Before 300 gave us a cool, stylized version of the Battle of Thermopylae there was The 300 Spartans, a 1962 epic film that depicted the same events. It would be the film that inspired the graphic novel “300” by Frank Miller, which inspired 300 properly.
Leonidas (Richard Egan) is king of Sparta and trouble is on the horizon. Xerxes (David Farrar) is about to invade Greece and Leonidas wants to stop him. They shall meet at the mountain pass of Thermopylae, where the Spartans would hold out for several days while profoundly out numbered. History would remember their defeat, and the eventual Greek victory at Plataea, but Thermopylae is remembered distinctly because it was few against many. While the actual history is profoundly different than what has happened on screen, Hollywood has found something interesting about that final stand and those 300 soldiers led by their king into certain death.
Whereas 300 was told like a battle tale from the perspective of the Spartans, on the eve of Plataea, The 300 Spartans is a more straightforward tale about Thermopylae as opposed to the more fantastical story-telling manner of Zack Snyder’s take on the subject. And it’s not that good, either, as this is a film that hasn’t aged well in the five decades plus since it first came out. The genre has moved forward in profound ways on a number of levels that makes this film look like an antique.
Many films have remained classics from that era … this isn’t one of them.
The original trailer and original TV spots are included.
20th Century Fox presents The 300 Spartans. Directed by Rudolph Mate. Written by George St. George, Gian Paolo Callegari, Remigo Del Grosso, Giovanni d’Eramo, Ugo Liberatore. Starring: Richard Egam, David Farrar, Diane Baker, Barry Coe. Running time: 109 minutes. Not Rated. Released: February 25, 2014.
