MovieChat Forums > Quo Vadis (1951) Discussion > Heavily spoofed in History of the World ...

Heavily spoofed in History of the World Part 1

posted 15 years ago by kronosq
3 replies | jump to latest

I was surprised to see that this fact wasn't mentioned on the movie connections page on this site. I've since added it.
Consider:

DeLuise's Nero was much in tribute to Ustinov's Nero - forcing people to listen to his awful poetry, lamenting his boredom, expressing feelings of martyrdom at being so oppressed by the needs of his people, etc. He is also depicted as rather stupid.

The Empress is depicted in both films as a calculating, lustful being.

Marcus Vinicius (Quo Vadis) is parodied by name as Marcus Vindictus. (History of the World)

In History of the World, Vindictus's approach to be presented to Nero is marked by the emperor's dresser reminding him repeatedly to "remember thou art mortal," whereas in Quo Vadis, Vinicius is being reminded repeatedly to "remember thou art but a man."

[–] Tjcat 15 years ago

I was introduced to Quo Vadis at the tender age of 10 and fell in love with it. Using my mother's cake cooling rack, I would perform my own rendition of Nero singing. My singing was probably more grating to the ear than Nero himself or even Peter Ustinov.

The first time I saw History of the World Part I, the "Remember thou art mortal" scene made me grin ear to ear because I knew it was from "Remember thou art a man" in Quo Vadis!

FYI: the man in History of The World carrying the wreath above Vindictus's head is Howard Morris better known to fans of the Andy Griffith Show as Ernest T. Bass!

[–] poetcomic1 13 years ago

That is a HOOT. All the other kids would get garbage can lids and play swords and fight - I would throw a beach towel toga around me and play Nero "Send me the Christian woman, I am weary of these Phrygian dance girls." I was seriously screwed up kid.

[–] cwente2 12 years ago

You certainly were a "seriously screwed up kid"! Ain't NUTHIN' so good as a "Phrygian dance girl"!!!