Steve Reeves is back in action here with the type of film we associate with him – and in which he is always good

The film  La Battaglia di Maratona, was released in the US and the Uk as The Giant of Marathon.

The film starts in Olympia in 490 BCE, where the games are being held and Phillippides ( Steve Reeves ) wins everything.

Upon returning to Athens, the city-state he was representing, he is named Captain of the Sacred Guard, which is the elite guard of the city.

However behind the scenes there is some political intrigue, Hippias who once ruled Athens has plans to return and seize control of the city. He had in the recent past fled Persia and managed to influence the ruler there.

This film was a French/Italian co-production and, when it began was being directed by the very experienced Jacques Tourneur.

Tourneur didn’t like the film and didn’t want to do it, but he was under contract. However midway through the filming, his contract ran out and he just left.

The Producers then turned , Mario Bava.

So effectively this film was directed by two people who are quite well known for their visual style and yet the finished film is quite ordinary to look at.

MGM took up the distribution of the film in the USA and I must say did a very good job with a saturation style release and bags of publicity – and they ended up making a sizeable profit. Steve Reeves had become pretty much Box Office gold during this period but his star was not going to shine for long – he was really limited to the ‘epic’ film and this eventually faded

Starring: Steve Reeves, Mylène Demongeot, Sergio Fantoni, Alberto Lupo, Daniele Vargas, Gianni Loti, Miranda Campa, Philippe Hersent, Anita Todesco, Ivo Garrani, Daniela Rocca, Sergio Ciani, Franco Fantasia, Carlo Lombardi, Ignazio Balsamo, Gian Paolo Rosmino, Walter Grant, Maria Grazia Sandri, Gérard Herter, Rinaldo Zamperla Directors: Jacques Tourneur, Mario Bava
Titanus, Galatea Film, Lux Compagnie Cinématographique de France, Societé Cinématographique Lyre, Italy, France, 1959.