Quo Vadis

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) | Release Date: December 25, 1951

CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION

70	METASCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

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Critic Reviews

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

MGM’s opulent version of ancient Rome circa 1951, with Peter Ustinov at his most whimsical doing honors as the mad Nero...Directed with some pizzazz by Mervyn LeRoy. Read full review

EmpireIan Nathan

Enough large-scale spectacle scenes to outweigh the inevitable religiose sludge that creeps in between them. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Within and around these visual triumphs and rich imagistic displays is tediously twined a hackneyed romance that threatens to set your teeth on edge. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Quo Vadis is a super-spectacle in all its meaning. That there are shortcomings [in this fourth version of the tale] even Metro must have recognized and ignored in consideration of the project’s scope. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

It does last virtually three hours, and along the way does have stretches of tedium, but LeRoy invests most of it with pace, true spectacle, and not a little imagination. Read full review

TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)

One of MGM's biggest box-office hits, the epic QUO VADIS offers a spectacular cast to match its overwhelming production; there's plenty to enjoy, but don't look for greatness. Over it all looms a loony Ustinov as Emperor Nero, despite director LeRoy's best efforts to keep him from chewing the scenery as he enjoyably steals the show. Read full review

Miriam Di Nunzio

Directed by Mervin LeRoy, the film is epic in scale, with special effects that were quite advanced for their day, and a glorious film score. Some historical facts might not be quite accurate, but it won't make a difference in the end. [10 Apr 2009, p.NC18]

Michael Wilmington

One of the most lavish and entertaining of all Hollywood religious epics. [15 May 1998, p.M]

Lanford Beard

Golden era MGM takes on Christ! The lavish story of Roman-Christian conflict was universally loved, thanks to star turns by Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, and supporting players Peter Ustinov and Leo Genn. Read full review

The IndependentRoger Clarke

Robert Taylor plays the Roman general and Deborah Kerr the Christian slave he's attracted to, but it's Peter Ustinov, hamming it up a treat as the Emperor Nero, who steals the show in this long and lavish epic. [05 May 2007, p.48]

The Observer (UK)Philip French

Long, well-mounted early Christian epic based on the novel by 1905 Nobel prize-winning Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz about eager Christian martyrs and hungry lions in ancient Rome. [03 Aug 2014, p.45]