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The Sign of the Cross Overview:

The Sign of the Cross (1932) was a Historical - Drama Film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and produced by Cecil B. DeMille.

SYNOPSIS

DeMille's version of Nero's Rome allowed him to depict vice, naked women, homosexuality, lesbians, and cannibalism - all in the name of moral instruction. Laughton plays Nero in a campy performance reportedly based on Mussolini, while Colbert, as Poppea, bathes in real asses' milk (which apparently turned to hideously foul-smelling cheese under the lights) and makes eyes at the captain of the guard, March. March, though, only desires the pure Landi, a Christian convert. When she's led into the arena after Nero blames his conflagration on the Christians, March nobly joins his true love in her sacrifice. In typical DeMille fashion, the film's press kit boasted of a cast of more than 4,000 and a menagerie gathered from 12 zoos.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1932/33 --- Ceremony Number 6 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best CinematographyKarl StrussNominated
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The Sign of the Cross BlogHub Articles:

Pre-Code Corner: Skin and Savagery in The Sign of the Cross: 7 Vicious Pre-Code Moments

By Kim Luperi on Nov 4, 2017 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Skin and Savagery in The Sign of the Cross: 7 Vicious Pre-Code Moments An epic tale of decadence, morality and religious persecution adorned with lust, violence, love, and everything in between, Cecil B. DeMille’s The Sign of the Cross (1932) remains one of the most audacious pictures of the p... Read full article

The Sign of the Cross (1932) (2)

on Feb 26, 2014 From Journeys in Classic Film

Movies about the persecution of oppressed peoples cover all ethnicities and religions since time immemorial, and with Christianity at an all-time high in the 1920s/1930s it’s easy to figure out why Hollywood filmed The Sign of the Cross.  Unfortunately, time isn’t kind and The Sign of t... Read full article

The Sign of the Cross (1932) (1)

By Angela on Nov 30, 2013 From Hollywood Revue

As Nero (Charles Laughton) watches Rome burn, he blames Christians for starting the whole thing rather than admit he started it.  Nero’s accusation places all Christians in Rome in great danger.  When Titus (Arthur Hohl) and Flavius (Harry Beresford) publicly admit to being Christians, they ... Read full article

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The Sign of the Cross Quotes:

No Quote for this film.
The Sign of the Cross Facts
Filming was supposed to begin on June 11, 1932. It was pushed back a week so Fredric March would have enough time to finish Smilin' Through.
When the movie opened nationally on 10 February 1933, there was a "bank holiday" because of the Depression. With all the banks closed, theater managers accepted IOUs from patrons wishing to see the movie, and Cecil B. DeMille reported most of those were eventually redeemed.
Originally released as a 124-minute feature. After the Hays Code was instituted, some of the more "sinful" scenes were cut for the film's re-release in 1944. At this time a newly filmed prologue and epilogue were added, so that the film's running time remained more or less the same as the original release.
In this film, Charles Laughton plays the Roman emperor Nero. In the unfinished I, Claudius he played Claudius, Nero's great-uncle, stepfather, and predecessor.
Crowd extras were paid around $10.00 a day.
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