El Cid (1961) review

African emir Ben Yusuf (Herbert Lom) is preparing to conquer Spain in the 11th century but level-headed Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (Charlton Heston) is ready to tussle, although before their big confrontation Don Rodrigo has to first defend himself against allegations of treason, is forced to kill Count Gormaz (Andrew Cruickshank), the father of his one true love Chimene (Sophia Loren), and then finds himself in the middle of a feud between Princes Sancho (Gary Raymond) and Alfonso (John Fraser).  While this historical movie (with a cast full of Brits and Italians) is bloated and filled with a sense of self-importance - the Christ comparisons start early, with Don Rodrigo carrying a cross - it's reasonable to admit that Heston possessed a larger-than-life ego that could carry something like this, because it requires a delicate balance of arrogance and warmth (which supposedly he didn't show towards his co-star Loren during production).  The costumes, sets and several thousand extras contribute to its "epic nature," and even though Mann was never the most graceful of filmmakers, the final product is passable for those who enjoy sand with their sword battles.