The Agony and the Ecstasy

The story of Michelangelo and the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is presented in this lavish 1965 period piece based on the bestselling historical novel by Irving Stone. Charlton Heston—Hollywood's rugged favorite for big-screen epics—took a break from his war films and action dramas to play Michelangelo, the Renaissance sculptor commissioned by Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison) to paint frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. While the Pope oversees a war (Julius was called "the warrior Pope"), he's also busy fighting the perfectionist Michelangelo, who only reluctantly takes up the assignment and then flees to the marble quarries of the countryside for inspiration after discarding his first attempt. This battle of wills comprises the dramatic core of the film, which takes liberties both with history and Stone's book but does recreate the Sistine Chapel to scale at Cinecittà Studios in Rome. Much of the tale plays out on this impressive set, with Heston high up on the scaffolding doing delicate work on an epic scale. A financial disappointment upon its initial release, The Agony and the Ecstasy has aged fairly well, thanks to director Carol Reed's attention to physical detail coupled with Heston's commanding performance. Newly remastered for Blu-ray, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)