El Cid (NR, 1961)

In war-torn 11th-century Spain, warrior-knight Rodrigo (Charlton Heston) runs afoul of the royal family again and again because of his inflexible morality. He captures Islamic Moorish princes raiding Christian towns and, instead of handing them over for execution, frees them, earning the Moors' friendship and respect. He suspects the new King Alfonso contrived the assassination of his brother over the throne, and is exiled as a result. He even kills the father of his bride (Sophia Loren) in a duel over honor, casting a shadow over their marriage. But Rodrigo's reputation as "El Cid," a wise leader, wins him an army of followers, and bring the Moors to his side, in defense of Spain against a new threat, crazed Arab conqueror Ben Yussef (Herbert Lom). Though Rodrigo is no fan of King Alfonso and is implored to crown himself king, the righteous El Cid chooses a more noble path.

While the battle scenes -- thousands of extras on loan from Francisco Franco's army, definitely not CGI -- are rousing and the costumes and pageantry are sumptuous, EL CID's pace does seem to drag (the film was originally shown with an intermission) and the castle skullduggery is a little complex for young viewers.

Still, in terms of a faith-based, upstanding hero placed in impossible situations, Rodrigo is as strong a role model as they come (unless you question when he kills people over "honor"). In contrast, the Islamic-fundamentalist Ben Yussef looks just like the Taliban -- historians did their homework well with the costumes and detail.

Studio: Weinstein Co.
Director: Anthony Mann
Cast: Charlton Heston, Herbert Lom, Sophia Loren
Genre: Classic
Run time: 182 minutes
Theatrical release: December 14, 1961
DVD release: January 28, 2008
MPAA Rating: NR