Inspired by the Homer's THE ILLIAD, Robert Wise's HELEN OF TROY ('56) retells the story that launched the Trojan War in lavish technicolor. Off-screen, the film represents another ongoing battle: Hollywood's retaliation against the rising popularity of television. To combat the new medium, studios began returning to more wide-screen spectacles. Wise's first costume epic, the film's success set the stage for him to direct more large-scale productions – from WEST SIDE STORY ('61) to THE SOUND OF M