| Androcles and the Lion | |
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DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Chester Erskine Nicholas Ray (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Gabriel Pascal |
| Written by | George Bernard Shaw Ken Englund Chester Erskine |
| Starring | Jean Simmons Victor Mature Alan Young |
| Music by | Friedrich Hollaender |
| Cinematography | Harry Stradling Sr. |
| Editing by | Roland Gross |
| Distributed by | RKO |
| Release date(s) | 1952 |
| Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Androcles and the Lion is a 1952 RKO film produced by Gabriel Pascal from the George Bernard Shaw play.
This was Pascal's last film, made two years after the death of Shaw, his long-standing friend and mentor, and two years before his own death.
Androcles is an escaped slave who is on the run from his Roman captors. While hiding in the forest he comes upon a wild lion who, instead of attacking the weak and starving slave, approaches him with a wounded paw, which he holds out to Androcles as if to beg his assistance. Androcles sees that the source of the lion's agony is a large thorn embedded in the paw; the slave courageously pulls it out. The lion is greatly relieved and for some time brings Androcles food which it has killed. Soon, however, Androcles is recaptured and sentenced to be thrown to the lions in the colosseum. When he stands in the arena, with nothing but a sword to defend himself, the lion is released upon him. It turns out to be none other than the lion which Androcles had helped, and the two embrace each other — in front of thousands of aghast people and an astonished Roman Emperor. Upon hearing Androcles' tale, the Emperor orders the slave to be freed, and releases them both.
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