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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 665

Cabiria

1914200 minItaly
DramaWarAdventure
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: English.
This copy runs
123:26
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · Giovanni Pastrone · Public domain

This copy runs shorter than the reference runtime. Editing and playback speed can differ between editions.

Synopsis

Separated from her family during the eruption of Mount Etna, a young girl is carried into the conflicts of the ancient Mediterranean. Captivity and the threat of sacrifice bring her into the path of a Roman traveller and his powerful companion Maciste. Their efforts to protect her unfold against the struggle between Rome and Carthage.

Cast

DirectorsGiovanni Pastrone

Inspirations

The adventure combines the setting of the Second Punic War with literary sources that include Livy, Gustave Flaubert and Emilio Salgari. Its fictional heroine provides a route through those large historical events.

Behind the scenes

Giovanni Pastrone used elaborate sets and moving-camera compositions to give the spectacle depth. The film also introduced Maciste, a character who continued through a long series of later screen adventures.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 12, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

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