Musings!

Rik Battaglia and Joan Collins in ESTHER AND THE KING (1960) 

This movie is unique in the PEPLUM universe. It went into production just as a writers strike was looming and eventually occurred in Hollywood. The production moved to Italy and it suddenly became the final film we all know. Do I like it? Yes. There's a lot of stuff in it that's excellent. On the same hand, there's some stuff that fells rushed. Or not planned out. The production is good but not great. The move to Italy might have affected it. One things for sure, the cast changed radically, certainly the Italian cast like Rik. I doubt Rik was cast if the movie had stayed in Hollywood. So, the movie became a typical Italian one, which I have no issues with but I wonder how different it would have been if it hadn't moved due to the strike. Also, the film doesn't feel like a Raoul Walsh one. I love some of his other films, like THE REVOLT OF MAMIE STOVER (1956), which is seriously overlooked. That movie also stars Richard Egan, who plays the King in ESTHER. And the love story between Rik and Joan, and how things evolve when Esther ends up with the King (Egan). It's a bit on the superficial side. But even with these issues, I like it a lot. It just feels different or off at times.