As a young boy, future emperor Nero witnesses the mad Emperor Caligula kill his father and exile his mother. While in exile in the pontine islands, Agrippina, his mother, sees a vision telling her that her son can become emperor, but she will have to die first. She accepts the proposal. Back in Rome, Nero, now being raised by emperor Claudius after Caligula's death, Agrippina returns. She poisons Claudius' food and Nero becomes emperor. At first, Nero cuts taxes and introduces successful programs and invades Brittania. Soon he meets a beautiful slave named Claudia Acte, and marries her, throwing off his engagement with Claudius' daughter, Claudia Octavia, telling her she can marry someone she will be happy with. Heartbroken, she arrives at an island and kills herself. Nero enjoys being married to Claudia Acte, but soon he gradually goes mad with power and sets fire to Rome.
Acting
Laura Morante devours scenery as Agrippina, worth the price of admission.
Costume
Togas and poison rings and whatever that fire sequence budget went to.
Director
Paul Marcus
Hans Matheson
Nero
Rike Schmid
Acte
Laura Morante
Aggrippina
Matthias Habich
Seneca
Ángela Molina
Domitia
Ian Richardson
Septimus
John Simm
Caligula
Liz Smith
Soothsayer
Massimo Dapporto
Claudius
Maurizio Donadoni
Burros
Jochen Horst
Etius
Vittoria Puccini
Claudia Octavia
Elisa Tovati
Poppaea Sabina
Pierre Vaneck
Paul of Tarsus
Francesco Venditti
Britannicus
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was originally a two-part Italian TV miniseries that got awkwardly smashed into a 'theatrical' 181-minute cut.
The real Nero probably didn't fiddle while Rome burned—that was propaganda—but this film absolutely commits to the arsonist version.
US
GB
