Duel of The Champions

Horatius, a Roman general, falls into disgrace when he is captured by the legions of Alba. He is tortured and sold into slavery. With the help of a beautiful maiden, Horatius escapes and returns to Rome only to learn that his reputation has been tarnished. The Roman king hopes to bring peace to the feuding cities of Rome and Alba ending the bloody war that has dragged on for seven years. A gladiatorial showdown is arranged, with warriors from each side fighting to the death. Horatius is determined to restore his honor in combat or die.

Supervised by Terence Young a year before his work on the iconic first James Bond movie, Dr. No (1962), the thrilling Duel of Champions features a charismatic Alan Ladd performance. One of the true legends of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Ladd commands the screen in this sword and sandal epic, which also features one of character actor Robert Keith's final screen appearances. A veteran of dozens of movies, Keith is best remembered for his on-screen heart attack and subsequent fall down a staircase in Written On The Wind (1956) as well as his delightful portrayal of Alexander Bullock in My Man Godfrey (1957).

A Roman nobleman leading an Imperial Legion is captured, but by a fortunate accident, manages to escape. On the way home he fights his way through a series of dangerous situations.