She (1965)

An Edwardian archaeologist and two companions stumble upon a lost city in East Africa, run by a beautiful queen whose love holds the promise of immortality.

Director:

Robert Day

Writers:

David T. Chantler (screenplay), H. Rider Haggard (based on the famous novel by)

Stars:

Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbins

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ursula Andress	...	Ayesha
Peter Cushing	...	Holly
Bernard Cribbins	...	Job
John Richardson	...	Leo
Rosenda Monteros	...	Ustane
Christopher Lee	...	Billali
André Morell	...	Haumeid (as Andre Morell)
Princess Soraya	...	Night Club Dancer (as Soraya)
Julie Mendez	...	Night Club Dancer
Lisa Peake	...	Night Club Dancer
John Maxim	...	Guard Captain
Cherry Larman	...	Handmaiden
Bula Coleman	...	Handmaiden
Oo-Bla-Da Dancers	...	Native Dancers

Storyline

After doing military service in the Middle East, British archaeologist Holly, his valet and his handsome young friend Leo are spotted in Palestine and approached by a mysterious oriental who identified Leo by his uncanny likeness to the portrait on an ancient coin. An adventurous search for the lost Pharaonic city of Kuma proceeds relying on a recently-acquired map. Their hasty mini-expedition reaches a hidden city where the Hellenistic age is still alive. It is ruled by the supernatural Ayesha, 'She who must be obeyed', who believes Leo is is the reincarnation she waited for all those centuries of Callicrates, a companion of Alexander the Great. She offers him immortality and to share the throne as her eternal love, but it goes tragically wrong...

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Plot Keywords:

bare chested male bondage | arms tied overhead | immortality | lost city | valet | 

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Taglines:

THE GREATEST ADVENTURE STORY OF THEM ALL...

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 April 1965 (UK)

Also Known As:

La diosa de fuego

Filming Locations:

The Elstree Studios of Associated British Picture Corporation, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The desert scenes were filmed in Israel.

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Goofs

Near the end of the film we see reaction shots of Peter Cushing; his hat either does or doesn't have a dangly bit to one side of it in alternate shots.

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Quotes

Leo: Is there nothing I will not forgive in you?
Ayesha: Nothing.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: PALESTINE 1918

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Alternate Versions

When originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure a 'U' rating. All cuts were waived in 1994 when the film was granted a 'U' certificate for home video.

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Connections

Featured in Cinemacabre TV Trailers (1993)

User Reviews

A middling fantasy-adventure with a gorgeous leading lady

This Hammer production is a fantasy-adventure film. After a brief encounter with a beautiful mysterious woman, a group of adventurers set off to find a lost city in remote Palestine in which she claims to rule. It turns out that she is an immortal being, and one of the party is a reincarnation of her long-lost love. The men subsequently find the lost city and encounter at first-hand She Who Must Be Obeyed…

Despite the presence of a number of Hammer regulars, this is essentially an Ursula Andress vehicle. She was just off the back of her iconic sea-emerging moment from Dr No and was clearly hot property at this time. Not the most gifted or charismatic actress, Andress is never-the-less a very beautiful woman, and therefore looks the part in this role. She is kitted out with an array of fabulous flowing gowns and ornamental head-dresses. And seeing as she is very much the main selling point of the film, it's important to note that she is certainly very aesthetically pleasing. The story itself is very much by-the-numbers, and not especially interesting but is merely a means to an end. Namely an excuse to introduce Ursula in regal attire in fantasy surroundings. These sets are limited by the budget of course, but like all Hammer films it still looks pretty good all things considered. Unlike most Hammer films, though, there is also some on-location photography too, with scenes shot in the desert in the Middle East. This indicates quite clearly that the famous old studio invested a bit more into this production than most, and clearly this was not misplaced seeing as She was one of their biggest commercial successes. Despite this, it isn't in the final analysis an example of the best of their output. It's a little lacking in excitement for too much of the time. Having said this, it does have a rather good ending that is both creepy and surprising. And not only that, it does have both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee at its disposal which can never be a bad thing quite honestly. So with this in mind and also taking into account that we have a gorgeous ice queen in the lead role, She is a film that has some good things going for it.