Synopsis
Xerxes, King of Persia, is leading a gigantic army to invade Greece. The representatives of the Greek city-states debate the method of defense, and Themistocles of Athens (Richardson) proposes an alliance. Spartan King Leonidas (Egan) pledges his army in support of the Athenians. Egan and Richardson agree that the Spartan army will occupy the pass of Thermopylae and prevent or slow down the Persian advance. However, the Spartan Council refuses to send the army, so Leonidas leads his personal guard, three-hundred strong, to defend the pass.
Xerxes expects to easily destroy the Leonidas' small opposing force, but his army is stopped by the Spartans. Defending the small, narrow pass, the Spartans' superior tactics and fighting skill overwhelm the Persian soldiers, despite their vastly greater numbers. After three days of fighting, a treacherous Greek leads Persian soldiers around the Spartan position of the pass. Now surrounded, Leonidas and the remaining Spartans fight to their deaths. The Persian advance proceeds, but the Spartans have delayed them long enough for the Greek city-states to organize their defense. Ultimately, they defeat the Persians and drive them out of Greece.
Discussion
Rudolph Maté directs an unembellished account of the famous Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC, in which a coalition of Greek forces (in reality, several thousand Spartans, Thespians, and Thebans) delayed the advance of an enormous Persian army, thereby saving the Greek city-states. The film's opening sequences, the debate of the representatives of the city-states and the meeting of the Spartan Counsel, establish the dire situation faced by the Greeks, confirm the bravery of the Spartan King, and explain why only a small force of Spartans met the Persian hordes. The battle scenes are exciting and impressively staged. The Spartans in their red capes stand out among the darkly clothed Persians. Richard Egan looks the part of the strong and unemotional Spartan leader. Ralph Richardson has a nice scene as an Athenian orator attempting to win support for united Greek action. An unnecessary love story involving two young Spartans (Diane Baker, Barry Coe) slows the progress of the film. David Farrar, appearing as Xerxes, retired after completing the film.