Overview
A master artist struggles under the weight of a Pope's ambition, creating a masterpiece that will define his legacy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- earnest
- austere
- contemplative
- historical film night
- art appreciation viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly value the film's informative Renaissance setting and visual presentation but find its dialogue-heavy script and restrained characterization insufficiently dramatic.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Michelangelo struggles to complete the Sistine Chapel ceiling while facing relentless demands from Pope Julius II.
The Pope commissions the frescoes and repeatedly pressures Michelangelo to work faster, producing the film's central dramatic tension.
The film foregrounds the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, Italian museums, and the monumental fresco project.
The plot follows the prolonged execution of the Sistine Chapel ceiling rather than a sequence of unrelated biographical episodes.
Films like The Agony and the Ecstasy, and why
Lust for Life
historical biographical drama centered on artistic ambition, patronage, and the creation of monumental art
Caravaggio
Renaissance-set biographical drama combining artistic genius, institutional power, and richly staged period settings
Pollock
serious period biography about an artist whose personal vision conflicts with social and political pressures
Movie Details
- Director
- Carol Reed
- Release Date
- 1965-09-16
- Runtime
- 138 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (157)
Cast
- Charlton Heston
- Rex Harrison
- Diane Cilento
- Harry Andrews
- Alberto Lupo
- Adolfo Celi
- Venantino Venantini
- Tomas Milian
- John Stacy
- Fausto Tozzi
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Agony and the Ecstasy about?
- A powerful pope and a fiercely independent Michelangelo clash over the arduous creation of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
- What is The Agony and the Ecstasy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Agony and the Ecstasy as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Agony and the Ecstasy violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Agony and the Ecstasy as mild.
- What did critics think of The Agony and the Ecstasy?
- Critics broadly value the film's informative Renaissance setting and visual presentation but find its dialogue-heavy script and restrained characterization insufficiently dramatic.
- Which films are like The Agony and the Ecstasy?
- Films with a similar feel include Lust for Life, Caravaggio, and Pollock.
- How long is The Agony and the Ecstasy?
- The Agony and the Ecstasy runs 138 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Agony and the Ecstasy?
- In United States, The Agony and the Ecstasy is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
