A vengeful prince infiltrates the fortress of Mycenae, facing cults, gladiators, and gods.
THE CONQUEST OF MYCENAE
Gordon Scott plays Glaucus, the prince of Tiryns, a powerful warrior who goes undercover in Mycenae to infiltrate the evil cult of Moloch, which is exacting tribute from neighboring kingdoms in the form of attractive young hostages, both male and female. Calling himself "Hercules," Glaucus defeats Mycenae's champions and gains the favor of the voluptuous Queen Demetra (Rosalba Neri) whose son, covered in a dog's head mask, has been raised as the living embodiment of the dark god Moloch and receives sacrifices in his sprawling underground grotto.
Quick Answer
The Conquest of Mycenae is a 1963 French-Italian adventure, drama, and fantasy film directed by Giorgio Ferroni about Prince Glaucus going undercover as Hercules to infiltrate Mycenae’s evil cult and challenge its cruel ruler.
Programmer's Pick
Where else will you get a musclebound prince impersonating Hercules while gladiator-brawling for the affections of a scheming queen—beneath the shadowy lair of a dog-headed demigod? Giorgio Ferroni serves muscular camp, myth, and bondage in equal measure. Swords, sandals, and plenty of bare chests keep things firmly in peplum territory.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Why This Matters
This Italian/French peplum film directed by Giorgio Ferroni is notable for reusing battle scenes from Ferroni's earlier 1961 film The Trojan Horse, illustrating economical production practices common in the genre during the era.
Cast & Crew
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Why Cult
Scenes of brutal arena combat spice up the hero’s secret mission, blending action with subterfuge as Glaucus fights for both survival and the revolution.
Ritual sacrifices, a masked demigod, and an underground grotto—this is sword-and-sorcery villainy with plenty of gothic excess.
Expect plenty of bare-chested musclemen, campy evil monarchs, and mythic spectacle—true to the peplum tradition.
Prince Glaucus boldly adopts the identity of Hercules to seize Mycenae from within, raising the stakes for both disguise and derring-do.
Scene Gallery
Questions from the Vault
When was The Conquest of Mycenae released? +
The film was released in 1963.
Who directed The Conquest of Mycenae? +
Giorgio Ferroni directed The Conquest of Mycenae.
How long is The Conquest of Mycenae? +
The runtime of The Conquest of Mycenae is 102 minutes.
What genre is The Conquest of Mycenae? +
It is an adventure, drama, and fantasy film.
How does Glaucus infiltrate Mycenae’s inner circle? +
Glaucus poses as Hercules, offering himself as a slave tribute, and becomes a gladiator to get close to Mycenae’s leadership.
Who serves as the living embodiment of Moloch in the film? +
Queen Demetra’s son, concealed under a dog’s head mask, is raised as the living embodiment of the god Moloch and receives human sacrifices.
