Tierra de faraones

The best remembered Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's Forth Dynasty was Khafra. It is his face which adorns the Lion's Sphinx outside the city of Giza. However, it is Khafra's father, Khufu (Jack Hawkins) who is the subject of this incredible movie called " The Land of the Pharaohs. " During his reign, Khufu's story and written legacy is narrated by his infallible High Priest Hamar (Alex Minotis). He is not only well versed, literate, Intelligent and observant, but intuitive to a superior degree. While the pharaoh is busy conquering territory and greedily amassing a fabulous Golden treasure, his newest wife, Princess Nellifer (Joan Collins) is scheming to secure it for herself. The movie as directed by the legendary Howard Hawks, superbly depicts the capture of thousands of slaves who toil to build the Great Pyramid. Among them is a talented and gifted Architect named Vashtar (James Robertson Justice) who is chosen to design a 'thief proof' tomb in exchange for his people's freedom. William Faulkner wrote the movie script while music director Dimitri Tiomkin penned the exceptional and memorable sound track. The beautiful and colorful panoramic landscapes as well as the large scale dramatic scenes are a testament to Hawk's genius and has established this offering as a cinematic Classic. Excellent viewing for all. ****

Because it belongs to a genre that has grown unhip ,Howard Hawks's magnificent epic ,his only movie in cinemascope ,gets incredibly low ratings."Rio Bravo" 's screenplay is not much better than "pharaohs" ,but it's fashionable to put a western on your best movies list.A sword and sandal cannot be serious (with the exceptions of "Ben Hur" and "Ten commandments" )and that's why "the Egyptian" and "land of the pharaohs " are despised and dismissed as cheesy.

Hawks's movie has one of the best ,most impressive and terrifying ending I know.These last pictures are a riveting tour de force with an editing to rival the best of Lang or Welles.The story spreads over fifteen years ,which is long for a relatively short work.Hawks was obviously more interested in his villains (Hawkins and Collins) than the heroes(the architect slave (Justice),his son and his people:both are fascinating.The pharaoh's dream of eternity is selfishness itself disguised as religion.To be buried with his riches to be able to enjoy them in his second life paradoxically seems a pagan attitude;the architect ,in direct contrast to him,is a slave who 's got nothing and he did not believe in life after life:it might make think of a Jew but neither him nor his people seem to have a religion,which is a very original move for a peplum (in Curtiz's "the Egyptian" ,the precedent year,the same went for the hero Sinouhe:these are the only examples in an epic).Hawks might have been influenced by Lang's wife's screenplay "das Indische Grabmal" ,which Lang finally took to the screen in the late fifties but which was filmed by others before him.Do not let the Faulkner reference fool you.He reportedly wrote half a page of script which can be summed up as follows:"Pharaoh pays a visit to the pyramid while the workers are sweating blood to get it done and he asks "how 's the work coming on?".

Nellifer is Joan Collins at her bitchiest: a greedy woman,who had already problems with dynasties.Unlike pharaoh,she wants to have her cake and eat it.Her acting is pure camp ,which fits the character like a glove.Her fate will make your hair stand on end.

Hawks makes a wonderful use of the cinemascope , when he displays a cast of thousands and when he directs his characters in the confined atmosphere of the pyramid.He succeeds in creating a sublime contrast between the dark subterranean of the grave and the luminous blue sky of the desert,particularly in the last sequences ,I say it again,among the very best of the fifties cinema.

After years of war victories and accumulated wealth circa 2600 BC, Pharaoh Khufu (Jack Hawkins) becomes obsessed with building an impenetrable tomb for his body & riches, etc. Khufu turns to the brilliant architect and newly acquired slave, Vashtar (James Robertson Justice), to build the Great Pyramid, aka the Pyramid of Cheops or Giza. Joan Collins in on hand as Nellifer, Dewey Martin plays Vashtar's son and Alexis Minotis the high priest of Egypt.

"Land of the Pharaohs" (1955) is a sword & sandal epic that doesn't overstay its welcome at well under 2 hours. It was director Howard Hawk's first box office failure and so he took four years off from filmmaking to tour Europe before returning with the hit Western "Rio Bravo" (1959). It has since become a cult film and Martin Scorsese admitted that it is one of his favorites.

The subject is fascinating. The Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one to remain relatively intact. It is estimated to have taken almost three decades to build. There are several theories of its planning & construction and the movie brings this to life for the viewer. The Egyptian government supplied 3000-10,000 extras for the 50-plus day shoot, half of them soldiers. While Jack Hawkins and the actor who plays Vashtar look decidedly European as opposed to anyone from the ancient Egypt region, producers wisely darkened Joan's skin and her potential lover looks serviceably Egyptian.

Although critics decry the subplot in the second half concerning an assassination conspiracy, there's plenty to enjoy in this lush spectacle: cowards thrown to crocodiles, the curious beliefs behind building such a unique colossal structure, the obsession & perseverance it took to see it through, thousands of extras, real vessels in the river, authentic locations, recreations of hauling the 2.5 ton stones, the Pharaoh taking on a bull, death traps, athletic dancing, Joan's youthful beauty, a quality sword fight to the death, the tragic close and Dimitri Tiomkin's great score.

Lastly, the flick inspires one to look up the actual pyramid, its history and videos of its exterior and innards. It might even inspire you to see it firsthand.

The film runs 1 hour, 46 minutes, and was shot in Egypt with studio stuff done in Rome.

GRADE: B.

"Land of the Pharaohs" is on many Guilty Pleasure lists and deservedly so. You know it is only for entertainment purposes. Joan Collins as well as the character she portrays are over the top campy and not to be taken seriously. Her cruel, selfish Queen is utterly devoid of any redeeming qualities, utterly ruthless and wicked- in other words, delicious fun to watch.

Most of the acting is high-quality, especially the legendary Jack Hawkins who is magnificent as usual although Yul Brynner or Charleton Heston probably would have fit the role better.

Beautifully filmed with a very expensive look it is a movie with an obviously lavish budget. Despite the extravagance, I can fully understand why it didn't do well at the box-office. Focused on death and monuments it can be seen as somewhat depressing and has a grim, doomed aspect overall amid the splendor.

Unless maybe written by Edgar Allan Poe, how is a film about a tomb going to attract a great public to the theater? The answer is: it didn't. It is not an adventure about getting to a tomb such as Indiana Jones-type films, it is basically only a film about a tomb itself.

Death, murder, slavery, a tomb. If not handled just right these subjects can't succeed alone. Here they do, but just barely.

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.