Alexander the Great (1956)

Alexander: What's all this about my father?
Olympias: To the sword, the cross, the rack - men who have been his friends for years. Now everyone is his enemy - he accuses everyone of conspiring against him... even me. You'll hear the story, Alexander - you'll hear it from him. But you mustn't believe him, you mustn't... you don't! Do you, Alexander?
Alexander: Why should he accuse you?
Olympias: He wants to get rid of me... he's been wanting to for years. He wants to marry again.
Alexander: Who?
Olympias: Attalus's niece. You be careful of Attalus - you be careful of all of them. She's no fool - she won't let him throw her away like he's done with all the others. She's young...
Alexander: Oh, Mother...!
Olympias: Whatever he asks of you, do. Whatever he says, agree with. For when you're regent...
[she smiles]
Olympias: *when you're regent*... then, *we'll* rule the land.
Alexander: *We*?
[Olympias's face falls]

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Aristotle: Wonders are many, but none is more wonderful than man himself.

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Alexander: [quoting Book 20 of the Iliad] "... thus beneath great-hearted Achilles his whole-hooved horses trampled corpses and shields together, and with blood all the axletree below was sprinkled, for blood-drops from the horses' hooves splashed them, and blood-drops from the tires of the wheels, for the son of Peleus pressed on to win glory, flecking with gore his irresistible hands."

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Although Richard Burton was only 29 at the time of filming, many critics felt he already looked too old to play Alexander.
Average Shot Length (ASL) = 7 seconds (135 minute version)
Charlton Heston turned down the title role, adding "Alexander is the easiest kind of picture to make badly".
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