El Cid is a 1961 historical epic film made by Samuel Bronston Productions in bumociation with The Rank Organisation and released by Allied Artists. It was directed by Anthony Mann and produced by Samuel Bronston with Jaime Prades and Michal Waszynski as bumociate producers. The screenplay was by Philip Yordan, Ben Barzman and Fredric M. Frank from a story by Fredric M. Frank. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa, the cinematography by Robert Krasker and the editing by Robert Lawrence.

The film starred Charlton Heston as Rodrigo and Sophia Loren as Jimena, with Raf Vallone as Count Ordóñez, Geneviève Page as Urraca (sister of Alfonso VI), John Fraser as Alfonso VI (King of Castilia), Hurd Hatfield, who played Pontius Pilate in Bronston’s 1961 King of Kings, as Arias, Mbumimo Serato as Fañez (nephew of Rodrigo), Frank Thring, who played Herod Antipas in the King of Kings and Pontious Pilate opposite Heston in Ben-Hur, as Al Kadir (King of Valence), Michael Hordern as Don Diego (father of Rodrigo), Andrew Cruickshank as Count Gormaz, Douglas Wilmer as Moutamin (King of Saragosse), Tullio Carminati as Al Jarifi, Gary Raymond as Prince Sancho and Herbert Lom as Ben Yussuf.

It is a highly romanticized story of the life of the Castilian knight, El Cid. It was shot on location in Spain – including the castles of Belmonte (Cuenca) and Peñíscola (Castellón) – while a few studio scenes were shot in Rome purely to achieve the financial gains of co-production status.