The Agony and the Ecstasy

The Agony and the Ecstasy is a historical drama about the conflict between Michelangelo and Pope Julius II during the Italian Renaissance. The pope first commissions the sculptor to build forty statues for his tomb, then changes his mind and asks him to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel instead. Michelangelo doubts his abilities as a painter and initially refuses the work, but is ultimately forced to accept it. As the project proceeds, his artistic vision repeatedly clashes with the pope's domineering manner, and the two strong-willed men become locked in a struggle that threatens the painting itself. The story is based on Irving Stone's novel about the artist.

The film was directed and produced by Carol Reed, with a screenplay by Philip Dunne. It came between Trapeze and Oliver! in Reed's filmography. Charlton Heston plays Michelangelo, Rex Harrison plays Pope Julius II, and the supporting cast includes Diane Cilento, Harry Andrews, Alberto Lupo and Adolfo Celi.

Produced by 20th Century Fox together with Italian companies, it was an expensive production for its time, with a budget of about 10 million dollars, but its worldwide box office take was considerably lower, at roughly 4 million. Ratings are moderate on both platforms, with 7.2 out of 10 on IMDb from around 8,800 votes and 7 out of 10 on TMDB from a much smaller number of votes, while the film critics' rating stands at 6.6 out of 10 from seven reviews.