Atlas Against the Cyclops (1961) - full transcript

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(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] Centuries have
passed since Ulysses outwitted

the enchantress Circe and
blinded the cyclops Polyphemus.

The thirst for vengeance of
the sorceress and the cyclops

still continues through their descendants.

(dramatic music)

- You may go now.

And you too.

At the first light of dawn,

the village of Koss will
be completely destroyed.

Once we have finally
captured King Agisandro



and his only son, the last
descendants of Ulysses,

we will accomplish the revenge
we have sought for so long.

(cyclops grunting)

(dramatic music)

- Help, help, help, help!

(man shouting)

(villagers shouting)

- Burn everything!

Burn everything!

(villagers shouting)

(man shouting)

(villagers screaming)

(man screaming)

Destroy everything.



- Penope, Penope, we're being attacked.

Hurry, hurry, you must run to safety.

- No, I want to stay here with you.

- But you must save yourself and our son.

You must take him into the mountains.

- I want to stay here with you.

Agisandro, please let me stay here.

I won't run away without you.

I beg you, I beg you.

I don't want to live without you.

- You must flee, Penope.

You must try to save
yourself, I'm ordering you.

(baby crying)

(dramatic music)

(Agisandro groaning)

- Save yourself, my queen.

Give me the child.
- No, no!

- I'll take him to a place
of safety, to Maciste.

- Here, I must go back for my husband.

Take him to Maciste, save him!

(soldier shouting)

Save him!

- All right, follow me now.

(dramatic music)

(man groaning)

(somber music)

- Take it.

Here, take it.

- [Guard] My queen, the army has returned.

- Koss is destroyed.

King Agisandro is dead, and
this is his sword I bring you.

- And where is his son?

What happened to his son?

- You explain.

- I caught sight of a man who
was fleeing with the baby,

and I followed him,
and I even wounded him.

But he disappeared.

Pardon me, my queen.

- Blundering idiot.

You too, you have been
derelict in your duties.

You are no longer an officer.

Give me your sword.

Arrest this man.

You'll finish your days in a prison cell.

As for you, this is what you deserve.

- Stop!

You shouldn't have done it.

He could've been useful to
us in finding the child.

But we'll find him just the same.

- And Penope, the mother, is
she with the other prisoners?

- Of course, all the
women were taken captive.

- Let's go and have a look.

(prisoners moaning)

- Silence, here comes the queen.

- I want to know whether
your queen is among you here.

- Speak up!

They don't talk.

- Then make them talk then.

- Begin the lashing.

(prisoners shouting)

- Unfortunately, the soldier you killed

was the only person
who'd seen Queen Penope.

And he could've recognized her.

- That's enough.

- Stop lashing.

- Select 10 of them as a sacrifice.

- You, you, you, and you.

and all of you outside.

(prisoners moaning)

- What happened?

What are we doing here?

(dramatic music)

(baby crying)

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

(lion growling)

(baby crying)

(lion growling)

- Don't cry, little one.

That's better, that's better.

- [Efros] Maciste.

- [Maciste] Efros.

- He is the only son of Agisandro.

- What?

- Today our village was totally destroyed

by the soldiers of Capys.

King Agisandro died in battle.

- Say no more, Efros.

I will go and get you some water.

- No, no, it's useless.

It's finished now for me.

Maciste, it was our queen
Penope who entrusted him to me

so I could take him away to safety.

- And what about her?

- She's a prisoner of Capys.

- We're lucky, little one,
that's Aronius coming.

Hey, Aronius.

- Maciste.

- Give me some news, Aronius.

This is the son of Penope and Agisandro.

- But who was able to save
him from that slaughter?

- Efros, he arrived here mortally wounded.

- You know you should never have gone away

from the village of Koss.

You alone could have saved
those innocent people

from the cruel wrath of
the wicked queen of Sadok,

who is not yet satisfied
with the blood she has shed.

Give him here to me.

I'll take care of him like a little lamb.

I know what to do.

- I hand him over to you.

Queen Penope is a prisoner
together with the other mothers.

I must free them.

- Yes, Maciste, go.

Go to Sadok, punish the
cruel and perfidious queen

and liberate the mother
of this poor innocent.

