Pitying him, Frodo decided to trust Gollum/Smeagol, to act as his Master, and have him be their guide on the way to the Black Gate of Mordor.Since the uncompromising and decadent film is essentially an engrossing character study of unscrupulous, unattractive men in he artificial world of media power, phenomenal performances are derived from the two domineering and repugnant male leads - Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis (in a breakthrough role with his greatest career performance).It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war.Film Notables (Awards, Facts, etc.)This was a prequel to the entire series (original rilogy) set mostly during the early 1960s - the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis.