| El Cid | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Anthony Mann |
| Screenplay by | |
| Story by | Fredric M. Frank |
| Produced by | Samuel Bronston |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Robert Krasker |
| Edited by | Robert Lawrence |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 184 minutes |
| Countries | Italy United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7–9 million[1][2][3] |
| Box office | $26.6 million (US/CA)[4] |
El Cid is a 1961 epic historical drama film directed by Anthony Mann and produced by Samuel Bronston. The film is loosely based on the life of the 11th-century Castilian knight and warlord Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, called "El Cid" (from the Arabic al-sidi, meaning "The Lord"). The film stars Charlton Heston in the title role and Sophia Loren as El Cid's wife Doña Jimena, spelled "Chimene" in the script and pronounced that way (shim-ain) in the film. The screenplay is credited to Fredric M. Frank, Philip Yordan and Ben Barzman, with uncredited contributions by Bernard Gordon.
During the late 1950s, Samuel Bronston had established his own production studio in Madrid, Spain. To strengthen cordial ties to the Spanish government ruled by Francisco Franco, Bronston began developing a biographical film of El Cid. During his reign, Franco had admired and compared himself to El Cid.[5] In 1960, Bronston purchased Frederic M. Frank's script, and hired Anthony Mann to direct the film. Philip Yordan was later hired to rewrite the script, although Mann later recruited Ben Barzman to write the final screenplay. Before principal photography began, Bronston purchased the rights to a rival biographical film developed by Cesáreo González's Aspa Films, making the film an Italian co-production. On a $7 million budget, El Cid began filming in September 1960 and concluded in April 1961.
El Cid premiered on December 6, 1961 at the Metropole Theatre in London, and was released on December 14 in the United States. The film received largely positive reviews praising the performances of Heston and Loren, the cinematography, and the musical score. It went on to gross $26.6 million during its initial theatrical run. It was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, and Best Original Song.
- ^ Welles, Benjamin (January 1, 1961). "'Reign in Spain'". The New York Times. p. X5. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
- ^ "Bronston Pix Collective". Variety. 17 January 1962. p. 5 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Allied Artists New Beef Up". Variety. June 1961.
- ^ Klady, Leonard (February 20, 1995). "Top Grossing Independent Films". Variety. p. A84.
- ^ Rosendorf 2007, pp. 90–91.