Overview and BeginningThe 1968 setting of "Oedipus the King" is an adaption of Sophocles' Greek disaster. Directed by Phillip Saville, the film stars Christopher Plummer as Oedipus and Lilli Palmer as Jocasta. The movie is a tragic account of the life of King Oedipus of Thebes, who unknowingly marries his mom and kills his dad.
The film opens in the Kingdom of Thebes, where citizens are plagued by a mystical illness. The freshly crowned King Oedipus promises to discover the source of this plague and redeem his individuals's suffering. An oracle reveals that the plague is a punishment for the killer of the previous king, Laius, and the curse will not lift till justice is served.
Middle PlotOedipus dedicates himself to find the killer and deliver justice. He looks for the help of the blind prophet Tiresias (played by Orson Welles). Tiresias, reluctant initially, exposes that Oedipus was the one who eliminated King Laius. Shocked and confused Oedipus dismisses the discovery as a vile effort to dethrone him, thinking that Tiresias conspires with his brother-in-law, Creon, to topple him.
All at once, Oedipus begins unraveling his past. He was not a biological child of Polybus, the King of Corinth, his supposed father, however was adopted from a Theban shepherd who had actually gotten him from Laius's servant. This confirms Oedipus's suspicion, which further magnifies when he finds out about Laius's murder at a place where 3 roads satisfy, which accompanies Oedipus killing a man in self-defense at the same area.
Climax and EndingPrior to Oedipus can compete with this information, Jocasta, his queen, comprehending the horrible fact, implores Oedipus to stop his pursuit of the killer. Still, the figured out king continues his mission to find Laius's murderer, leading Jocasta to hang herself in despair.
Lastly, a messenger from Corinth shows up bearing the news of the death of King Polybus of Corinth, and accidentally reveals that Oedipus was an adopted son of the king. With the aid of a Theban shepherd, who was the eyewitness of King Laius's murder, Oedipus unveils the disastrous reality that he was the killer of Laius, his father, and that he has married his own mother, Jocasta.
Last ThoughtsIn general, the movie "Oedipus the King" is a heart-wrenching depiction of among the most terrible heroes of Greek mythology. It brilliantly encapsulates the styles of destiny, self-discovery, and the power of fact. The efficiencies of Christopher Plummer and Lilli Palmer breathe life into Sophocles's complex characters and provide an extraordinary cinematic experience.
Top Cast
