Arabesque (1966)
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- Passed
- 1h 45min
- Action, Adventure
- 18 Aug 1966 (France)
- Movie
International intrigue in London, involving an American university professor, an Arab prime minister, a ruthless businessman, a beautiful spy, and hieroglyphics.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Gregory Peck | ... |
Prof. David Pollock
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| Sophia Loren | ... |
Yasmin Azir
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| Alan Badel | ... |
Beshraavi
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| Kieron Moore | ... |
Yussef Kasim
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| Carl Duering | ... |
Hassan Jena
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| John Merivale | ... |
Maj. Sylvester Pennington Sloane
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| Duncan Lamont | ... |
Webster
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| George Coulouris | ... |
Ragheeb
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| Ernest Clark | ... |
Beauchamp
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Harold Kasket | ... |
Mohammed Lufti
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Lewis Alexander | ... |
Racegoer (uncredited)
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Jack Armstrong | ... |
Ascot Racegoer (uncredited)
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Peter Avella | ... |
Henchman (uncredited)
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Roy Beck | ... |
Reporter at Press Conference (uncredited)
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Paul Beradi | ... |
Ascot Racegoer (uncredited)
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Michael Bilton | ... |
Scientific Equipment Store Owner (uncredited)
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Ernest Blyth | ... |
Man at Gatwick Airport (uncredited)
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George Curtis | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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| Windsor Davies | ... |
Policeman in Car Crash (uncredited)
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Mabel Etherington | ... |
Woman in Airport (uncredited)
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Peter Evans | ... |
Ascot Racegoer (uncredited)
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Roy Everson | ... |
Man at Press Conference (uncredited)
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Chick Fowles | ... |
Ascot Racegoer (uncredited)
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Jimmy Gardner | ... |
Hemsley (uncredited)
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Jill Goldston | ... |
Ascot Racegoer (uncredited)
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Gordon Griffin | ... |
Fanshaw (uncredited)
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| Victor Harrington | ... |
Racegoer (uncredited)
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Eric Henderson | ... |
Ascot Racegoer (uncredited)
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Gerry Judge | ... |
Ascot Waiter (uncredited)
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| Juba Kennerley | ... |
Racegoer (uncredited)
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Aileen Lewis | ... |
Racegoer (uncredited)
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Harry Locke | ... |
Zoo Guard (uncredited)
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Colin McKenzie | ... |
Policeman at Airport (uncredited)
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Malya Nappi | ... |
Ragheeb's Wife (uncredited)
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| James Payne | ... |
Driving the Kidnap Lorry (uncredited)
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Paul Phillips | ... |
Man at Press Conference (uncredited)
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John Preston | ... |
Man at Press Conference (uncredited)
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Jack Ross | ... |
Ascot Racer (uncredited)
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Robert Rowland | ... |
Taxi Driver (uncredited)
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Julie Shaw | ... |
Fanshaw's girlfriend (uncredited)
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| Jack Silk | ... |
Limo Driver at Airport (uncredited)
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Fred Stroud | ... |
Man at Press Conference (uncredited)
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| John Tatham | ... |
Racegoer (uncredited)
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| Larry Taylor | ... |
Beshraavi's Henchman (uncredited)
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Joe Wadham | ... |
Police Driver (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Stanley Donen | ||
Written by
| Julian Mitchell | ... | (screenplay) & |
| Stanley Price | ... | (screenplay) & |
| Peter Stone | ... | (screenplay) (as Pierre Marton) |
| Gordon Cotler | ... | (novel "The Cypher") |
Produced by
| Stanley Donen | ... | producer |
| Denis Holt | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Henry Mancini | ||
Cinematography by
| Christopher Challis | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Frederick Wilson | ||
Editorial Department
| Pepita Fairfax | ... | second assistant editor (uncredited) |
| Jack Gardner | ... | first assistant editor (uncredited) |
| Thom Noble | ... | assistant editor (uncredited) |
Art Direction by
| Reece Pemberton | ||
Costume Design by
| Yves Saint-Laurent | ||
Makeup Department
| W.T. Partleton | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| David W. Orton | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| John Jordan | ... | second unit director (as John M. Jordan) |
| Eric Rattray | ... | assistant director |
| Stuart Black | ... | third assistant director (uncredited) |
| Terence A. Clegg | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
| Richard Hoult | ... | third assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Bill Bennison | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
| David Bill | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
| John Chisholm | ... | standby props (uncredited) |
| Roy Dorman | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
| Robert McGinnis | ... | poster artist (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| C. Le Mesurier | ... | sound mixer (as C. Le Messurier) |
