Director Carol Reed paints us, the audience, a portrait of the relationship between artist Michelangelo (Charlton Heston) and the Warrior Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison) based on the novel by Irving Stone. Pope Julius II has just commissioned the artist to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling despite Michelangelo wanting no part of it. The two Renaissance's most colorful figures play a game of cat and mouse, as one is persistent and will not cease until he gets what he wants which is Michelangelo's painting his ceiling. The other figure, Michelangelo is an artist who did not want to paint, stubborn and resisted to all things "normal". He is not stubborn just to be stubborn. He can follow the suggestions of others unless it pertains to art, particularly his art. He knows what he wants and he has reasons for believing that his way will be best. His work on the Sistine Chapel would often bump heads with the strong mind Julius on issues of nudity, and how to portray God's work. The battle of wills fueled by artistic and temperamental differences gives us the audience, a great dramatic historical film. The combination of Michelangelo's varied background as sculptor, painter, poet, architect and engineer, his own personal weaknesses and vanity, and his unremitting drive which enabled him to conquer overwhelming disappointments and find satisfaction in difficult and backbreaking work makes gives the movie its title. Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison are very great in their role as I feel the acting is amazing. Still Charlton Heston feels a bit playing over the top wooden in the role and Rex Harrison is a bit too wordy. The cinematography in the film is breath taking and scenic. I love the scene in which Michelangelo emerged from the cave to find a beautiful sunset giving him his idea for the Sistine Chapel ceiling. It reminds me of how man first came out of the caves dwellings life and into a life of innovative thinking. So Renaissance like. The soundtrack by Alex North is a brilliant score. Oscar nominated work right there. One of the faults of the film is the pace of the movie is very slow to the point, it's snail like. 138 min is the final run time. Historians were quick to point out that the film was even less historically accurate than the Irving Stone bestseller on which it was based. This movie is only a small part of the book and Michelangelo's life. There was a lot of interesting parts left out in order to make the entire movie about the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Yes, Charleton Heston nor Rex Harrison look nothing like Michelangelo or Pope Julius II, but it's true that Michelangelo and Julius were stiff-necked, driven men who use reverse-psychology on each other to get what they want. Another issue about the film is the issue of Michelangelo's sexuality. The movie has Medici's wife in love with him while history states that he might had be homosexual. I know in the 1960's, it would be shocking to see Charleston Heston play a homosexual character, but with all the Homoeroticism art Michelangelo did, it would more historical accurate. In my opinion, it's better to cross out the love story, and focus more on his struggle with the ceiling. The locations scenes in Italy do well in evoking the early 16th Century in Italy. Still, the streets a bit too clean for 16th century Italy. If you are not hooked on historical accuracy and are willing to see Charlton Heston be in pained for several hours, you may enjoy this film. Essential to watch for any art fan.
Review of The Agony and the Ecstasy
