Action-packed sandal film with Brad Harris and Sergio Ciani (Alan Steel)
This mythological adventure film (1961) by genre specialist Gianfranco Parolini is called "Sansone" in the original Italian, so it's actually about the biblical character Samson and was filmed in what was then Yugoslavia. This is the first film in director Parolini's long-standing collaboration with American leading actor Brad Harris.
It starts with a wild boar that has been shot. The two muscle-bound heroes Hercules/Samson (Brad Harris) and Macigno (Sergio Ciani) get into a fierce fight, which is to be followed by two more arguments between the two brawlers as the plot progresses. This gives Hercules an equal sparring partner, which increases the appeal of the film immensely.
But one after anonther! Hercules ends up in the kingdom of Sullam, which is actually ruled by his childhood friend Mila. But it was forcibly removed. Instead, the cunning Warkalla (wonderfully mean and devious: Serge Gainsbourg) and his insecure-looking girlfriend Cleopatra/Romilda (remains pale: Mara Berni) rule. Hercules must endure many tasks and battles to restore lawful order. He gets active help from the clever Janine (Luisella Boni/Brigitte Corey) and his loyal companions (including the Croatian actor Vladimir Leib as the "funny fat guy", who also played similar roles in "79 AD" and "Il vecchio testamento" should play and is therefore responsible for the "comic relief"). There is also active support from a surprising source, so that the hero Samson is able to tear down the pillars of a palace, as described in the Bible.
What makes this film stand out from the endless series of Peplum or sandal films is that with Brad Harris and the Italian hero actor (which is very unusual, most of the main actors in the Peplum films were bodybuilders from America or Anglo-Saxon countries). Sergio Ciani has two equal opponents (and comrades) at his disposal. In addition, the role of the main villain is with Serge Gainsbourg, who shortly later achieved world fame as a chansonnier and composer ("Bonnie & Clyde" in a duet with Brigitte Bardot and "Je t'aime...moi non plus" in a duet with Jane Birkin). , superbly cast. Gainsbourgs chanson "Poupee de cire, poupee de son" sung by France GALL even won the EUROVISION Song Contest 1965 in Naples.
Even if it seems strange in terms of content that the biblical hero Samson is simply transported into a Hercules-like legendary story, this action-heavy film with fights worth seeing is not only worth seeing for Peplum fans.
Addendum: The child actor is Gianfranco Gasparri, who as Franco Gasparri (1948-1999) became the star of the Poliziottescho trilogy about "Mark il poliziotto" (1975) with the other films "Das Ultimatum iläuft ab" (1975) and "The 44 Specialist" (1976). Unfortunately, in June 1980, the handsome Franco Gasparri had a serious motorcycle accident that left him paraplegic. After years of rehabilitation, he worked as an editor of photo romances that were very popular in Italy until he died of respiratory problems in 1999.