I shall conceal him well inside
my shepherd hut on Mt. Rama.

Go now, the gods will not
abandon us in our need.

(dramatic music)

- Bring the horse of the queen.

(regal fanfare music)

- Bring the horse of the queen.

- Where are you going, Capys?

- Have you also begun to spy on me?

- No, my queen.

The sky is black with clouds

and the storm is becoming more violent.

- Don't tell me you're frightened.

- For you.

I'll go with you.

- No, I want to be alone.

- Alone, but why?

- For what reason do you
ask so many questions

of your queen?

- Because I love you.

- That is a word you are
far too fond of repeating,

and you know that I don't want to hear it.

I don't know what you
mean when you say love.

(dramatic music)

- [Sibyl] May your heart be still, Capys.

- For how much longer, Sibyl?

For much longer?

Why must I go on supporting the
burden of this ancient curse

which compels me to live
only for the sake of hatred?

- [Sibyl] Vengeance is
fed soley by hatred.

You cannot rebel against
the will of Circe.

- I'd much rather be dead in that case

if I am unable to free
myself from this evil.

- [Sibyl] The evil curse
will endure until the day

the cyclops devours the last
of the descendants of Ulysses.

- Yes, I know this very well.

The only son of Agisandro.

- [Sibyl] Only with him
will vengeance be fulfilled.

The cyclops will die and you
will begin to live a new life.

- But the child escaped
from the sack of Koss.

He was taken to a place of safety.

I don't know where.

That is the reason I've come to you here,

to find where he is.

And you must help me.

Tell me, where have they hidden the child?

- [Sibyl] He has been
taken away by a strong

and generous man whose name is--

(thunder rumbling)

- What's his name?

His name, repeat it again.

Repeat it, I say!

- Go away, get out!

(rocks rumbling)

- [Capys] Help me up.

- Are you hurt?

- Why did you save my life?

- We must help each
other, especially women.

They are the essence of life.

- [Capys] It was you who
provoked the anger of the gods.

- Me?

- Entering here, you profaned
the temple of the sibyls.

- The all high gods should
not destroy the sibyls' temple

but Capys, the bad queen of Sadok.

- What do you know about
the behavior of Capys?

Who are you?

- Maciste.

- What an unusual name.

Does it have any meaning?

- It means that I am born from the rock.

- And just where have you come from?

- I have come from the mountains,
and I'm going to Sadok.

- To Sadok?

- Yes.

- Come, let us leave this place.

That is the road that leads to Sadok.

We will meet again very soon, I hope.

After all, I owe you a debt of gratitude.

- Your injury is not a
really serious one, my queen.

It will soon be well again.

- And yet I might have been killed.

- Been killed?

- Been killed?

- Yes.

The fury of all the gods have
been unleashed against me.

I would now be under the ruins
of the temple of the sibyls

if a man who's strength is
really exceptional, handsome,

generous to others, had not
happened to save my life.

- My queen.

My queen.

I have good news.

- Speak out.

- One of the prisoners hoping
to escape the sacrifice

has revealed the name
of the child's rescuer.

He is a primitive man.

He lives in a cave in the mountains.

He's a man endowed with
fantastic, incredible strength.

His name is Maciste.

- Maciste.

And do you know where he is?

- No.

- I do.

He's here in Sadok.

- In Sadok?

- Yes.

I want you to find this man and
bring him to me here, alive.

- As you wish, my queen.

- You both can go now.

(dramatic music)

- One, two!

- Come on, move it!

- Come on.
- Hold a second.

- Use that for a lever.

Put it under the axle.

More this way.

That's it.

All right, bear down on it.

(wood cracking)
(soldier shouting)

Help us, somebody help!

- We've got to lift the cart.

- Hey you.
- Who, me?

- Yes you, come here and give us a hand.

Can't you see we need a little help?

Get underneath there, go on, lift!

Come on, all of us together lift.

- Hurry, hurry, it's crushing me!

- Lift it higher!
- Help!

- All right, come on.

You're alive.

You might've been killed.

Look at that.

I've never have thought he
could've done it all alone.

Wonderful.

