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Quo Vadis?

Play trailer Poster for Quo Vadis? 1951 2h 51m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 63 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Returning from a military campaign abroad, General Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor) discovers that a new religion has taken hold in Rome: Christianity. When Vinicius encounters Lygia (Deborah Kerr), a follower of the strange religion, he quickly becomes smitten and tries to win her affections. Lygia is reluctant due to their differing beliefs. Complicating matters is the crazed Emperor Nero (Peter Ustinov), who blames the Christians for his own burning of Rome, beginning a wave of persecution.
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Quo Vadis?

Quo Vadis?

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Critics Consensus

Summoning all the pageantry and scale Hollywood can muster before letting a corker of a performance by Peter Ustinov run roughshod over it, Quo Vadis? realizes Rome on the big screen in all its gaudy and spectacular glory.

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Critics Reviews

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Kate Cameron New York Daily News Jun 30, 2026
3/4
A little restraint on the part of director LeRoy might have made this moving and inspiring story of faith into an exciting and impressive film. Go to Full Review Edwin Schallert Los Angeles Times Jun 30, 2026
Its pictorial lavishness has never been equaled in any other production. One gets the feeling that he is seeing far greater crowds, vaster settings than have ever previously been visible. Go to Full Review Mae Tinée Chicago Tribune Jun 30, 2026
Peter Ustinov can take the lion's share of credit for giving the film a droll twist with his performance as the petulant, plump peacock who simpered and sulked on his throne in imperial Rome until his delusions led him to destroy the city. Go to Full Review Howard McClay Illustrated Daily News (Los Angeles) Jun 30, 2026
Ustinov dominates much of Quo Vadis, but no other actor could have done it so thoroughly and decisively. Go to Full Review C.A. Lejeune Observer (UK) Jun 30, 2026
Good it is not, but colossal it undoubtedly is: colossally showy, colossally well-meaning, colossally crowded, conceived in what be described as colossally poor taste. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Leaburn O @RT35452347 Sep 6, 2026 Peter Ustinov steals the whole movie with a brilliantly unhinged performance as Nero. Much of the rest of the picture is grander in scale than it is in quality. A classic religious Roman epic which should be seen at least once but maybe not worth a repeat viewing. Watched on DVD. See more Cohil P @cohil Jun 13, 2026 It's political and humanistic message is huge as the setting. Robert Taylor is not Russel Crowe kids, but you should have an eye on this production too. Peter Ustinov plays the mad world leader in perfection, excessive and abysmal. See more Jonathan I @Isajo Jan 3, 2026 Masterful performance from Ustinov as Nero! Like alot of epic movies from this era this movie had scale, beautiful colours and the amount of work that had to be made for this is insane. See more acsdoug D @acsdoug Dec 23, 2025 The negative reviewers are right about one thing: the dialogue is too verbose and weighs the movie down. However, the story is good, some of the scenes are truly spectacular, and Peter Ustinov is terrific. I just wish they would have chosen a better lead actor than Robert Taylor. See more Patricia W @RT52876138 Apr 20, 2025 Awesome on every level. See more Anthony J @jenkinsdraws Feb 22, 2024 Dated cornball stuff with some hoards-of-extras spectacle thrown in. Robert Taylor plays a Roman general like a wooden American. A long-winded waste of time. except for Ustinov's Nero, who is perfectly played just short for funny. See more Read all reviews
Quo Vadis?

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Cast & Crew

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Mervyn LeRoy

Director

Robert Taylor

Marcus Vinicius

Deborah Kerr

Lygia

Peter Ustinov

Nero

Leo Genn

Petronius

Patricia Laffan

Poppaea

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Quo Vadis?

Quo Vadis? (1951) Quo Vadis? (1951) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Returning from a military campaign abroad, General Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor) discovers that a new religion has taken hold in Rome: Christianity. When Vinicius encounters Lygia (Deborah Kerr), a follower of the strange religion, he quickly becomes smitten and tries to win her affections. Lygia is reluctant due to their differing beliefs. Complicating matters is the crazed Emperor Nero (Peter Ustinov), who blames the Christians for his own burning of Rome, beginning a wave of persecution.
Director
Mervyn LeRoy
Producer
Sam Zimbalist
Screenwriter
S.N. Behrman, Sonya Levien, John Lee Mahin, Henryk Sienkiewicz
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 23, 1951, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 11, 2015
Runtime
2h 51m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Academy (1.33:1)
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