El Cid is definitely one of my favourite films. Visually it is spectacular with superb cinematography: dramatic Spanish landscapes, turbulent battle scenes, towering castles and colourful costumes. Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren are perfectly cast as the heroic warrior Rodrigo (who saves Spain from Moorish occupation) and his passionate strong minded wife Chimene whose love survives a multitude of obstacles. If you are looking for light relief or comedy, you won't find it here. What you will find is a stirring story of courage, self sacrifice and patriotism that can't fail to move you- an old fashioned Hollywood epic on a grand scale and all the better for it.
Review of El Cid
