Cinema: Of Time & the Tiber

For the benefit of latecomers to next month’s press preview of Quo Vadis in Manhattan—and for those who may not be able to stick it out for the film’s 2 hours and 55 minutes* —M-G-M thoughtfully prepared last week a sensation-by-sensa-tion timetable of Christianity’s triumph over paganism: Excerpts:.

8:30 Quo Vadis begins.

8:47 Marcus meets Lygia.

9:51 Lygia’s surrender to Marcus.

10:01 Poppaea (Nero’s favorite wife) seduces Marcus.

10:20 Nero sings while Rome burns.

10:51 The lions are set upon the Christians.

11:19 Nero strangles Poppaea.

11:22 Desperate, forsaken and alone, Nero destroys himself.

11:25 Marcus’ and Lygia’s faith triumphs and the Christian world is born.

*Running time for Gone With the Wind: 3 hrs. 48 min.