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 | Architect | Tomb | Pyramid | Egypt

Cast

Jack Hawkins	...	Pharaoh Khufu
Joan Collins	...	Princess Nellifer
Dewey Martin	...	Senta
Alexis Minotis	...	Hamar
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. (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. Pictures A Time Warner Entertainment Company)
• Warner Bros. (1955) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1959) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• AFEX (1956) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 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:

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

Filming Locations:

The Unfinished Pyramid of Pharaoh Baka, Zawiyet-el-Aryan, 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:

Revealing mistakes: During the ceremony for the soldiers who were cowards in battle, when they are thrown into the alligator pit, the alligators are seen eating but there is not one drop of blood seen in the water.

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:

Referenced in The Mummy (1999)

generally compelling

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.