talyseon's Full Review: Rome - The Complete First Season
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
Rome (2005) Created by Bruno Heller
"A large penis is always welcome!" Atia of the Julii
HBO has a gift for making series that work. Probably because they spend the money to do it right. One such triumph is Rome. Only lasting two seasons, it is still one of the finest productions about the Eternal City in the days of her glory. The first Season encompasses the years 52 B.C. to 44 B.C.
In twelve episodes the series takes us from Julius Caesar's defeat of Gaul, and the theft of the golden eagle standard of his legions. It is here that we meet our heroes, Lucius Vorenus, and Titus Pullo. (It is interesting to note that both of these characters were real, noted for their friendly arguments, for Pullo's raucous behavior, and for both of their valor and bravery in Julius Caesar's The Gallic Wars.) Lucius Vorenus is bold, brave, obedient, not stupid and disciplined. He is handsome, strong and a natural leader of men.
Titus Pullo is crass, crude, vicious, and full of humor, passion and mischief. There could not be two more different men. Yet war makes strange bedfellows, and the two Legionnaires become friends, though there is a little of a feel that Lucius has a half tamed bear for a pet.
While the story of the rise of Julius Caesar, and the fall of the Republic is told, the every day side of life is seen though the eyes of Lucius and Titus. While Caesar matches wits with Cicero, Cassius and Pompey, Lucius contends with a wife he has not seen in eight years, an unwed daughter with a newborn, and adjusting to life outside the legion.
Titus deals with debauchery, thieves, wh*res, pimps and leg breakers, because that is the kind of fellow he is. He also deals with blossoming love, though not very well...
We deal with treachery, civil war, the difficulty when friends meet over shields and swords, political maneuvering, intrigue, plots, schemes, dark secrets, incest, rape, and murder. Now tell me that isn't a fine evening's entertainment.
There is adultery, assassination, a moral dilemma or two an episode. You have sex, full frontal nudity, both male (James Purefoy!) and female, (Polly Walker), and lots of partial nudity. You have grizzly murders and bloody battles, so wake up the kids! (No, no, this is my sardonic way to say this is definitely adult fare only.)
What made this series so successful?
Well, let's see, the five acre set of the city is the largest set ever built. Five acres of land, covered with the forum, the Senate, the slums of Rome. 1,250 shoes and sandals were made in Bulgaria. Fabrics were ordered raw from Prato, India, Tunisa and Morocco and dyed on site. 250 suits of chain mail, 40 leather cuirasses were made for the soldiers. The metal armour was designed by Luca Giampaoli, and mass produced in India. Over all there were 4000 costumes made.
As many as 40 horses appear in one scene. There were 750 extras used for Caesar's Triumph; most of them were Italian to give them the right look and kinesiology.
But all that aside, the real kudos go to the actors. While there are a hundred actors that deserve a mention from Haydn Gwynne who played Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, to Ian McNeice as the Orator in the Forum, I want to focus on the principals.
Ciarán Hinds as Julius Caesar. The heart and soul of the times, it was Julius' ambitions that led the Roman Republic into imperial rule. (Which I guess makes him the Palpatine of the piece.) Ciarán Hinds is perfect for the role, partly because of his qualities that do not make you think of conquering generals. His grace and breeding make Caesar a highly charismatic leader, human, approachable, and yet, you can sense the steel within.
James Purefoy as Marc Anthony. Cocky, arrogant, smarmy; after seeing him fully naked, I can understand how he would feel that way. A political animal with nothing but ironic disdain for politics, he is a complex character. Of course, Caesar kept him around as a blunt object with which to beat dissent. More a villain than a hero, he is made very much alive by Purefoy.
Polly Walker as Atia of the Julii. How I LOATHE her! Scheming and manipulative, she assumes the world is that way too. Often she is right, but it makes it hard on her children, Octavius and Octavia. She is a political monster, willing to even pimp out her son to his uncle to advance her families station. Her arch rival and nemesis is....
Servilia of the Junii played by Lindsay Duncan. Mother of Brutus, lover of Julius Caesar, she is a complex woman, a Roman Matron. And like the men, she is made of steel, wrapped in silk. You will be blown away by her lover.
Max Pirkis as Octavius. Nephew of Julius Caesar, destined to succeed him and to take the name Augustus, this lad is mired in the snake pit of his mother's ambitions. Yet he is smart, and strong, and develops his own mind, which is as sharp a razor, and cut through to the heart of matters.
Kevin McKidd as Lucius Vorenus. Honorable, tough as boot leather, wise and naïve all at the same time, it is Lucius who is our touchstone through this tale. From his duty recovering Caeser's Eagle, through reintegration into civilized society, Lucius somehow goes from being a good legionnaire to a poor butcher to a Magistrate, to a one shot gladiator, to a Senator and Caesar's unofficial body guard.
Lucius is confronted with an impossible task and chooses the least likely assistant ever (Titus Pullo) and succeeds. He survived eight years at war with the Gauls, and yet he never slept with any woman other than his wife, Niobe. And when he arrives home, he is confronted with a new baby. Niobe says it is their daughters. Lucius believes her. Lucius is against tyranny, supports the Republic, and yet, somehow, he is drawn into Caesar's political circle. Caesar knows a good man when he sees one. He is also one damn sexy man.
Lucius' sidekick is Titus Pullo, played by Ray Stevenson. Pullo is a Roman in another mold. He is course, undisciplined, lusty, lazy and foolish. He is also death on two legs, but a brawler more than a soldier. He is the lowest common denominator, saved from utter b*stardhood by his loyalty. Lucius chose him to help look for the Eagle so a useful soldier would not be killed in the attempt. But where Lucius is wise and logical, Pullo is served by luck and a wide streak of low cunning. Their friendship is the backbone of the story.
As you can see, they did not stint on the help either. These are professionals; great actors, stars of stage and screen. Yet here they are in a television series. And the fit is good.
That is why this series works. The writing is brilliant, and everything else takes that strong story, and makes it come alive, heck, make it sing! The glory that is Rome...they understand that phrase, without being blinded to the very human side of their characters. Walls of marble, and feet of clay.
That is ultimately the success of the series; real human drama with enough history to make any buff deliriously happy. Flawless production values and a star studded cast round out the magic. This is a triumph.
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