SPECTACLE, ROMANCE, COMEDY!...as only Shaw could write it and the screen show it!
George Bernard Shaw’s breezy, delightful dramatization of this classic fable—about a Christian slave who pulls a thorn from a lion’s paw and is spared from death in the Colosseum as a result of his kind act—was written as a meditation on modern Christian values. Pascal’s final Shaw production is played broadly, with comic character actor Alan Young as the titular naïf. He’s ably supported by Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Robert Newton, and Elsa Lanchester.
Androcles and the Lion (1952) is a comedy film directed by Chester Erskine, released on December 1, 1952 with a runtime of 1h 38m. It stars Victor Mature, Jean Simmons, Alan Young and Robert Newton. Viewers rate it 5.9 out of 10 across 16 ratings.
Victor Mature
as Captain
Jean Simmons
as Lavinina
Alan Young
as Androcles
Robert Newton
as Ferrovius
Maurice Evans
as Caesar
Elsa Lanchester
as Megaera
Reginald Gardiner
as Lentulus
Gene Lockhart
as Menagerie Keeper
Alan Mowbray
as Editor of Gladiators
Noel Willman
as Spintho
John Hoyt
as Cato
Jim Backus
as Centurion
Directed by Chester Erskine, written by Chester Erskine, Ken Englund and George Bernard Shaw, produced by Gabriel Pascal.
Average viewer score of 5.9/10 from 16 ratings.
I think Charles Erskine has done pretty well with this entertaining adaptation of the George Bernard Shaw comedy. Escaping from his overbearing wife "Magaera" (Elsa Lanchester), "Androcles" (Alan Young) discovers a lion in the wilderness with a thorn in it's paw. Despite being petrified, he removes the offending pain and the lion escapes. Shortly afterwards, he finds himself a prisoner of the Romans under the…
Reviewed on August 10, 2023
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Androcles and the Lion (1952) is available to stream on Criterion Channel. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Androcles and the Lion (1952) includes Victor Mature, Jean Simmons, Alan Young, Robert Newton and Maurice Evans. The film was directed by Chester Erskine. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Androcles and the Lion was released on December 1, 1952 and runs for 1h 38m.
Androcles and the Lion (1952) holds an average rating of 5.9 out of 10 from 16 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy comedy films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
