Mario Petri Movies

In this island adventure, British explorers attempt to take over the island of a courageous native prince who manages to wrest control of his people away from the ruthless invaders. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Despite the title, this is not another Samson movie, in fact, it's a western/adventure, resembling Guy Madison's successful Legasy of Incas. The lost treasure of the title is coveted by several suspicious types, including a man falsely accused of murder. We quickly learn which of the prospectors are heroes and which are yellowbellies when bandits strike. The original Italian title translates to Samson and the Treasure of the Incas. It was released under that title in Europe. Not given much of an American theatrical release, the film briefly went the TV syndication rounds in the early 1980s as The Lost Treasure of the Aztecs. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This one was also released as Beast of Babylon Against the Son of Hercules. Closer to the truth is the original title: Goliath, King of the Slaves. Ex-Tarzan Gordon Scott plays Goliath, not Hercules (though the film was part of the Sons of Hercules TV package). Ancient Babylonian emperor Balthasar, who was the "good guy" in D.W. Griffith's Intolerance, is here described as the Tyrant of Babylon. He lives up to his title by sacrificing selected citizens of Assyria to the goddess Istar. Scott, the rightful heir to Babylonian throne, is consigned to a life of slavery, but by film's end he does a "Spartacus" and saves everybody. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Secret Mark of D'Artagnan borrows a handful of the characters and little else from the works of Dumas. Like many Italian films of the early 1960s, this swashbuckler stars an American actor, George Nader, in hopes of broadening its market. Nader plays D'Artagnan along more mature lines than most actors; he's even something of a ladies' man, a fact which very nearly gets him killed on several occasions. Confounding D'Artagnan's efforts to work on behalf of Louis XIII is Magali Noel as a buxom Milady De Winter. The Secret Mark of D'Artagnan became an American TV standard in the late 1960s thanks to its sumptuous color photography. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Hercules (Reg Park) and King Androcles (Ettore Manni) are on an ocean expedition when Androcles is washed overboard during a storm near a mysterious island. Making landfall, Hercules finds that the island is the kingdom of Atlantis, ruled by a beautiful, cruel, and ambitious queen, Antinea (Fay Spain), who controls a mysterious source of power. She has transformed her personal guard into super-strong warriors -- each nearly a match for Hercules, put Androcles under her spell, and inflicted terrible wounds on her people, all in preparation for her plan to conquer the world. Hercules finds that her power stems from a source older than the gods on Olympus, one over which he has virtually no power. He must save his friend, release Antinea's people, and prevent her from carrying out her plans. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

Nino Sanzogno helmed this televised version of Gioachino Rossini's 1813 opera L'Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers). Originally screened on Italian television in 1957, it stars Mario Petri as Mustafà, Vittoria Palombini as Zulma and Rena Gary Falachi as Elvira. Luca Crippa designed the sets and costumes; the Milan Orchestra and Chorus of RAI Television provide musical accompaniment. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi