Hannibal (known as Annibale in its native Italy) is a 1959 historical film based on the life on Hannibal the Conqueror, starring Victor Mature.
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The film is a biographical account of Hannibal's life. The film begins with him and his men crossing the Alps. Then films then portrays his capture of Rome and ends with his ultimate downfall.
Despite being an Italian production the film was mainly financed by American studio Warner Brothers. The films budget was estimated at around $4–5 million. The only speaking actors in the film were Victor Mature and Rita Gam, all the other actors were Italian and had their lines dubbed into English. The film featured approximately 20,000 extras. The film was originally intended to be a more personal account of Hannibal's life, but the studio instead pressured the film makers into developing a more standard historical film. The film was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, although IMDB lists Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia as a co-director. The film was released theratrically in the USA on 18 June 1960. The film existed in two versions, a 95 minute version released in non-English speaking European countries, and a 103 minute version released in the USA and other English speaking territories. The films tagline was "Jump on! Hang on! Here comes the avenging Hannibal and his crazed elephant army!"[1] The film's music was composed by Carlo Rustichelli.
The film was released on DVD in the USA on October 19, 2004. The DVD includes 16:9 format, a 33 minute interview with Edgar G. Ulmer, a photo and poster gallery, the theratrical trailer, and cast and crew biographies. The DVD contains no subtitles.
Victor Mature: Hannibal
Rita Gam: Sylvia
Terrence Hill: Quintilius
Milly Vitale: Danila
Andrea Aureli: Gajus Terentius Varro