?A remarkable achievement! Scodel and Bettenworth have produced a splendid synthesis at once inter?disciplinary and cross?cultural. Informed by fine classical scholarship and incisive film?criticism Whither Quo Vadis is a compelling contribution to the study of world literature, history, religion, cinema studies.? John F. Makowski, Loyola University Chicago

?A masterly analysis of all aspects of the art of making a film from a historical novel. Written in a clear, engaging style, it makes an enjoyable read, with extensive references for readers who wish to explore the subject further.? David Hahm, Ohio State University

"Anyone interested in the translation of epic novel to epic film will find valuable insights and learned nuggets here, especially concerning gender roles and political subtexts in the four cinematic versions (1912 to 2001) and the 1985 television miniseries." Emily Albu, University of California, Davis

"Whither Quo Vadis?" offers an engaging account of how the Roman world and its history are represented in film and the way in which the different adaptations reflect the shifting historical situations and ideological concerns of their own times. This work: explores five surviving film adaptations - Guazzoni's of 1912; D'Annunzio/Jacoby of 1925; Mervyn LeRoy's of 1951; the Italian TV mini-series of 1985 by Franco Rossi; and Kawalerowicz's 2001 Polish version; examines how these different versions interpret, select from, and modify the novel and the ancient sources on which it is based; offers an exceptionally clear view of how films have presented ancient Rome and how modern conditions determine its reception; and, looks at rare and archival material which has not previously received close scholarly attention.

"Whither Quo Vadis?" offers an engaging account of how the Roman world and its history are represented in film and the way in which the different adaptations reflect the shifting historical situations and ideological concerns of their own times. This work: explores five surviving film adaptations - Guazzoni's of 1912; D'Annunzio/Jacoby of 1925; Mervyn LeRoy's of 1951; the Italian TV mini-series of 1985 by Franco Rossi; and Kawalerowicz's 2001 Polish version; examines how these different versions interpret, select from, and modify the novel and the ancient sources on which it is based; offers an exceptionally clear view of how films have presented ancient Rome and how modern conditions determine its reception; and, looks at rare and archival material which has not previously received close scholarly attention.

Henryk Sienkiewicz?s Quo Vadis?, a novel about the encounter between Christianity and the Roman world in the time of Nero, helped him win the Nobel prize in 1905, was an international bestseller, and is still in print in many languages.

This book explores five surviving film adaptations which offer an exceptionally clear view of how ancient Rome is characterized on the big screen. It examines how the different films interpret, select from, and modify the novel and its ancient sources, and how contemporary social and political issues, as well as the particular artistic and commercial goals of each production, have influenced each adaptation. Each presents a different story and a different Rome.

Ruth Scodel is D. R. Shackleton Bailey Collegiate Professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Michigan. She is the author of Listening to Homer (2002) and Epic Facework: Self-Presentation and Social Interaction in Homer (2008). Anja Bettenworth is Assistant Professor of Latin at the University of Munster. She is the author of Gastmahlszenen in der antiken Epik von Homer bis Claudian. Diachrone Untersuchungen zur Szenentypik (2004).