Marco the Magnificent (1965)

During the 1200s, young Marco Polo, joins his father Niccolò and his uncle Matteo, who recently returned from China, and prepares to visit the Pope who summoned them. The Pope entrusts the Polo family with a trade mission to China and with a personal message of peace for China's Emperor Kublai Khan. Unknown to all of them is the fact that the peaceful Kublai Khan is facing a treasonous dissension among his Mongol war chieftains, led by his war-loving son. His son wants the throne for himself and desires to destroy all Chinese subjects, in favor of his Mongol ones. He also wants to invade Europe and avail himself of slaves, territory and spoils of war. In Venice, the Polos board a ship for the Holly Lands, presently occupied by the Crusaders. From there, they are to proceed by caravan, overland, to Samarkand and eventually reach Peking. However, the overland route passes through several kingdoms, caliphates and wild rugged regions inhabited by unwelcoming warlike tribes. The route also presents other dangers, such as bandits, assassins, murderous religious sects and natural perils such as sand storms and rough terrain. At some point, Marco splits from the caravan and takes a different path, shorter but more perilous, while his father Niccolò and his uncle Matteo continue on the traditional caravan route, that is longer but safer. They all pledge to meet in Samarkand. Marco has his share of dangerous adventures while his father and uncle run into trouble of their own. Often times, it seems that their mission is about to fail and looks like none will reach China alive. However, the Pope's faith in his envoys' ability to overcome adversity and peril is justified and their mission seems protected by a higher power.