| John W. Mitchell | ... | sound mixer |
| Don Sharpe | ... | dubbing editor |
| Ken Barker | ... | dubbing crew (uncredited) |
| Ron Butcher | ... | sound maintenance (uncredited) |
| Archie Ludski | ... | additional dubbing editor (uncredited) |
| Keith Pamplin | ... | boom operator (uncredited) |
| Larry Thompson | ... | sound camera operator (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Wally Armitage | ... | special effects foreman (uncredited) |
| Jim Hole | ... | special effects supervisor (uncredited) |
| Garth Inns | ... | special effects technician (uncredited) |
| Cliff Richardson | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
| John Richardson | ... | special effects assistant (uncredited) |
| Jimmy Ward | ... | special effects technician (uncredited) |
| Roy Whybrow | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Charles Staffell | ... | back projection (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Vic Armstrong | ... | horse stunt double: Gregory Peck (uncredited) / stunts (uncredited) |
| Pam de Boulay | ... | stunt double: Sophia Loren (uncredited) |
| Peter Diamond | ... | stunt double: (uncredited) |
| Jimmy Lodge | ... | stunt coordinator (uncredited) / stunt double: Gregory Peck (uncredited) |
| Jack Silk | ... | stunt driver (uncredited) |
| Alan Stuart | ... | stunt driver: Gregory Peck (uncredited) |
| Larry Taylor | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Joe Wadham | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Austin Dempster | ... | camera operator |
| Harry Black | ... | gaffer (uncredited) |
| Colin Corby | ... | focus puller (uncredited) |
| Nigel Cousins | ... | clapper loader (uncredited) |
| Michael Garfath | ... | focus puller: second unit (uncredited) |
| Norman Gryspeerdt | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
| Laurie Shane | ... | electrician (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Vince De Rosa | ... | musician: french horn (uncredited) |
| Douglas Gamley | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Henry Mancini | ... | conductor (uncredited) / music arranger (uncredited) |
| Richard Nash | ... | musician: trombone soloist (uncredited) |
| Emil Richards | ... | musician: drums, percussion (uncredited) |
| John Scott | ... | musician: flute, saxophone (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Connie Willis | ... | continuity (as Constance Willis) |
Additional Crew
| Maurice Binder | ... | title designer: main title |
| Arthur Carroll | ... | production executive |
| Michael Falloon | ... | production runner (uncredited) / runner (uncredited) |
| Jean Hall | ... | production secretary (uncredited) |
| David Michael Kay | ... | aviation services (uncredited) |
| Doreen Landry | ... | publicity director (uncredited) |
| Maurice Landsberger | ... | production accountant (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Universal Pictures (1966) (United States) (theatrical) (as A Universal Picture)
- Empire Universal Films (1966) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Universal International Pictures (UI) (1966) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Rank Film Distributors (1966) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Universal Filmverleih (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Universal Film (1966) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Universal Film (1966) (Norway) (theatrical)
- National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1969) (United States) (tv)
- France 3 (1976) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (United States) (VHS)
- France 3 (1994) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (2006) (United States) (DVD) (widescreen)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Phoenix Bild- und Tonträger Vertrieb (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (2011) (United States) (DVD)
- Iris (2016) (Italy) (tv)
- Rete 4 (2016) (Italy) (tv)
- WVG Medien (2017) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (2019) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- Universal Pictures Japan (1966) (Japan) (theatrical)
- ARTE (2024) (France) (tv)
- Anec (2022) (Japan) (Blu-ray)
- Anec (2022) (Japan) (DVD)
- NHK-BS2 (1991) (Japan) (tv)
- The Criterion Channel (2022) (United States) (tv) (streaming)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Christian Dior (Miss Sophia Loren's wardrobe specially created by)
- Panavision (filmed in)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Professor David Pollock is an expert in ancient Arabic hieroglyphics. A Middle Eastern Prime Minister convinces Pollock to infiltrate the organization of a man named Beshraavi, who is involved in a plot against the Prime Minister. The nature of the plot is believed to be found in a hieroglyphic code. Beshraavi's mistress, Yasmin Azir is a beautiful mystery who becomes intertwined in the plot. Pollock needs her help, but she repeatedly double crosses him in one escapade after another, he can't decide on who she is working for. Ultimately working together, Pollock and Yasmin decipher the message and set out to stop an assassination of the Prime Minister.
Written by E.W. DesMarais |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Ultra mod, ultra mad, ultra mystery See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $4,800,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | As many critics noted (not always approvingly), Stanley Donen filmed this thriller in an uncharacteristically flamboyant style, using bizarre camera angles and eccentric visual compositions throughout. He later admitted that he had never felt that the screenplay was quite right (Many writers worked on it, and it was rumored to be still being reworked during shooting). So, he had given the film an unusual look to disguise its shortcomings. He had had to start filming before he was ready, in order to accommodate the busy schedules of Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. See more » |
| Goofs | The chase through the London Zoo takes place at night. However the insert shots of various animals were clearly shot in broad daylight. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Sophia Loren: Actress Italian Style (1997). See more » |
| Soundtracks | We've Loved Before (Yasmin's Theme) See more » |
| Quotes |
David Pollock:
Follow that car! Taxi Driver: All my life I have waited for somebody to say that! See more » |