Hercules

Nigel Green was not a small man. But in terms of muscularity, or lack thereof, that was actually intentional. Steve Reeves' muscle-man movies were popular at that time, but Ray Harryhausen and producer Charles Schneer, did not want this to be seen as another "muscle flick", and wanted their Hercules to be a little more down to earth and of course not to overshadow the real hero of the picture, Jason.

He was the perfect image of the Greek art interpretation of the character. Fierce in the face, full of humor and the love of life, complete with the traditional lion skin outfit and the hero's weapon of choice, the club. Nigel Green WAS Hercules.

True, but looking at things mythologically, Hercules was alreadly well-established as a hero by the time the Argonauts were assembled -- hence Jason's willingness to reserve his place among the crew -- so it makes sense that he'd be a bit long in the tooth. As far as Nigel Green's performance, it pretty much encapsulated the essence of the demi-god. My favorite moment is when someone announces that Hercules has arrived, leading Hercules to scream "HE'S HERE!" and pounce into the assembled throng and start throwing people.

Was I alone in thinking Hercules acted like a total dick? The first thing he did on going ashore was to totally disobey orders thereby endangering everyone. His actions made Jason waste 2 divine interventions, almost causing mutiny, and seemingly caused the death of Hylas. Great crewmember? With friends like that who needs enemies?

Ah, hell diddly-ding-dong crap!

This Hercules was more accessible and human. Besides, just because Hercules possessed supernatural strength doesn't necessarily mean he was a muscle boy. I though as a character he was rather cool, if a little on the dim side.

It's funny that people keep bringing up that Green was the perfect Greek interpretation of Hercules or Herakles. But this is the MOVIES and Reeves is and will always be Hercules.

bushtony and his mother suffer from Congential Stupidtiy and they didn't see it coming.

I grew up in the Fifties, and we watched all of the sword & sandal flicks that came along, with all of the musclebound actors playing Hercules. Well, I should have thought little of Nigel Green when I saw "JATA" at the drive-in in 1963, when I was about 12. No! I was enraptured by this interpretation of Hercules. This was the demigod I had read about in myths, the one shown in much of the artwork, not a mammothly muscled person but a man who might seem much like others except for his strength.

Who says Hercules is supposed to act nobly?! Who says he doesn't do stupid things?! That's the story of Herakles/Hercules! He makes mistakes, uses rash judgment, angers the wrong people, and ends up tragically. He even accidentally killed his music tutor in a fit of anger! His is mainly a rather sad life. The 12 Labors are penitence/punishment, not tributes to his strength. In some versions, in order to be saved from a horribly painful, lingering death, he is raised to godhood. Hercules was a hero in spite of himself. As far as I can recall, this movie is one of the few in which that show a less-than-heroic picture, one that humanizes the legendary character.

Nigel Green IS Hercules to me! I can admire other interpreters, including the musclemen. I think Kevin Sorbo was a bow to Nigel Green's interpretation: a guy not particularly well-built, taller maybe and perhaps not quite as reckless. For me, Hercules' behavior was believable throughout. Also, in some versions of the Jason story, Hercules did remain on the island to search for Hylas, who was stolen away by water nymphs. (In some of those versions, Hercules and Hylas were~ahem~paramours.)

Nigel Green as Hercules is just one of many reasons I have dearly loved this film for 47 years and will continue watching it every time I possibly can. By the way: I'll tune in for ANY movie Mr. Green is in!

~~MystMoonstruck~~

It's a javelin!

EDIT: From Wikipedia:
After killing his music tutor Linus with a lyre, he was sent to tend cattle on a mountain by his foster father Amphitryon. Here, according to an allegorical parable, "The Choice of Heracles", invented by the sophist Prodicus (ca. 400 BC), he was visited by two nymphs—Pleasure and Virtue—who offered him a choice between a pleasant and easy life or a severe but glorious life: he chose the latter.

Later in Thebes, Heracles married King Creon's daughter, Megara. In a fit of madness, induced by Hera, Heracles killed his children by Megara. After his madness had been cured with hellebore by Antikyreus, the founder of Antikyra, he realized what he had done and fled to the Oracle of Delphi. Unbeknownst to him, the Oracle was guided by Hera. He was directed to serve King Eurystheus for ten years and perform any task, which he required. Eurystheus decided to give Heracles ten labours but after completing them, he said he cheated and added two more, resulting in the Twelve Labors of Heracles.

I'm not sure if you can see this image, but it can be found on the Wikipedia page for Heracles (not Hercules). This is a bronze from ancient Rome, and he and Nigel Green look quite similar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heracles.jpg

Others picture Hercules as being without bulgy muscles yet strong, which is demonstrated when Hercules opens that door, as well as by his discus toss and making short work of challengers at the games to gather a crew:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mharrsch/543040702/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mharrsch/543147429/in/set-72157600345292902/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Francisco_de_Zurbar%C3%A1n_013.jpg

Unless they wanted to work in any of the Labors, there would not be as many opportunities to have Hercules show off his strength in this storyline. I appreciate that they included him in the quest but to have herculean displays might have made people think of those "sword & sandal" movies.

~~MystMoonstruck~~