One of my all time favorites.

Must See Movie...

Best movie of this year hands down!

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

A provocative tale of two of arguably the most influential figures during the renaissance – a famed sculptor whose reputation may have gone to his head, and a stalwart strong-willed decisive pope who not only was responsible for the spiritual lives of the citizenry, but for the sovereignty of the country.The two figures inevitably clash when the pragmatic cost-conscious Pope Julius II forces the hand of the artist (pardon the pun) to paint the ceiling of the Sistine chapel – a task that Michelangelo feels ill-suited of his great talent as a sculptor.And clash they most certainly do. For most of the film, each time they are together, we see them engaged in head butting. Their numerous disputes range from light moments of disgusted condescension to dramatic disrespectful outbursts. If we didn't already know of the existence of the masterpiece, we ourselves would wonder whether it would ever be completed.And yet, in the end, the dictatorial authority of one and the uncontrolled insolence of the other move both characters to achieve their goals. The rarity of their reflective discussions together only serve to amplify the depth of respect they have for one another, culminating in what I consider one of the most beautiful scenes in the movie where they discuss the images of God and Adam, to which the pope acclaims, "If I had to choose my life over again, I think I would choose to be an artist."Finally, they acknowledge that they both were instruments used by God to create such a masterful proof of faith that has stood the test of time.We are drawn to love and appreciate both characters, which the author masterfully develops to a point where they are transformed. But it isn't so much that their personalities change, but more so their outlook towards one another that undergoes a gradual transformation.

How befitting for Charlton Heston to play the head sculptor turned painter in this rather lavish production. Some of the lines were reminding me of "The Ten Commandments," the Lord creating man in his own image. As he was the under-dog in both 'Commandments' and "Ben-Hur," Heston assumed a similar role here.Nevertheless, he was over-shadowed by a memorable performance by Rex Harrison, as a pope intent on preserving religious battles and literally going out to battle in so called religious wars.The film deals with the battle between the pope and Heston character in that the former wanted the latter to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.It shows how both men bend and ultimately are on the same page. Devotion to religious values is surely a major theme of this very good film.

The film is an epic grandeur feature of a interpersonal tug-of-war between the maestro Michelangelo and Pope Julius II.I cannot help being shell-shocked to see the reconstruction of the magnificent ceiling though recognizably most of which is the trickery of montage (not in the real the Sistine Chapel, the location was inside Cinecitta Italy instead), but bathing under the glamour and solemnness of the visual wonders, I am stunned to exude my admiration and awe!The two leads conspicuously stimulate a Moses versus Caesar confrontation, Charlton Heston seems to be more boorish than artistic to manifest a struggled Michelangelo, may God doesn't distinguish his people by their looks. The "agony and ecstasy" is watered down to an underwhelming stalemate thanks to Charlton's outlandish incarnation as the most eminent artist of that time. Rex Harrison, is by far and large worthy another Oscar nomination for his arresting devotedness, which is apt to impress the audience with a mind-blowing bi-polar characterization while good and evil coexist at the same time.The film was a grave box office fiasco when it came out in 1965, however, judging by my appraisement, its merits still can be appreciated by our generation (a well-balanced script, the haunting original score and all the props and settings). However, the film entirely skipped Michelangelo's sexual orientation and awkwardly ploys a portentous conversation between Michelangelo and his admirer Contessina de'Medici (a over-wise Diane Cilento), which unveiled its cowardliness and helplessness.My final remark is that as time goes by ruthlessly, art stands still and never fades away, so lucky enough cinema is yet a part of it.

Okay, okay, it's not that bad, I just had to use that joke... Then again, it's a close thing in the early days. It begins with a 10-minute rushed bio of Michelangelo narrated by an American who's no Kenneth Clark... it sounds like those awful Disney documentaries. Lots of shots of Michelangelo's sculpture and so on...Then the movie gets underway and it's Heston as the artist and Harrison as the Pope. Except they always play the same types mostly, so it sort of lacks credibility. Harry Andrews wasted in a support role. Adolfo Celi, who played Largo in Thunderball one year earlier, is dubbed (badly) into American. Diane Cilento, Sean Connery's then-wife, is a not very attractive harpy type, a kind of love interest/shoulder to cry on. During one awful moment she bucks up the distraught artist, saying, "And get that ceiling finished!" sounding for all the world like some nagging housewife. "And then you're to fix the garden gate and call round my mother-in-law's!" It gets better as it goes on, after the interval. And it's good to see Harrison playing a more devout type, rather a rascally self-centred rogue. But much of it seems to be about conflict and argument for the sake of it, to create a drama of some kind.