A Legendary Disaster That Hollywood Tried to Bury

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MOVIE REVIEW
The Conqueror (Blu-ray)
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Genre: Adventure, Biography, History, Romance, War
Year Released: 1956, Kino Lorber Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 51m
Director(s): Dick Powell
Writer(s): Oscar Millard
Cast: John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Pedro Armendáriz, Agnes Moorehead, Thomas Gomez, William Conrad
Where To Watch: available now, order your copy here: www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Grand-scale historical epics demand precision, but this one collapses under the weight of its ambitions. What should have been a commanding portrait of one of history’s most feared leaders instead plays like an unintentional comedy, undone by baffling casting choices, clumsy execution, and “set design” that cost people their lives. It’s the kind of cinematic misfire that’s more fascinating to discuss than to endure. The real spectacle isn’t on-screen—it’s in the stories of how it all went so disastrously wrong, and yes, they’re all true.

Ambition isn’t the problem here. On paper, this film had all the elements of an epic—an untamed landscape, warring factions, and a leader rising to power through sheer force of will. However, whatever potential existed in the concept is completely undermined by a script that leans into melodrama rather than historical weight. Dialogue that should carry a sense of command and intensity instead feels stilted and out of place, giving scenes an almost theatrical quality that doesn’t fit the film's intended tone. The characters lack the necessary depth to make their struggles compelling, reducing what could have been an intricate political and military drama into little more than a series of overacted proclamations and underwhelming conflicts. This feels like the inevitable bio pic that someone makes of Donald Trump’s presidencies.

The casting is one of the most well-known blunders, which remains baffling today. The lead role is played by an actor, John Wayne, who is so wildly miscast that it’s difficult to focus on anything else. His distinctive voice, mannerisms, and overall persona make it impossible to believe he’s a Mongol warlord rather than a cowboy who accidentally wandered into the wrong production. There’s a fundamental disconnect between the performance and the character he’s supposed to portray, making it one of the most jarring examples of Hollywood’s tendency to prioritize star power overfitting an actor to a role.

His leading lady, Susan Hayward, doesn’t fare much better, though that’s more the fault of the writing than the actress herself. She’s given little to work with, stuck in a role that serves as little more than a narrative device rather than a fully developed character. The supposed romance meant to drive much of the story's emotional weight is devoid of chemistry, making it difficult to invest in their relationship. Much of the film’s intended dramatic tension falls flat without a believable connection between the leads.

Visually, the film makes a few attempts at grandeur, but even those efforts are undercut by questionable decisions. The production was shot in Utah, which is meant to double as the Mongolian steppes, but the setting never quite convinces the audience. While striking in its own way, the landscape feels too familiar, especially for audiences accustomed to Westerns filmed in similar locations. The attempt to recreate an exotic atmosphere by transporting toxic sand to studio sets only adds an absurd layer to the already misguided production.

Even if the film had been mediocre, it might have faded into obscurity. Instead, it’s remembered for one of the most disturbing behind-the-scenes stories in Hollywood history. The decision to film near nuclear testing sites had devastating consequences, with a significant portion of the cast and crew later developing serious illnesses and worse. What should have been just another big-budget Hollywood misfire instead became a tragic reminder of the dangers of reckless production decisions.

Despite its critical failure, the film somehow managed to break even, though that was likely more due to its lead star’s name recognition than the quality of the movie itself. The studio may have recouped its investment, but its reputation never recovered. The producer was so embarrassed by the final product that he went to extreme lengths to keep it out of circulation. However, time has ensured that its notoriety only grew. Today, it remains a cautionary tale, a prime example of how every film element—casting, script, location—needs to align to create something worth remembering for the right reasons.

If you’re going to watch this, do yourself a favor and pair it up with the documentary detailing its production, which is far more engaging than anything the film offers. This film's real ‘entertainment’ lies in the staggering number of missteps that went into making it rather than in its execution. Witnessing something that fails on so many levels is fascinating.

It’s one thing to fall short of expectations—it’s another to become infamous for doing so. There’s a reason it’s frequently cited as one of Hollywood’s most spectacular failures. Some movies are bad in a way that’s fun, but this one is bad in a way that makes you wonder how anyone thought it was a good idea in the first place.

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[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER]

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