Franco Giacobini

While pursued by a U.S. rival, a greedy Polish mercenary aids a mine worker and peasant girl as they lead a revolution against the Mexican government.

In 1961, director Mario Bava (Rabid Dogs, Kill Baby Kill) turned his hand to the historical adventure genre, capitalising on the recent success of 1958's Kirk Douglas vehicle The Vikings. The result was a colourful, swashbuckling epic of treachery, heroism and forbidden love: Erik the Conqueror.

Directed by Ugo Tognazzi, who also stars as a naïve man caught in a web of opportunistic women and shady dealings. This 1961 satirical comedy reflects on masculinity, ambition, and social hypocrisy in postwar Italy. Tognazzi’s comedic timing shines in a story that blends irony and farce, offering a sharp commentary on the illusions of modern success.