Land of the Pharaohs (1955)

A captured architect designs an ingenious plan to ensure the impregnability of tomb of a self-absorbed Pharaoh, obsessed with the security of his next life.

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

William Faulkner, Harry Kurnitz

Stars:

Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, Dewey Martin

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jack Hawkins	...	Pharaoh Khufu
Joan Collins	...	Princess Nellifer
Dewey Martin	...	Senta, Vashtar's Son
Alexis Minotis	...	Hamar, the High Priest (as Alex Minotis)
James Robertson Justice	...	Vashtar, the Master Architect
Luisella Boni	...	Kyra (as Luisa Boni)
Sydney Chaplin	...	Treneh, The Captain of the Guard
James Hayter	...	Mikka, Vashtar's Servant
Kerima	...	Queen Nailla
Piero Giagnoni	...	Xenon

Storyline

In ancient Egypt the Pharaoh Khu-fu is obsessed with acquiring gold and plans to take it all with him into the "second life." To this end he enlists the aid of Vashtar, an architect whose people are enslaved in Egypt. The deal: build a robbery-proof tomb and the enslaved people will be freed. During the years that the pyramid is being built a Cyprian princess becomes the pharaoh's second wife, and she plots to prevent Khufu from taking his treasure with him when he dies .. as well as helping him make the journey early.

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Plot Keywords:

ancient egypt | pharaoh | architect | tomb | trumphal procession | 

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Taglines:

HER BLOOD STAINED EVERY STONE OF THE PYRAMID

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 June 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Howard Hawks' Land of the Pharaohs

Filming Locations:

The Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan, Egypt

Box Office

Budget:

$2,900,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Continental Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hawks had between 3,000 and 10,000 extras working each day during the fifty-plus day shooting schedule. The government supplied those extras, half of whom were soldiers in the Egyptian Army.

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Goofs

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.

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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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Connections

Referenced in The Mummy (1999)

User Reviews

Memorable movie

This may not be the greatest movie ever made, but it is one of the most accurate in terms of its staging, costumes, and set design - especially for the era in which it was made. Despite Cecil B. DeMille's propaganda this movie accurately portrays the pyramid builders as Egyptian free men. The premise for the construction of Khufu's pyramid is exceedingly creative - and has been suggested by some scholars. Many of the outside construction scenes have been used in other movies and documentaries to provide a fairly realistic view of what the construction would have been like. And, Jack Hawkins made a terrific pharaoh - if you had to use a Caucasian. I first saw this movie as a child and was enthralled. I'm sure it helped fuel the interest I still have in scholarly excavations throughout the Mid East. Worth seeing for the sheer enjoyment and scenery.