Quo Vadis

Set against the back drop of Rome in crisis, General Marcus Vinicius returns to the city from the battle fields and falls in love with a Christian woman, Lygia. Caught in the grip of insanity, Nero's atrocities become more extreme and he burns Rome, laying the blame on the Christians. Vinicius races to save Lygia from the wrath of Nero as the empire of Rome collapses around them.



Returning to Rome after three years in the field, General Marcus Vinicius meets Lygia and falls in love with her, though as a Christian she wants nothing to do with a warrior. Though she grew up Roman, the adopted daughter of a retired general, Lygia is technically a hostage of Rome. Marcus gets Emperor Nero to give her to him for services rendered but finds himself succumbing gradually to her Christian faith.
—John Oswalt



A fierce Roman commander becomes infatuated with a beautiful Christian hostage and begins questioning the tyrannical leadership of the despot Emperor Nero.
—duke1029@aol.com





SYNOPSIS

After many years away at battle conquering other nations, Roman patrician Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor), returns to the city and accidentally meets a young Christian woman, Ligia (Deborah Kerr) who is the adopted daughter of a retired general but technically a hostage of Rome. He falls for her but she rebuffs his advances because of his warrior background and her newly found religion of Christianity. As time passes Marcus realizes that Ligia has a real devotion to this new religion and attempts to possess her completely by getting Nero (Peter Ustinov) to give her to him as a slave. Ligia escapes and hides out with a group of Christians and Marcus goes undercover to witness the devotion and reverence of the sect. Neros insane belief in his divinity runs rampant when he decides to burn Rome to get inspiration to write more beautiful songs, and ultimately to rebuild the city in his own image. Marcus barely rescues Ligia from the flames and when Nero realizes the citizens believe him responsible he shifts the blame to the Christians, rounds them up with Marcus and leads them to the arena to be devoured by Lions. Amidst all the activity Marcus realizes that he loves Ligia and that the new religion is taking hold in a way that can change history.