ever sound familiar.

When Philip is assassinated, Alexander succeeds him and after securing the backing of the seven leading cities of Greece he moves east and south in an expedition of conquest.

Burton's performance is grand because in his speech and in his closeups you see all the various forces at work in Alexander, the idealism, the egoism, the arrogance, it's all there in various mixtures at any given time of the film.

The open homosexuality that characterized the production of Alexander in 2005 is not present in this film. The film does show Alexander's associates to be male which was not uncommon in Greek society back in the day and that women were there to breed, nothing more. Of course they were something more in terms of their own agendas as Danielle Darrieux plainly shows.

Might be a good idea to view both films back to back and see just how The Code affected productions back in 1956.

Impressive sets and costumes, gorgeous vistas and sensational battle scenes. Sounds like a great start for a big budget Hollywood epic, but storyline wise, it is majorly lacking in cohesive interest. Then there's the casting with Richard Burton commanding as Alexander but silly looking with rusty blonde hair. After a while, it's frustrating to try to keep interest with the massive number of characters so I found myself looking at the physical detail and trying hard to figure out where the dialog and each character fit in.

The first half of the film is much more interesting with the conflict between Prince Alexander and his father, King Philip (Frederic March) providing real drama that is identifiable through a historical context. March is better suited to his role than Burton is. It's interesting to know that a general of Alexander's (Ptolemy) usurped the throne of Egypt after his death and was an ancestor of Queen Cleopatra.

Of course in 1956, you couldn't tell the true story of Alexander (and 65 years later it still hasn't been told on film),but an early scene, there are insinuations after a playful sword fight where looks tell all you need to know. The very tight loin cloth on these gladiators hides nothing, showing that the code had begun to loosen up a little. Claire Bloom, a very gifted actress, is completely wasted. It's interesting that although third billed, Wikipedia does not even mention her character in its detailed plot synopsis. Peter Cushing is completely unrecognizable as Alexander's major enemy.

So what you don't get as a linear storyline is a beautiful epic of a piece of history worthy of being told on screen, and it is easy to become transfixed by the photography and costumes, although a varying shot of a burning city is used several times in the film to indicate conquest. Obviously too many ideas gave way to a confusing screenplay that is easy to lose its way and many viewers may lose interest even if they make it to the end, just to see all the opulence of the individual props that represent ancient Greece and a world that other movies gave us a better vision of.

Historic , big-budgeted and breathtaking epic movie with stunningly mounted battle scenes , but overlong , and a little boring pacing ; being many years later remade by Oliver Stone (2003) in a mammoth version . The movie centers Alexander the Great (Richard Burton at his stormy best and subsequently played by Colin Farrell) , the famous Greek conqueror of the fourth century and disciple of Aristoteles , he was born in Pella and died Babylone (356-323 B.C) . He was son of Philip II (Fredric March and in Oliver Stone's rendition played by Val Kilmer) , King of Macedonya , who vanquished the Greeks in Queronea , unified the cities and Greece in the league of Corinto , but he was cruelly murdered . It starts the year 326 B.C. in a divided , troubled , bloody Greece . Olympia (a delightful Danielle Darrieux , later performed by Angelina Jolie) , Alexander's mother , will stop at nothing to rule over for her son and proclaim him King . Alexander , disciple of Aristoteles (Barry Jones , after interpreted by Christopher Plummer),will fight Persians commanded by Dario the Great (Harry Andrews) who will be vanquished in Granico, Issos and Gaugamela. Alexander conquered Tracia , destroyed Tebas , submitted Capadocia, Lydia , Biblos , Sidon , Tiro , Jerusalem , Susa , Babylone , Persepolis (with firing included),Mesopotamia , Asyria and founded Alexandropolis . Alexander resolved the Gordian knot (by king Gordio) whose prophecy would become him as Emperor of Asia . But a vengeful Alexander kills various friends and generals as Cleitos (Gustavo Rojo) , Parmenius (Niall MacGuinnis) and Philotas (Ruben Rojo) . Emperor Alexander married Babylonian princess named Roxana and arrived in Samarcanda , Khiver pass (Afganistan) , Hifasis and India , crossed the Hindo-Kush where he was infected by fevers and died at 33 years old (323 before Christ) . The empire will split amongst various generals : Ptolemy inherits Egypt and Palestina ; Antioco : Antioquia ; Seleuco takes Syria , and Casandro rules over Macedonia and Greece . So mighty ... it staggers the imagination !The Mighty Story of a Conqueror Who Believed He Was a God!.The colossus who conquered the world! .Conqueror of conquerors! Spectacle of spectacles! The colossus of motion pictures!

Big budget epic about the legendary Greek conqueror . Here we find Alexander is the result of a dysfunctional royal family who wishes create an idealized world modeled in Greek style , this he does by conquering all around the world before dying at the age of 33 years old . The overall casting is important , the remarkable ¨middle order actors¨ include prestigious British actors as Peter Cushing , Stanley Baker , Niall MacGuinnis , Claire Bloom, Michael Hordern as Demosthenes , Helmut Dantine , Barry Jones and Spanish players as Marisa De Leza as Euridice , Gustavo Rojo , Ruben Rojo , Julio Peña , Virgilio Texeira and many others . The great main and secondary casting help to overcome the sluggish developing . Film runtime results to be overlong and a little bit tiring because of the running is about two hours and some and it tires too much. At the picture there are historic events , overwhelming battles , spectacular scenarios and gorgeous landscapes . First-rate production design : impressive temples , palaces , monuments..,the several battle scenes are effectively staged by a cast of thousands , featuring loads of arrows and spears . Grateful acknowledge meant is made of the co-operation shown by the Spanish government , its Army, the Ministry of Information and Turismo and to the officials and people of the various localities in Spain in which this film was made , such as : Madrid , Manzanares , El Molar and Malaga. Colorful and riveting cinematography by Robert Krasker , in Technicolor and Cinemascope ; similar to extraordinary and fascinating Mario Nascimbene's musical score , being well conducted by Franco Ferrara . Robert Rossen's direction is nice , though some moments seem to be a bit confusing and embarrassing . Rating : Although is a much underrated epic , it turns out to be a good movie .