IMDb > Land of the Pharaohs (1955)
Land of the Pharaohs
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Land of the Pharaohs (1955) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   1,173 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Writers:
William Faulkner (written by) &
Harry Kurnitz (written by) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Land of the Pharaohs on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 June 1955 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
HER BLOOD STAINED EVERY STONE OF THE PYRAMID more
Plot:
A captured architect designs an ingenious plan to insure the impregnability of tomb of a self-absorbed Pharaoh, obsessed with the security of his next life. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
24 Hours of Avant-Garde: The Good Hours, Part II
 (From The Auteurs. 29 October 2009, 6:58 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
generally compelling more (47 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Jack Hawkins ... Pharaoh Khufu

Joan Collins ... Princess Nellifer
Dewey Martin ... Senta
Alex Minotis ... Hamar (as Alexis Minotis)
James Robertson Justice ... Vashtar
Luisella Boni ... Kyra (as Luisa Boni)
Sydney Chaplin ... Treneh
James Hayter ... Mikka, Vashtar's servant
Kerima ... Nailla
Piero Giagnoni ... Xenon (Pharaoh's Son)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Howard Hawks' Land of the Pharaohs (USA) (complete title)
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Runtime:
Canada:144 min | UK:105 min | USA:106 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.55 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording) (magnetic prints)
Certification:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
WILHELM SCREAM: Emanating from within a crocodile. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: The scene which shows men being thrown to the "crocodiles" - they are really American alligators which have never been native to any part of Africa. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Hamar: I, Hamar, Lord High Priest of Egypt, am preparing a chronicle of the reign of Khufu, ruler of Egypt. Word has come that again he has been victorious in the war against our enemies and now Egypt has taken its place as the greatest of all nations in the world! Today, Pharaoh and his armies return.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Cineastes en acció (2005) more

FAQ

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31 out of 44 people found the following comment useful.
generally compelling, 9 July 1999
8/10
Author: lawgiver from Calgary, Canada

Land of the Pharaohs is a fascinating, sometimes morbid glimpse into the Hollywoodized past. Unlike many epics, the film forsakes the usual Judeo-Christian perspective in favor of a completely pagan outlook. That, combined with some striking scenes involving the building of Khufu's pyramid, makes this worthwhile entertainment.

Over the years, many have criticized the film, including Howard Hawks, Hawkins and Collins. On close examination, their criticism of the dialogue is only partially justified. While there is some verbosity, and the discourse between Khufu and his first wife over his desire for a son seems unnecessary if not ridiculous(in this instance actions would speak louder than words)the dialogue is more than serviceable. During the funeral ritual for the heroic dead, the grand, evocative speech is even inspired.

Hawks also lamented that the film contained "no one to root for." Indeed, Hawkins' Pharaoh is decisive, infrequently warm and unquenchably greedy. As Princess Nellifer, Joan Collins is even more unsavory. There exists however, a necessary counterpoint in the character of Vashtar, who designs the pyramid in order to free his people. James Robertson Justice gives a sympathetic performance as the designer who is alternately good natured, thoughtful, and indignant at the pharaoh's cruelty. As the pharaohs advisor, Alexis Minotis manages a remarkable acting feat by enforcing Khufu's will and simultaneously evoking audience sympathy. As Vashtar's son, Dewey Martin's All-American boy persona is the only off key note.

Despite the generally capable acting, the film's chief attraction is the abundant spectacle. The thousands of workers toiling to build the pyramid, and the colorful court pageantry, are what linger most in the viewer's mind. The much-discussed ending may or may not be historically accurate, but is nevertheless filmed with a chilling sense of realism. In short, Land of the Pharaohs is an interesting thematic departure from the epics of the 1950s.

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