Anthony Mann's big-budget, Cinemascopic historical epic about freedom-fighting was also a biopic of legendary Spanish hero, Rodrigo Diaz (known popularly as "El Cid") (Charlton Heston), who hunted to unite Spain's warring factions. In the historical romance, Sophia Loren co-starred as fiancee Jimena. The film incorporated an exciting swordfight duel between Rodrigo and Count Gomez (Andrew Cruickshank), the father of his fiancee, and an equally-thrilling jousting gauntlet sequence.