Alexander (Sean Connery) lies in bed, dying. His followers crowd around, eager for him to name a successor. Instead, in his delirium, he reviews the decisions that brought him there. He remembers his encounter with the Oracle at Delphi, his victory at Isus, finding Darius III dead and abandoned in a cart, the treachery of Philotas, and his marriage to Roxanna. In the end, he dies without naming a successor, merely stating they should fight for it.
Considering that this is the story of one of the greatest conquerors of all time, there is no fighting. This is a play that was written for the stage. The battles are all off screen and the characters only convene to discuss plans for the upcoming battle or celebrate the victory in its aftermath. It is very unlike Oliver Stone's Alexander (2004).
Alexander comes across as an uncertain youth, a man with great talent and charisma but burdened by private doubts. Despite his achievements, he still wonders if his father would be proud. He desperately wants the approval of those around him; those who don't approve might find themselves murdered. Indeed, most of the characters in the play are dead by the end.
The history is accurate, but the telling is boring. A year later, Sean Connery got his big break as James Bond in Dr. No (1962). Check that out instead.
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