Harriet Simons

I love the Falco books...this movie was not based on any of the books although some of the recurring characters from the books are in the movie (although not necessarily in the same positions (in the books Petro is Falco's best friend and former army buddy and sometime business partner). If you want a realistic picture of ancient Rome, don't bother watching, but if you want a super campy kind of gaudy 1950ish version of Rome it's good for a some laughs. And you 'll catch a glimpse of the Colosseum's (finished 11 years after the movie's setting) exterior looking as it does now.