Messalina (Italian: Messalina Venere imperatrice) is a 1960 Italian peplum film directed by Vittorio Cottafavi.[4]
Messalina | |
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Directed by | Vittorio Cottafavi |
Screenplay by |
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Story by |
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Produced by | Erno Bistolfi[1] |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Marco Scarpelli[1] |
Music by | Angelo Francesco Lavagnino[1] |
Production company | Cineproduzione Erno Bistolfi[2] |
Distributed by | AIP TV (US) |
Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
Country | Italy[2] |
Language | Italian |
Budget | slightly less than $1 million[3] |
After the death of the Emperor Caligula, Claudius is chosen to replace him. Claudius decides to take a new wife, the Vestal Virgin Messalina, the niece of Augustus Caesar.
The night before the wedding Messalina murders a noble via poison. An assassin is sent to kill Messalina; she seduces him, has him killed and presents his severed head.
Belinda Lee's casting was announced in July 1959.[5]
Messalina was shot at Cinecitta Studios in Rome in November-December 1959.[2][3]
It was the first notable role for Giuliano Gemma.[6]
Messalina was released in Italy on 12 March 1960 with a 96-minute running time.[1] It was released in the United States in 1962 with an 84-minute running time.[1]
Filmink called it "The most fun of Lee’s European movies was Messalina (1960), a silly sword and sandal epic with Lee having a high old time as the notorious empress, taking milk baths and seducing gladiators."[7]
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