ount ▁Pictures . ▁Based ▁on ▁the ▁original ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁play ▁by ▁English ▁play w right ▁Wilson ▁Bar rett , ▁the ▁screen play ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Wal dem ar ▁Young ▁and ▁Sid ney ▁Buch man . ▁It ▁stars ▁Fred ric ▁March , ▁El issa ▁Land i , ▁Claud ette ▁Col bert , ▁and ▁Charles ▁L aught on , ▁with ▁Ian ▁Keith ▁and ▁Arthur ▁H ohl . ▁▁ ▁Both ▁play ▁and ▁film ▁have ▁a ▁strong ▁res embl ance ▁to ▁the ▁novel ▁Qu o ▁V ad is , ▁and ▁like ▁the ▁novel , ▁take ▁place ▁in ▁ancient ▁Rome ▁during ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁N ero . ▁The ▁art ▁direction ▁and ▁cost ume ▁design ▁were ▁by ▁Mitchell ▁Le isen , ▁who ▁also ▁acted ▁as ▁assistant ▁director . ▁Karl ▁Str uss ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁an ▁Academy ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Cin emat ography . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁third ▁and ▁last ▁in ▁De M ille ' s ▁bib lic al ▁tr il ogy , ▁following ▁The ▁Ten ▁Command ments ▁( 1 9 2 3 ) ▁and ▁The ▁King ▁of ▁Kings ▁( 1 9 2 7 ). ▁ ▁Cast ▁▁ ▁Fred ric ▁March ▁as ▁Marcus ▁Super bus , ▁pre fect ▁of ▁Rome ▁ ▁El issa ▁Land i ▁as ▁Mer cia ▁ ▁Claud ette ▁Col bert ▁as ▁Em press ▁Po pp ae a ▁ ▁Charles ▁L aught on ▁as ▁Emperor ▁N ero ▁ ▁Ian ▁Keith ▁as ▁Tig ell inus ▁ ▁Arthur ▁H ohl ▁as ▁Tit us ▁ ▁Harry ▁Ber es ford ▁as ▁F av ius ▁Font ell us ▁ ▁Tommy