“Several centuries of decline have been cleverly condensed into three hours of spiritual collapse. The conflict between the philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) and his unworthy heir, Commodus (Christopher Plummer) is set against an extraordinary visual design: misty, autumnal frontier forests for the impossible dream of a pax romana; bright, garish marble columns to convey the irresistible allure of despotism. Marred only by Stephen Boyd and Sophia Loren's romance, Fall is a major achievement, visually sublime and appropriately apocalyptic in tone.” Adrian Turner, National Film Theatre, London