- Thank you, you saved my life.

- Are you badly hurt?

- [Soldier] No.

- Seeing that you're so strong,
you can help us some more.

We have to carry that jar inside.

- That one?
- Yeah.

- Inside there.

- Yes, in there.

Come on, give him a hand there.

Now take it easy.

Steady.

Careful.

(dramatic music)

Don't drop it.

- Look at him.

- What a man.
- Come on, steady.

- Look.
- Come on.

This way.

Careful.
- It's incredible.

- Come on.

- Watch your step.

Slowly.

Watch where you're going
and don't let it drop now.

We're almost there.

Here we are, put it down now.

- Hands off.

- I see you live very well here.

- [Soldier] Don't think that's for us.

- For whom then?

- They give it to the prisoners.

- The prisoners of the queen?

- Yeah.
- I heard very bad talk

about your queen.

I see that she is treating them very well.

- Treats them well?

(soldiers laugh)

- Have some, taste how good the wine is.

After all, you've earned it.

(prisoners shouting)

- What is that screaming I hear?

- Those are the prisoners
you hear complaining.

They have delicate stomachs
and they don't like

the good food we give
them to eat. (laughs)

- And who are you?

What are you doing here?

Get out of here, get outside.

I say get out of here, you heard me.

Get out, you heard me.

(soldiers laugh)

Are you deaf or something?

I told you to get out of here.

- Would you look at him?

(Maciste laughs)

- What are you laughing at?

- That's enough now.

- Hey!
(wine splashing)

Help, help, help!

(soldier groans)

(heads thud)
(soldiers groan)

(dramatic music)

- Come on, what are you waiting for?

Eat something, you women.

What's wrong?

Here's all this good food, and
you don't want to touch it.

- Mama, can't I have something to eat?

I'm so hungry.

- No, they're only
trying to poison us all.

- What do you mean poison you all?

Just watch me.

You and you, you're both too thin.

You should put on some weight, eat some.

Eat it!
- No!

No!
- Eat it, I say, eat it!

- No, no!
- Eat it!

(whip cracking)
(woman moaning)

(dramatic music)

- Maciste.

(gong chiming)

(soldier shouts)

Maciste.

- Here I am, Penope.

- Maciste, where is my son?

- He is safe.

He is in a hut high in the mountains.

A friend of mine is taking care of him.

Don't despair, have faith, Penope.

I'll take care of you

and all your people.
(gong chiming)

- Maciste, listen, they're
sounding the alarm.

- Save yourself, Maciste.

Save yourself while there's still time.

Run away, you must think
about my poor child.

- I'll be back.

I'll be back soon and save you all.

(dramatic music)

- What's going on here?

- I don't know.

We were suddenly left in the dark.

We heard someone scream.

- One man has disappeared.

- And some men are dead.

- There must be an intruder.

- Quickly, search for him.

- Where?

- In the dungeons.

You two stay where you are.

Maciste, I am Sirone,
don't you recognize me?

- Yes, of course.

- You can escape through here.

Take you outside the palace.

They know where you have
concealed the son of Penope.

The place where you left
him is no longer safe.

Hurry, the soldiers of Capys
have already left to find him.

There's not a moment to lose.

You'll find a horse waiting.

You must ride fast to
overtake the soldiers

and reach the mountainside before they do.

Take the child to safety
at once, is that clear?

- Yes.
- Then go now.

(dramatic music)

- We can't get through
this way any longer.

Turn back, turn back!

- Aronius.

- [Aronius] Maciste.

- Where is the baby?

- [Aronius] He's asleep in the hut.

And Penope?

- Unfortunately, I can't
free her yet, but I will.

Capys knows everything and the
soldiers are coming for her.

We must leave here immediately.

Give me the baby.

- There is a cave that only I know about,

a hidden cave which is
impossible for them to find.

It's on Mt. Rama.

If you go this way,
you'll reach it quicker.

- I'll go first and wait
for you on Mr. Rama,

but you'll have to hurry.

Take your sheep.

And then I will go back to Sadok.

I know how to get into
the palace, all right?

- Penope.

Penope.

- But how did you learn my name?

