MARCO POLO is a peplum stab at the famous story, and very much of its type for the era. I found it mildly charming although it pales in comparison to the better films of its kind, including the one that followed this and borrowed the locations, SAMSON AND THE SEVEN MIRACLES OF THE WORLD. Rory Calhoun plays his Marco as a lecherous womaniser, dawdling around from one adventure to the next, getting involved with a kindly Kublai Khan and a bald-headed advisor and big bad. There are Bond-style torture devices, some firework spectacle, romance with the gorgeous Yoko Tani, and a nice sidekick. Not a huge amount of action, but they make up for this with some impressive visuals throughout, notably an excellent panoramic shot at the very end.
Review of Marco Polo
