World History: The Hollywood Version – Classical Antiquity – Review

Andy Rohmer new series of books, World History: The Hollywood Version, is a delightfully witty insightful stroll through the annals of history and how Hollywood has adapted it, twisted it and sometimes downright changed it to suit its needs. I say this is a new series by Rohmer as his previous series, Writers-on-Film, was also a must-read critique of the intersection of literature and Hollywood.

The latest book in the series explores how Tinseltown has portrayed the period of Classical Antiquity (490 BCE to 476 CE) on film. One might have assumed the sword-and-sandal epics were a thing of the past, but Rohmer scrupulously goes through a number of recent examples – Alexander, Gladiator, Agora, The Eagle. Many of these films put bone-headed actions sequences before thoughtful depictions of the period, but Rohmer does reserve praise Neil Marshall’s Centurion for its ‘(historically accurate) portrayal of matriarchy and the first feminist sword-and-sandal after years of closet gayness’. Of course, the 1950s were probably the apex of Classical Antiquity being portrayed or mutilated, if you will, on film and Rohmer gives us plenty of analysis and behind the scenes content on such Sunday TV staples as The Robe, Ben Hur and Demetrius and the Gladiators. However, if any reader feels protective of these types of films I should warn you that Rohmer doesn’t hold back on their faults. Of Charlton Heston, a stalwart of these types of epics, Rohmer criticises his ‘atrocious diction, rolling r’s and spitting syllables like a Method actor high on coke.’ All of the book is engrossing, and the cattier the review, the more fun it is to read.

All in all, this is a compelling volume which enhances the overall series. Reading it will leave you hungry for Rohmer’s take on the next Hollywood epoch.