- I know you, and as you
see I have not betrayed you.

I prevented you from
revealing who you are.

- But why?

- Ever since I saw you again,
I thought of no one else.

- But when was it that you saw me before?

- My life was saved by your father

when my village was destroyed.

Since that day, I have
lived here as a soldier

in the guard of Queen Capys.

That is why I am dressed in this uniform.

Your sorrowful eyes remind me
of the man who saved my life.

- But what will become of us?

- Trust me, Penope.

(women laughing)

(dramatic music)

- [Maciste] Excuse me please.

Could you tell me--

(woman screams)

(women shouting)

- I found him in the
Forest of the Vestals.

- In the Forest of the Vestals.

How is this possible?

Do you know this man?

Have you ever seen him before?

- No, no.

- Poor fellow.

So you wanted to play
games with the Vestals?

How did you get into that forest?

Answer me!

Look at me!

Speak up!

(wine splashing)

(Maciste shouts)

No, wait.

You're a strong man, and
you don't like my wine.

You would like to meet some Vestals.

Then I'll introduce you to my Vestals,

but they're a bit more
ferocious and a bit more hungry.

Now we'll have some entertainment.

Take him to the pit.

(gate grinding)

(lions growling)

Do you like my Vestals?

(lions growling)

(lions growling)

(Iphitos laughs)

I invented this game.

(lions growling)

(lion growling)

(lion growling)

(lion growling)

- No, no!

Help me!

Help, help!

Help me!

Help me out!

Help, help me!

(man screams)

- Stop this.

Queen Capys has given
orders that the prisoner

be brought into her presence immediately.

(dramatic music)

- [Mumba] I found him in
the Forest of the Vestals.

- Go and leave me alone with him.

- My queen, that's not wise.

He's dangerous.

- I told you to leave me alone with him.

That also means you.

- I see you are not afraid of me, Capys.

- We have met again, and
much sooner than I expected.

- [Maciste] I am your prisoner.

- That perfidious Queen Capys has to pay

her dept of gratitude to the
person who saved her life.

I'm not really as evil as you think.

I wanted the thunderbolt
to come to my aid.

Instead what has fallen
is a thunderbolt of Venus.

I'm no longer a queen now

but only a woman just like all the others.

- Now I see why you
wanted him captured alive.

- You will have my guest accompanied

to the most beautiful
apartment in the palace.

- Your guest?

- Obey at once.

- Do as the queen commands.

- Follow me, come on.

(Capys laughs)

- Stupid fool.

Before I kill him,

I want to find out what he's
done with the son of Agisandro.

And when I shall have
obeyed the will of Circe

by giving the child to be
devoured by the cyclops,

you will reign with me.

- Who goes there?

- [Sirone] Inspection.

- Hey, inspection.

- Inspection.

- Open up.

Close it again and return to your post.

- What is it?

- Good news, Penope.

Maciste is safe and sound.

He's upstairs in the palace
as a guest of the queen.

- Were you able to speak with him?

- Yes, but it wasn't easy.

The queen doesn't leave
him for a single moment.

I shall help him to save your life.

- The terrifying news is
they're going to remove us

from here tomorrow morning at daybreak.

- We shall have to act this very night.

- May the gods above protect you.

- [Sirone] Before daybreak, you will see

that door open to free you.

- The shades of evening
are about to descend on us.

The night always makes me afraid.

- Afraid of what?

- Of my solitude in life.

- Why?

- I know that I am that evil Queen Capys

whom you wanted to see punished.

- Forget what I said before.

I am a prisoner of your beauty.

Your prisoner.

- A prisoner you say?

You would like to run away I suppose.

Why don't you answer me?

You would like to return to
your own home, wouldn't you?

Tell me, can you see
from here that mountain

where you say you live?

- No, it's far away from here.

- And is there anyone
waiting for you up there?

- No one.

- Then take me there with you.

Let us both flee together.

From the moment that I first
met you, I lost my senses.

I didn't believe that
love was able to unleash

such a violent turmoil
in the soul of a woman.

- Love, do you really
know what love means?

- Why did you go down into the prison?

Which one do you love there?

- All of them.

- They're only prisoners.

