Land of the Pharaohs (1955) Reviews

• Hawk's Flawed Epic.

  jpdoherty2009-05-17

  Warner Bros. LAND OF THE PHARAOHS (1955) was one of those big widescreen spectacular epics that emerged in the fifties as Hollywood struggled against the onslaught of Television to maintain the cinema going population. It came in the middle of the cycle that began with "Quo Vadis" in 1951 and came to an end with the release of the multi-oscared "Ben Hur" in 1959. Beautifully photographed in Cinemascope and colour by Lee Garmes and Richard Harlan it was directed by the great Howard Hawks, who up to that time had never undertaken such a major project or one of such epic proportions and certainly not one concerning the building of a great Pyramid for an ancient Pharaoh. To moviegoers Hawks was known as the director of such staple Hollywood fare like the westerns "Red River" and "The Big Sky" and the Bogart Noir thrillers "To Have & To Have Not" and "The Big Sleep". "Land Of The Pharaohs" was such a departure for him I'm not sure if the giant production would perhaps be more suited and better handled by someone else like John Huston or William Wyler? Hawks himself - in a 1982 interview - said he was never happy with the movie "I messed it up! I thought it was great as far as masses of people and things like that, but I made a mistake. I should have had someone in there that you could root for. Everybody was a son of a b....". Watching this issue of the movie on DVD I have to say I am in accord with him. With the exception of Alexis Minotis who plays Hamer - the Pharoah Khufu's first minister and boyhood friend - there is nobody in the film you can have any empathy for and certainly no one you would be bothered rooting for. Nor is the film particularly well written despite the fact that William Faulkner was one of three writers assigned to the project. Also there is a major fault in its casting! Having British import Jack Hawkins in the leading role was a mistake on Hawks' part! Hawkins, a stiff unwieldy sort of performer was fine when playing British army officer types or a Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard or even a Roman Consul but here he appears decidedly out of his depth as a Pharoah in ancient Egypt. In some scenes he can even look fearful. Olivier would have been a better choice or perhaps Richard Burton who by this time was gaining star status. Then there's a remarkably poor performance from another British import - Joan Collins who plays Nelifer the woman who wangles her way to become Khufu's wife and conspires to relieve him of his vast treasure trove. Miss Collins, no doubt, is a feast for the eyes especially in some of the revealing outfits she wears but the lady simply cannot act! She delivers lines like a schoolgirl reading them in class without poise or conviction. Her performance is matched only by the ever bland Sidney Chaplin as her co-conspirator and the equally bland Dewey Martin. Coincidently, once Joan Collins comes into the picture it suddenly takes a left turn and begins its slide into mediocrity. What we get from here on is palace intrigue, conspiracy and histrionics on a grand scale. Another movie altogether really! Pity, because the first half wasn't too bad! All is not lost however, as the most tangible aspect of the film is the outstanding score by Dimitri Tiomkin! The very opening of the movie has a brilliant martial variation of the main theme played by massed brass choirs complete with guttural trumpets and baying horns as Khufu returns home leading a procession of his vast armies (yes there really is a cast of thousands just like the publicity says - none of your modern CGI here). Tiomkin's powerful music propels the movie forward and later in the picture's only outstanding set piece - the dressing of the stones in the quarry and moving the great stones into place - male and female voices intone joyously and triumphantly. It is one of the great moments in film music! And in the final reel it is Tiomkin's music that moves the great stones into position and seals the Pharaoh's tomb forever. Alongside John Wayne's "The Alamo"(1960) "Land Of The Pharaohs" is Dimitri Tiomkin's masterpiece! I give the movie a three star rating for the reasonably good first half, the fine early Cinemascope / colour cinematography and of course for Tiomkin's exciting score. The disc comes with a good trailer and a not so good commentary by Peter Bogdanovitch.

