MovieChat Forums > The Robe (1953) Discussion > Marcellus Then and Now

Marcellus Then and Now

posted 17 years ago by mercury4
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When they made The Robe they tried to get Tyrone Power to play Marcellus. I wish he would've. Tyrone Power, in my opinion, is a better actor than Richard Burton. I think Burton overacts too much. He's too overdramatic in those "Were you out there," scenes. Tyrone Power would've been great. Under trivia on here it says that Richard Burton considered this his least favorite film. That's even more of a reason why I wish Tyrone Power was in it instead.

If they remade The Robe I would really like to see Mel Gibson play Marcellus. If not Mel Gibson then Tom Cruise. I would like to see Joaquin Phoenix as Caligula. He looked more like Caligula than Commodus in Gladiator. I would also like for Jim Caviezel to play Peter. As far as Jesus goes, they should do just what they did in the original and not show his face.

[–] ivyandstone 17 years ago

"As far as Jesus goes, they should do just what they did in the original and not show his face."

I agree with you on that (shows respect), and I like Mel Gibson, but Marcellus was supposed to be a young man, and Mel is no longer young. Good actor, nice looking, but NOT young.

Tom Cruise -- I just can't see him as anyone other than Tom Cruise, possessor of very unusual religious beliefs and giver of some truly bizarre interviews, but that's probably my failing, not his. I just can't separate Tom Cruise, actor, from Tom Cruise, possible whacko.

[–] gaelicguy 17 years ago

I agree about not showing Jesus, more for dramatic effect, frankly, than respect. I didn't know Burton said that this was his least favorite film. He has some superb moments and some that make want to hurl - as I've posted here before, his is quite the uneven performance.

The point about age is well made - Burton was 27 when The Robe was filmed and I agree that neither a 52 year old Gibson nor a 45 year old Tom Cruise would be suitable. I think Marcellus' calls for an actor with gravitas - after all, this is a character who enjoys all the pleasures this life has to offer and morphs into a character who sacrifices all for the promise of heaven.

Surely there any number of young actors who can play the part, but none come to mind just now.

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[–] mercury4 17 years ago

Forget what I said about Cruise. I take him back. But Mel Gibson, in my opinion, is a much better actor than Richard Burton. Richard Burton overacts too much. There are so many scenes of him yelling where I just start laughing. I don't really see Marcellus as a young man at all. If you watch Passion of the Christ, none of the Romans during the crucifixion are young men. Tyrone Power wasn't a young man when they tried to get him to play Marcellus. He was pushing 40. If he took the role you would be seeing Marcellus differently. I don't think Richard Burton looked 27 anyway. He looked older. I think an older actor would be fine. The actor that played Abenader, the Roman in charge of the crucifixtion in Passion of the Christ, was 50. Gibson thought he was too old for the lead in Braveheart. Thank God he reconsidered.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] gaelicguy 17 years ago

I think Burton is at his best in this movie during his less bombastic scenes with Demetrius, where he conveys that despite the barriers between them he actually likes Demetrius and wants Demetrius to think of him as a friend.

This is a very good point, Bilwick1. Marcellus admires Demetrius' Greek heritage, demands that he's unchained and trusts that he will do as he is told and not run away and, indeed, Demetrius, a man of his word, complies. Marcellus does make a good point about neither of them having many friends in Palestine and, by extension, blurs the Master and Slave boundary. Demetrius, of course, won't accept that and gives him a wise response.

I think Burton's scenes in Cana show his friendlier side and I am always moved when the Robe falls on Marcellus' sword and touches him. Fright morphs into liberation and, again, Demetrius looks heavenward, fully confident that Marcellus is 'saved' right then and there!

The scene that gives me chills is Marcellus looking out of the window of his Roman home as Demetrius lay, dying on his bed. "Father, in Heaven, he was among the bravest and best of Thy servants. Why has Thou abandonded him?" Marcellus' prison scene with Diana and the very last scene are the best of Burton's scenes in the film, IMO.

He does pile it on in the "Were you out there?" scenes and there are moments when I still have to turn away from the screen, but whatever the flaws, this film never ceases to impress me, move me, and it remains with me for days on end - some very fine acting, a compelling narrative and, I believe, the magnificent score, negate the film's many shortcomings.

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