- You should never say this word again.

They're innocent people,

unarmed and defenseless
and deserving to be pitied.

(cyclops shouting)

- What's the matter?

- Nothing.

- But what is it?

- [Capys] Nothing, nothing leave me alone.

- Maciste, Maciste.

We must act immediately to save them.

They're going to take
them away this very night.

- And tonight we will take
them to safety on Mt. Rama.

From there we can defend
ourselves if need be with stones.

At the waning of the
moon, wait for me here.

- Very well.

(upbeat drum music)

- Some wine.

Why don't you drink?

Do you fear it might impair your vision?

Be careful then.

A woman can have much
the same effect on you,

especially if she's as lovely as my queen.

- I see you prefer wine rather than women.

- I have no choice.

I am a devoted subject
and an obedient servant

of the most beautiful descendant of Circe.

And she also has the power of
transforming men into beasts.

(Maciste laughs)

- If I should become an animal,

I would like to have my own choice.

I wouldn't like to be a pig. (laughs)

- A bull perhaps.

- Not a bull, a stag who
can run through the forest

and be free.

- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.

- According to you, I have the power

of transforming men into beasts.

- As I said to him, I
didn't intend to offend you.

- I ought to have your tongue cut out.

- Instead of cutting out my tongue,

why don't you make him talk?

Did you find out anything about the child?

- So far I haven't.

I'm trying again tonight.

- I count each day that remains.

I long for your salvation.

I love you, Capys.

It torments me terribly each
time that man comes near you.

- Nothing gives you the
right to show your jealousy.

You seem to be restless.

What are you looking at?

- The moon, the sea,
and an island far away.

- It's an island that's uninhabitable.

They say there are only
wild animals living there.

- Is that Polyphemus Island?

- Yes, that's right.

- [Maciste] They say that the last

of the cyclops lives there.

- The people love to tell such legends.

- The moon is descending, and
she's inviting us to our rest.

- Or inviting us to think of love.

- Love, Capys?

It's time I was leaving.

- The evening is young.

Why do you want to leave in such a hurry?

Come, won't you drink
some more wine with me?

Sit down.

How long the night is when one is alone.

And I've never liked being left all alone.

Ever since you came into my life,

you've made me forget everything,
even my duties as a queen

and my pride as a woman.

Everything.

You have made me only a
woman who has fallen in love.

What are you thinking of?

Why do you have nothing to say?

- It is difficult for me
to find the right words.

I'm a humble man, son of the mountain,

just like the rocks where I live.

- That is exactly why I love you.

(dramatic music)

(Iphitos laughs)

- Evidently he's extremely
sensitive to your lovemaking.

Where is Agisandro's son?

Where is the child?

Where is he?

Speak up!

Where is the child?

Are you sure those herbs
will make him talk?

- Yes, Iphitos.

- Listen, Maciste, you must
tell us where I can find

the son of Agisandro.

Where did you hide him and with whom?

Speak up!

- Rama.

- What did you say, Rama?

Repeat it.

- Yes, in the cave up
in the Rama Mountains.

A shepherd is taking care of him.

- The shepherd, what's his name?

- Aronius.

- [Iphitos] Aronius the shepherd.

- Those herbs can even
make a dead man talk.

- The child is being taken
care of by a shepherd

whose name is Aronius.

Take him to his cell

and don't let him out of
your sight for an instant.

(dramatic music)

- Follow me.

- Are you Aronius?

No, don't be afraid, I'm
not going to harm you.

I'm a friend of Maciste's.

There's not a moment to be lost.

We must find a safe hiding
place for the son of Agisandro.

This place is no longer safe for you.

- Have they discovered my hiding place?

- Yes.

Give him to me.

- Have you slept well, my friend?

Unfortunately, sleep often
betrays the strongest men.

Men often talk in their sleep

and reveal their innermost secrets.

Do you know where Iphitos is?

He is on Mt. Rama.

He went to get the son of Agisandro.

- No.

Oh, what a headache.

It feels like it's splitting.

I must go now.

(Maciste groaning)

(Maciste groaning)

(Maciste groaning)

(pot shattering)

(dramatic music)

(Mumba moaning)

(dramatic music)

- Aronius, Aronius!

