The film begins with a beautifully accompanied tour of Italian museums and Vatican City, which effectively illustrates the incredible skill of Michelangelo Buonarroti and the impressive scope of his work—just those first ten minutes alone make it worthwhile as an introduction to art history! The narrative unfolds during Julius II’s papacy, featuring Rex Harrison portraying the warrior-turned-patron of the arts who pr…

The recurring banter between Rex Harrison’s Pope Julius II and Charlton Heston's Michelangelo—"When will you make an end? When I am finished!"—sets the stage for this film adaptation of Irving Stone's novel, The Agony & The Ectasy. It presents a dramatized version of how Michelangelo created his famous Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes, concentrating on just those two central figures. As a work, The Agony & The Ectasy …