This dramatic segment of Greek history, based on Euripides’ tragedy and starring four great screen actresses – Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Genevieve Bujold and Irene Papas – opens at the end of ten years of relentless fighting between the Greeks and the Trojans.
The victorious Greeks order the Trojan women to evacuate the ruined city of Troy and await news of their fate.
Among the women is Helen (Papas), the wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta (Patrick Magee), the woman who caused the war by running away with Paris, son of King Priam of Troy and Queen Hecuba (Hepburn).
Hecuba’s daughter Cassandra (Bujold) has been driven insane by the war; her daughter-in-law Andromache (Redgrave) and five-year-old grandson Astyanax (Alberto Sanz) have been caught trying to escape.
The luckless Greek messenger, Talthybius (Brian Blessed), rides into the camp to tell Hecuba the news, piece by piece. The news is all bad: Hecuba will become a slave, Andromache’s son will be slaughtered, poor mad Cassandra is destined for the bed of Agamemnon and the despised Helen will be taken back to Greece (the Trojan women want her killed without further nonsense), to say nothing of all the other women being shipped off to Greece.
It’s all passion and doom with weeping and wailing for dead husbands and lovers, beating breasts and bemoaning one’s ignominious fate and saying silly things like “one night in a man’s bed makes a woman tame” and “to die well is to wear the victor’s crown.”
Michael Cacoyannis made his film in stark locations, glorious monolithic rock that is utterly timeless, with great dramatic sweeps of colour (the burning of Troy is particularly stunning), but spoils it by allowing his leading ladies to let mild hysteria cloy over the issues.
Brian Blessed as the Greek messenger torn between pity and duty, confirms with his performance that he’s a very talented actor indeed.
Hecuba
Katharine Hepburn
Andromache
Vanessa Redgrave
Cassandra
Geneviève Bujold
Helen
Irene Papas
Menelaus
Patrick Magee
Talthybius
Brian Blessed
Astyanax
Alberto Sanz
Women
Pauline Letts
Rosalind Shanks
Pat Beckett
Anna Bentinck
Elsie Pittas
Esmeralda Adam
Esperanza Alonso
María García Alonso
C. Alvarez
Nilda Álvarez
Adela Armengol
Victoria Ayllón
Gloria Berrocal
Elizabeth Billencourt
Maria Borge
Margarita Calahorra
Elena Castillo
Renee Eber
Ana María Espejo
Katie Ellyson
María Jesús Hoyos
Gwen Kocsis
Concha Leza
Maureen Mallall
Margarita Matta
Ivi Mavridi
Mirta Miller
Livia Mitchell
Conchita Morales
Emilia Pittas
V. Quintana
Catherine Rabone
Yvette Rees
Clara Sanchiz
Carmen Segarra
L. Zarrabeitia
Director
Michael Cacoyannis
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