En route to Thebes for an important diplomatic mission, Hercules drinks from a magic spring and loses his memory. He spends most of the movie in the pleasure gardens of Queen Omphale of Lydia. While young Ulysses tries to help him regain his memory, political tensions escalate in Thebes, and Hercules' new wife Iole finds herself in mortal danger.
Practical Effects
Steve Reeves' actual physique — no CGI, just protein and destiny.
Production
Ludicrously opulent peplum sets built on pure Italian excess.
Director
Pietro Francisci
Steve Reeves
Ercole (Hercules)
Sylva Koscina
Iole, bride of Ercole
Sylvia Lopez
Queen Onfale, of Lidia
Gabriele Antonini
Ulisse, son of Laertes
Primo Carnera
Anteo, the giant
Patrizia Della Rovere
Penelope
Sergio Fantoni
Eteocle
Fulvia Franco
Anticlea
Carlo D'Angelo
Creonte, High Priest of Thebes
Mimmo Palmara
Polinice
Elda Tattoli
Altmea - Mother of Ulisses' Girlfriend
Daniele Vargas
Anfiarao
Andrea Fantasia
King Laerte
Gino Mattera
Orpheo
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This is peak 'peplum' — Italy's 1950s-60s obsession with cheap mythological epics that launched Steve Reeves as a global bodybuilding icon and influenced Schwarzenegger's entire career trajectory.
Sylvia Lopez (Queen Omphale) died tragically of leukemia shortly after filming; this became her final role, adding unintended melancholy to Hercules' forgotten interlude in her pleasure gardens.
IT
