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El Cid

(1961, Rated NR, Classic, Starring Charlton Heston, Sophia Loren, Herbert Lom)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 11; suggested age 11.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Handsome chivalry epic with enduring themes.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 11 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Chivalrous warrior-knight Rodrigo practices mercy to enemies, chiefly the Moors (though some others he kills in single combat over honor), and also shows kindness to the helpless. He also remains faithful to an unworthy king on principle and gives up his personal happiness and his life for the greater good of his country. White actors in makeup generally portray Moors and north Africans.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Swordfights and jousting ending in fatalities. Men killed with knives and arrows. Brief depiction of a crucifixion. One man set on fire, another thrown off battlements.

  • Sex:

    Very slight suggestion of palace incest.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking, talk of wine quality.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About El Cid

Parents need to know that violence here includes men killed by swords and arrows, a (briefly shown) crucifixion, and horses fallen in combat. A fiance plots murder against her husband-to-be, and there's a brief hint of royal incest. There's a conflict between Christianity and Islam (with a stalwart Christian-Catholic warrior as the hero), but a message that many Muslims are good guys, and Christians aren't necessarily honorable or correct.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the conflicts faced by Rodrigo and the wisdom and spirituality behind his choices. Why does he have to support a king unworthy of him? What makes him decide when to take a life or when to show mercy? El Cid is a hero figure in Spain with some of the oldest literature and legends written about him. What hero characters does he resemble in old English and American lore? Also, what other modern-day epic movies can you compare this to? How is it different?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    who3697cares
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    One of the very best historical epics.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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