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• Wrongly criticized Hawks

  kirksworks2006-12-07

  Here's a film hotly criticized by not only many who saw the film, but by director Hawks himself. It's true, there's a bit of the Hollywood glam element to the production, but I'd say no more so than a half dozen other Hawks films, including the much more often praised "Rio Bravo" and "Hatari!"! (which both followed directly after "Pharaohs"). And the plot of "Pharaohs" makes a lot more sense than that of Hawks' earlier film, "The Big Sleep," which I believe is over praised because of its cast. As a grand epic from the era where they made them big and were not afraid to spend money where it would show up on screen, "Land of the Pharaohs" surpasses many other epics of its period and even many recent films dealing with a similar subject (1999's "The Mummy" comes to mind). "Pharaohs" has an impressive and very satisfying climax that makes perfect sense historically and dramatically. Also, no one seems to have mentioned the marvelous handling of crowds, particularly in the lengthy building of the pyramid sequence. I'll even go so far as to say the way Hawks composes his crowds for the cinemascope screen - arranging his Egyptian workers and pharaoh worshipers in intricate patterns with complex movements - rivals even Fritz Lang's similar work in "Metropolis" (1926), famous for its handling of crowds. I think one of the reasons the film keeps getting bashed is because people haven't seen it in its original widescreen format in many years. Until recently, no Region 1 DVD has been available, so in its cropped, pan and scan VHS incarnation, the film comes across as wimpy and ridiculous. As can be seen in the widescreen DVD release, the grandeur is stunning, its art direction, costumes, sets and locations all holding up marvelously. It must be said that composer Dimitri Tiomkin probably never wrote a score as majestically spirited as this one, a vast canvas of antiquity and drama. The cast is very much of its time, and some of the dialog is stilted and dated, but with the passing of time, most films suffer from this. Time passes and acting styles change. But a good plot holds up, and "Pharaohs" has plenty of the devious vs altruistic characters that drove many of Hawks plots effectively. The powers that be in Hollywood finally released the film on DVD, promoting it as a camp classic, adorning the cover with a cheesy shot of Joan Collins, the one thing they apparently consider notable and sell-able about the film. Too bad. Yes, "Land of the Pharaohs" does have an element of campiness, but there is true grandeur in the vastness of the production and the fact that its cast of thousands was indeed a cast of thousands, not CGI. Perhaps one day the wonders of this film will be given the appreciation it deserves. As time passes these epics seem to be acquiring as much antiquity as the genuine historical period itself.

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• The barbarous love that left Egypt's great pyramid as its wondrous landmark.

  Spikeopath2013-12-28

  Land of the Pharaohs is directed by Howard Hawks and collectively written by Harold Jack Bloom, William Faulkner and Harry Kurnitz. It stars Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, James Robertson Justice, Dewey Martin and Alex Minotis. Music is by Dimitri Tiomkin and cinematography by Lee Garmes and Russell Harlan. It falls into the filmic splinter of historical epics that thrived greatly in the 50s and 60s, where a cast of thousands are costumed up to the nines, the sets sparkle and location photography smooths the eyes. Land of the Pharaohs has all these things, what it does lack is a high end action quotient, the makers choosing to craft a picture about intrigue in Pharaoh Khufu's (Hawkins) court as the great pyramid is constructed. This is not to say it's a dull picture, it maintains interest throughout, with shifty shenanigans afoot, femme fatale connivings and plenty of slaves standing proud for their cause. While the big finale is devilishly potent. However, one has to really close off the ears at times to avoid the dreadfully wooden dialogue, and some scenes are painfully misplaced, such as the sight of a miscast 45 year old Hawkins wrestling with a bull, I kid you not. Also miscast is Collins, undeniably sexy, but never once does she convince as an Egyptian princess, and her make-up is awful. There are stars in the film, but it does in fact lack star power. The real stars are Tiomkin, Garmes and Harlan, who each bring the spectacle of the production to vivid life. It was a minor flop at the box office and Hawks pretty much disowned it, but it's not without intelligence and in spite of its flaws it's a good watch for historical epic loving adults. 6.5/10

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• Meticulous big production includes impressive location filming at Egypt

  ma-cortes2009-12-29

  This Colossal is the story of a barbarous love that left Egypt's Great Pyramid as its landmark. The movie centers upon Khufu or Keops (Jack Hawkins) and the scheming Nellifer (Joan Collins) who holds dark schemes to inherit Egypt empire. She and her lover (Sydney Chaplin) design one plot to kill him . Their treachery stained every stone of the Pyramid. Before he will have to face amount dangers and risks until obtain his objective. Regarding the historic deeds, the film talks about Khufu(alias Keops). Keops was the second pharaoh of four dynasty from old empire Egyptian, and he made the great pyramid of Gyze that hold his name. He is succeeded by Kefren who made the sphinx Gyze and the pyramid. After goes on pharaoh Micerinos. Three pharaohs have pyramids on Gyze: Keops,Kefren and Micerinos. Warner Bros took pride in presenting one of the mightiest motion picture-making in entertainment history. The film blends drama, treason and hokey historical events. Intelligent screenplay by the Nobel Prize William Faulkner. Set design and Egyptian time production design by Alexandre Trauner are very spectacular. This huge epic film gets lots of crowd scenarios,fabulous gowns, dramatic scenes and is realized on a giant scale and full of spectacular sequences such as the building the Great Pyramid. The film was a colossal with big financial success, besides spectacularly and colorfully photographed by Lee Garmes and Russell Harlan . Filmed in Egypt with a cast of thousands of the largest cast ever set abroad from Hollywood . Fine score by Dimitri Tiomkin based on ancient music. The cast is frankly perfect, Joan Collins is wonderful in an overwhelming hammy acting as nasty queen, Alexis Minotis as high priest is excellent and James Robertson Justice as pyramid architect is fabulous. Epic scale direction by Howard Hawks is breathtaking and groundbreaking. Rating : Better than average. Worthwhile watching for Colossal aficionados.

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• generally compelling

  lawgiver1999-07-09

  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.

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