Homer’s The Illiad and the Trojan War of yore get a Hollywood makeover portraying its heroes and villains as blood and guts creatures who are quite capable of screwing up their own lives without the help of the mythic gods. The powers of Zeus and his ilk are forsaken for a realistic look at the barbarity of war and the wonders of CGI. Director Wolfgang Peterson strikes a near perfect balance between the two. I say ‘near’ because halfway through the movie, a raging battle comes to an abrupt halt, not as a tribute, but as a tipping of the hat to "Troy"s source material - The Illiad itself: (screenwriter David Benioff says his "Troy" is ‘inspired’ by The Illiad). Also, legend has it that Helen of Troy had a face that launched a thousand ships. One can easily surmise that a thousand Greek ships could have possibly sailed over the course of ten years. Peterson gives the illusion of a sizable armada landing at Troy’s doorstep for a ‘ten day’ war - or at least nine years and ten months shorter than the Trojan Wars of Homer’s epic book. It’s easy to forgive this lapse in logic because the awesome sight of the Greek fleet off Troy’s shores is overwhelming. The stimulation of the senses takes over where reason fails. Dramatically, it makes the point that the Greeks are there to stay for Helen, for treasure, for power, and for pride.

The Story: "Troy" opens with Achilles (Brad Pitt) establishing his fearsome reputation by winning a kingdom for Agamemnon (Brian Cox) with one fatal blow. Soon after, the prudent and pragmatic Hector (Eric Bana) and his super male model brother Paris (Orlando Bloom) appear in Greece - more specifically at the digs of Menelaus (Brendan Gleason) - on a peace keeping mission on behalf of their father King Priam (Peter O’Toole). Menny’s wife Helen (Diane Kruger) is smitten with Paris and runs off with him to Troy. Menelaus vows revenge and his brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) is only too happy to oblige, looking for an excuse to wage war with Troy in the hopes of conquering it and expanding his empire.

"Troy"s key players - Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Peter O’Toole et al - give this updated version of Homer’s tale an emotional immediacy that makes you care for their characters. Achilles is a victim of his vanity and pride vying for the immortality of his reputation if not his soul. He is petulant and moody, and - contrary what I remember from English class - just. Paris is the flip side of Achilles, impetuous and vain but not vainglorious. He lacks the combat skills of his older and wiser brother. In keeping with Homer’s story, he finds Achilles’ weak spot with his skills as an archer. Hector is the moral center of Troy, trying to strike a balance between duty to his country, his family, and himself. Helen is a victim of her own passion unaware of the consequences of her actions until it is too late. Priam is the warrior king who has survived the vagaries of war and known domestic bliss. He believes in honor above all else. As Priam, Peter O’Toole gives the most impassioned speech in the movie when he steals away in the night to seek out Achilles on his own turf. He humbles himself to give his son an honorable burial. King Agamemenon sees himself as a conqueror out to rule all the known kingdoms of his world. These people are the movers and shakers of "Troy, driving the plot forward and setting the frame work for "Troy"s primary themes. The rest of the characters have familiar names like Odysseus (Sean Bean) - or as more commonly know Ulysses - Hector’s wife Andromache (Saffron Burrows), and Ploydora (Siri Svegler)

Much to director Wolfgang Peterson’s credit, the magnificent battle scenes never seem gratuitous. They demonstrate the futility of war, the frustration of leadership, and the illusion of glory. "Troy" ends with the triumph of the Greeks and the sacking of Troy after the Trojans accept the legendary Trojan horse as a gift. As an add on, the character of Aeneas is given the sword of Priam and instructed to escape with the women of the royal household through hidden passages under the city. The legend of Aeneas was - according to The Reader’s Companion to World Literature - popularized by Greeks living in Southern Italy during the advent of the Roman Empire. He became the subject of the Roman historian Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid to explain the founding of Rome. It was modeled after Homer’s The Odyssey about Odysseus’ (aka Ulysses) journey home after the Trojan Wars.

"Troy" is not without its shortcomings, as I mentioned at the outset; but the acting, the staging of the battle scenes, and a literate script make the movie’s one hundred and sixty plus minutes go by in the blink of an eye.

Copyright 2004

"Helen of Troy" (1955) - Rosanna Pedesta has the title role in American director, Robert Wise’s version of Homer’s story. Shot in Rome with an international cast, the highlight of the movie is the entrance of the Trojan Horse into Troy leading to its destruction. Ironically, during the making of the movie, the sets burned down under mysterious circumstances before production was completed. With Stanley Baker, Cedric Hardwicke, Jacques Sernas and Birgitte Bardot a year before she made "And God Created Woman."

"Ulysses" (1954) - Kirk Douglas stars as Ulysses in this Italian production about the famed Greek warrior’s battle with the Cyclops and the Sirens on his long journey home. With Anthony Quinn, Silvana Mangano and Rosanna Podesta. This one starts with the Trojan Horse. Armand Assante played Ulyssess in the excellent mini series "The Adventures of Ulysses" from 1997.

"Alexander the Great" (1956) - Richard Burton is magnificent as the legendary Greek conqueror who achieved what Agamemnon dreamed of in Homer’s The Illiad. Look for the scene with the Gordian Knot. It’s a prime example where less is more. Frederic March plays Alexander’s father. With Stanley Baker and Claire Bloom.

"The 300 Spartans" (1962) - The Battle of Thermopylae gets the Hollywood treatment depicting the events leading up to the famous Greek standoff against the Persian Army in 480 B.C. With Richard Egan, Ralph Richardson and David Farrar.

GREEKS

Achilles = Brad Pitt

Julie Christie - Thetis (Achilles Mother)

Nestor - John Shrapnel

TROJANS

Hector = Eric Bana

Peter O’Toole = Priam

Paris - Orlando Bloom

Aeneas - Frankie Fitzgerald

OTHERS

Polydora - Siri Svegler -

Nigel Terry - Archeptolemus

Saffron Burrows - Andromache - Hector

BRISEIS - CAPTIVE PRIESTESS - PRIEST’S DAUGHTER

Ajax - Tyler Mane

PATROCLUS - GARRET HEDLUND - STEALS ACHILLES ARMOR AND IS KILLED