Both directors, however, have chosen incredibly powerful and stunningly talented heroines, and both are are the height of their powers.

Angelina Jolie, fresh from her one-eyed turn in Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow, will play Olympias in Oliver Stone's Alexander alongside Farrell, and this is prompting rumours (not dispelled by the film's promos) that this will be the more sexually aggressive and racy film.

Jolie is a firebrand who does manage to get under the skin of the actor, but only if the director makes her work for it. Otherwise, the wild actress seems visibly content wasting herself in nothing roles. Stone is well capable of extracting superb performances from his cast. Jolie should be able to handle this film with her usual powerful flair.

Nicole Kidman, star of The Stepford Wives, has enigmatically revealed herself as one of the world's finest