Rating: 7 out of 10, one of the most memorable epic movies from my childhood when I was fascinated by all things Ancient Roman and it still holds up well. This is the story of the burning of Rome by Nero and persecution of the early Christians. It is all told with the backdrop of the romance between Taylor as General Marcus Vinicius and Kerr as Lygia. Both of these actors were real movie stars and the pageantry of the movie in undeniable. This was when a cast of thousands literally meant that with no CGI. This movie also contains a healthy dose of preaching with big parts for both the apostle Peter and Paul, but its more of a tribute to the courage of the early Christians. The romance is a huge stretch as it's completely unbelievable that Kerr's character could have fallen for the unbearable Taylor as quickly as she does. Ustinov is completely over the top as the Emperor Nero - he should have toned it down a whole lot. This is still a great epic and something you can share with the entire family.
MVP: Genn, a great actor, as Petronius, lends a great deal of nuance and voices the audience's disdain for the mad antics of Nero
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