Land of the Pharaohs (1955)

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

William Faulkner (written by) &
Harry Kurnitz (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 June 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

HER BLOOD STAINED EVERY STONE OF THE PYRAMID

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.

Plot Keywords:

Pharaoh | Tomb | Egypt | Architect | Ancient Egypt

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
Kerima	...	Nailla
Piero Giagnoni	...	Xenon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Diego Carlisi	...	Priest (uncredited)
Carlo D'Angelo	...	(uncredited)
Robert Rietty	...	Hamar (voice) (uncredited)
Bud Thompson	...	Mabuna (uncredited)

Directed by
Howard Hawks

Writing credits
William Faulkner		(written by) &
Harry Kurnitz		(written by) and
Harold Jack Bloom		(written by)

Produced by
Howard Hawks	....	producer
Arthur Siteman	....	associate producer
Chuck Hansen	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Lee Garmes
Russell Harlan		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Vladimir Sagovsky		(as V. Sagovsky)

Art Direction by
Alexandre Trauner

Costume Design by
Mayo
Lucilla Mussini		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist (as Emile Lavigne)
Ann Locker	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Chuck Hansen	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Helmick	....	assistant director
Noël Howard	....	second unit director (as Noel Howard)
Chuck Hansen	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Jean-Paul Sassy	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound
Ed Scheid	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Donald Steward	....	special effects (as Don Steward)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ernst Haas	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Homer Plannette	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Rudi Fehr	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	conductor
Lucien Cailliet	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Manuel Emanuel	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jester Hairston	....	choral director (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leonid Raab	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Christian Ferry	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Dalida	....	stand-in: Joan Collins
Maisie Kelly	....	continuity
Enzo Musumeci Greco	....	master of arms (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Continental Company

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. Pictures A Time Warner Entertainment Company)
• Warner Bros. (1955) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1959) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (????) (UK) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

"Howard Hawks' Land of the Pharaohs" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

UK:105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording) (magnetic prints)

Certification:

UK:U (cut) | Australia:G | West Germany:12 | USA:Approved (certificate #16995) | Singapore:PG | Germany:12 (video rating) | France:U | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Egypt

Company:

Continental Company

Trivia:

The movie was Howard Hawks's first commercial failure. It caused Hawks to take a break from directing and travel through Europe for a number of years. He made his next movie, Rio Bravo (1959), four years later - the longest break between two movies in his career.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The sword fight towards the end presumes the use of bronze or iron. Since Khufu lived about 2575 B.C.E. and predated the Hyksos invasion about 1400 B.C.E. that introduced bronze and horses before the Hittite use of iron in 1000 B.C.E., it doesn't work. They might have used copper, but that cannot hold an edge.

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.

Movie Connections:

Featured in En construcción (2001)

Guilty Pleasure

Although I know better, I confess I'd rather watch this movie than any number of masterpieces. Jack Hawkins (pharaoh) forces magisterial James Justice (slave Vashtar)to construct an impenetrable pyramid for his cache of loot. Pharaoh runs short of money, forcing subject provinces to cough up the funds to keep the public works project going...the excuse for a breathtaking and youthful Joan Collins to enter the cast, and in short order, to subjugate pharaoh himself. Eternal riches seem rather dull compared to her considerable mortal charms.

All of this takes a back seat to the superb coup de main of the last five minutes when all the characters get their wish--for treasure, for power, and the security of eternity.

The excellent musical score helps.