Il sepolcro dei re

The beautiful young Sushila (Debra Paget) is forced into a political marriage with young Pharaoh Nemorat in order to consolidate power. However, the young Pharaoh is beset with mental illness and the marriage becomes dangerous, all the while the chief advisor Kefren (a menacing Erno Crisa) and his scheming mistress plot to destroy the unstable pair. The girl is framed for an attempt on the vulnerable king's life and sentenced to death. Meanwhile, her sympathetic would-be lover, the handsome physician Resi (Ettore Manni in one of his best roles)concocts a scheme to save her by drugging her to appear dead and reviving her later when they can escape. However, she is sealed into her former young husband's tomb with the air supply rapidly running out. The action plot proceeds at a brisk pace and holds viewers interest which is increased by well-acted parts with attractive players, great costumes and sets.

This is supposed to be the story of Cleopatra's daughter Shila, as she's called in this movie. The problem is that Cleopatra's real daughter Selene II lived between the years of 49- 6 BC. Her supposedly husband Nemorat/Khufu, as he's called if you look at the IMDb or the Wikipedia cast listings, lived between the years of 2589 and 2566 BC. This movie is supposed to be set during the reign of Khufu so somebody, somewhere, obviously made a mistake somehow or perhaps they chose Khufu because it was a royal name. The other problem there is that there was only one King Khufu ever listed. From a viewing point of view the only good thing about this movie was Debra Paget, the beautiful American actress who played Shila. On the other hand, the hypochondriac, idiotic Pharoah Nemorat/Khufu, who's mother told him women were dirty, and was forever complaining about bees and wasps getting into his ears to eat his brain, that's if they could find it, was beyond a joke. If Khufu was supposed to be the "real pharoah", you're talking about the same guy who commissioned the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world, which actually still stands in Egypt today. I'll give Peplum Studios something though, for an early movie of theirs, at least they chose to be in Egypt for a change. At the end of the movie, as Resi (Ettore Mani), and Slila (Debra Paget) ride off into the sunset, you're wondering, (from a historical point of view), what the he** the movie was all about. bcarruthers-76500

This is one of the most obscure movies I've watched in recent memory, and it deserves to stay obscure. It's not very good.

Cleopatra's Daughter is like historical fan fiction, following - shock horror - the daughter of Cleopatra. It feels a bit like when the monster movies of the 1930s and 40s would do "Son of x" or something. But also, the big Cleopatra movie from around this time came out later, so that doesn't really line up. I've never seen that one, but I maybe would be morbidly curious if it wasn't also four hours long.

At least Cleopatra's Daughter wasn't long. I kind of half-watched it at a point, though. There is something interesting about the star, Debra Paget, but the same can't be said about all her movies. She retired from acting more than 60 years ago, and is apparently still out there somewhere, or maybe not? Who knows - being reclusive is fascinating. Her Wikipedia article is interesting, partly because of how it just stops at about 40 years ago. She's like the Thomas Pynchon of Classic Hollywood actresses.

Anyway, reading the limited information about her is more interesting than the movie; I think that's what I was trying to get at.

Meanwhile back at the sarcophagus, Italian filmmakers go to great lengths to create an effectively atmospheric Peplum set during the time of the Ancient Egyptian empires. Or there abouts, depends on which language version you encounter. The sets are elegant, the costumes right out of a high school textbook and the film delivers the goods if you like talky period-type drama mixed in with your Swords & Sandals. Lots of intrigue involving royal courts, family lineage, duplicitous religious leaders, and Debra Paget decked out in a Pharaonic babe-getup that is very easy on the eyes. She can lounge around eating grapes over at my place anytime and the dialog is surprisingly fluid for Italian translated to English.

All of which is routine. The film will stand out in my mind as the one where the threat of having one's tongue cut out is repeated sufficient times to prove curious. The first time was cool. The second time was odd. The third time had me wondering if the dubbing was on right, and the fourth time made me laugh. Maybe there's a drinking game to be had here. Nothing else about the film's story made much of an impression though I do not regret the time invested (wasted?), no, consumed by watching it. A mummy subplot could have been cool, or maybe more slave chicks. At least a giant cyclops or something, Guys.

Which is perhaps why having a female lead with a respectable pedigree in such a production will ultimately work against the film's appeal beyond the boundaries of genre viewers. Since Ms. Paget is the intended focus of our ardor the fate of random half naked slave chicks hurled to their doom for the entertainment of some slavering despot becomes less pressing to the needs of the plot, and sadly the filmmakers took the easy way out. Court intrigue or giant a cyclops devouring centurions? If choosing the former, bingo.

The film talks about Keops , alias Nemorat . Keops was the second pharaoh of four dynasty from ancient Egyptian empire , and he made the great pyramid of Gyze that bears his name . He is succeeded by Kefren who built the sphinx Gyze and the pyramid of the same name . After goes on pharaoh Micerinos. Three pharaohs have pyramids on Gyze : Keops, Kefren and Micerinos.

The movie centers upon scheming Kefren ( Erno Crisa ) and his dark schemes to inherit Egyptian empire . Nemorat ( Conrado Pani )is poisoned , and his wife ( Debra Paget ) is doomed to die with him into the pyramid . Her lover ( Ettore Manni ) designs a plot to free her by means of a potion. Before he will have to face a lot of dangers and risks until obtain his objective . The film blends drama , adventures , love and hokey historical events . Direction by Fernando Cerchio is professionally made , he directed many ¨ sword and sandals¨ and epic films . Cinematography is well realized and Giovanni Fusco's musical score is good . Set design and Egyptian time production design are spectacular . Debra Paget is wonderful , support cast is nice , there are American actors as Robert Alda ,though mostly are Italian players as Andrea Bosic , Rosalba Neri..among others . Rating: 5,5/10 average but entertaining .