(women gasping)

- Which one of you is Penope?

None of you, huh?

Bring him in.

- The baby.
- The baby.

- The baby.
- He's got the baby.

(women chattering)

(baby crying)

- Then the mother of
this child is not here?

Are you sure?

- No, he's mine, he's mine!

Oh, my darling, I'm here.

Mother's here.

Don't cry, they won't hurt you, darling.

- Your majesty.

(women shouting)

(dramatic music)

- [Guard] Stop, who are
you, what do you want?

- Let me pass.

Where is the baby?

I know you have sent for him.

- What's that?

I don't understand you.

- Liar.

I know you have drugged me
to find the hiding place.

Speak up.

- It wasn't I who gave the drug to you.

It was Iphitos, I'm sure of it.

- Liar, I hate you.

- And I love you, Maciste.

I love you.

And I shall give you the proof of my love.

I shall save the baby's life.

- You know where he is then.

- Yes, I know where he is,

and I should've been there with him also

if your love had not
completely changed my nature.

- Capys, where is Iphitos?

Where did you hide the baby?

- Iphitos is trying to put
an end to the evil curse

that has persecuted me
ever since I was born.

- It might be too late.

Where is he?

- [Capys] Iphitos is taking him

to the island of the cyclops.

Perhaps we're still in time to save him.

Come with me.

- Thank you.

Mm, it's good.

- At your orders, my queen.

- Put the ship to sea immediately.

- Lay all hands to the oars!

- Ready!

Row!

(man drumming)
One, two, one, two.

(man drumming)
One, two.

(man drumming)
One, two, one.

- We absolutely have to
overtake that galley.

- Come on, row faster!

(man drumming)
- Faster, faster, one, two.

(man yawns)

(man yawns)

- What has happened?

Why have the oarsmen stopped rowing?

Go below and see.

- Right away.

- I'll go.

- Watch out, Maciste!

(dramatic music)

(Mumba shouts)
(water splashes)

(smacks cracking)

- No, he's been drugged too.

- Mumba has drugged all of them.

What are we doing to do?

There's no way on Earth
to save that baby now.

(baby crying)

- Faster!

(man drumming)

- We will save him, I promise you.

- Faster, Maciste, faster!

- Row faster!

(man drumming)

Faster, faster!

Come on, hurry.

- No, no please!

No!

No, my baby.

I beg you.

- Move.

Come on.

In there.

- No!

- [Iphitos] Come on, this way.

- No, let go of me!

Let go of me!

My baby.

Oh, my baby!

Let me go!

My baby!

My baby!

Murderer!

No, help!

Help!

Help, help!

(Penope screams)

- In there.

- [Penope] Help!

Help, help me!

- She's alive, we're still in time.

- [Penope] Help!

(Capys shouts)

- Capys.

Oh no, Capys.

(baby crying)

No, no, let me go!

No, let me go!

(Iphitos screams)

(cyclops growls)

(Penope screams)

(cyclops growls)

(cyclops growls)

- Gods give me strength.

(cyclops growls)

Get in the cage.

I'll save you.

(dramatic music)

(cyclops growling)

(cyclops growling)

(cyclops groaning)

(cyclops shouting)

(baby crying)

(cave rumbling)

(cyclops shouting)

(dramatic music)

- Sadok has been freed
from tyranny and terror.

We are here to lay down our
arms at the foot of the throne

of Agisandro the Second
who, from this day forward,

will reign over all of us.

And you, Queen Penope,

who have experienced such great suffering,

will see that he grows in
wisdom and that he will be

as strong and as generous
as brave Maciste.

Therefore, let us pray that
the favor of the all high gods,

both for your and for
our future well-being,

shall always be shown to him.

(crowd cheering)

- Silence!

Silence!

Now that the son has been
restored to his mother and the

rightful king to his people,
I shall leave you, Penope.

- But won't you stay with us, Maciste?

- I must go now.

I cannot stay with you here any longer.

I must fight on.

I must help people who have need of me.

The gods be with you.

(dramatic music)

(crowd chattering)

- Thank the gods for Maciste!

(dramatic music)