Nefertiti, a Rainha do Egito

Fernando Cerchio is not a director as famous as top Hollywood names of his time. Very few people know his films, partly because he has not become worldly famous. But it is important to state that he also made quite a considerable number of ancient epics, including this one, NEFERTITI, QUEEN OF THE NILE. What is striking at this point is that the movie is similar, almost identical in style, convention, colors to other Italian productions of that time, including GIUSEPPE VENDUTO DAI FRATELLI ("Joseph Sold by his Brothers") (1959), HANNIBAL (1959) and IL SEPOLCRO DEI RE ("Cleopatra's Daughter") (1961). However, it is also similar to one American hit of its time...

If you consider the content of the movie, you may be misled by its striking similarity to a Hollywood production made almost 10 years earlier by Michael Curtiz, "The Egyptian" (1954). Although this view turns out to be a bit exaggerated, it is partly true. There are two major aspects both of the movies have in common: the historical period the actions are set in (the time of a monotheistic religion in Egypt during the reign of Amenophis) and the main star, actor Edmund Purdom who played Sinuhe in Curtiz's movie. This time, however, he is not a physician who searches for the answer on psychological questions, but a lover... moreover... a lover of the queen. As a result, the film cannot be treated as the remake of Curtiz's film whatsoever since, except for the two aforementioned aspects, it is an ENTIRELY different film.

The first major difference is the story itself. Tutmosis (Edmund Purdom), a sculptor, is in love with Tenet (later queen Nefertiti). At the same time, he is a dear friend of Amenophis (Amedeo Nazzari) and works as a sculptor. All changes at one night when the worshiper of a new God, one God Aaton, a prophet and priest Seper (Carlo D'Angelo) foresees the death of the Pharaoh and the coming reign of Amenophis. The prophecy comes true. The father of Tenet, Amon Ra priest Benakon (Vincent Price) plans a marriage of his daughter with the new Pharaoh. She is no longer Tenet, but Nefertiti, the Queen of the Nile. However, Tutmosis, an obstacle in the whole plan, is arrested and said to be dead but he soon escapes from prison and finds himself as a sculptor on the court. He is to sculpt the famous bust of Nefertiti which survives for centuries to prove the queen's magnificent beauty and great feeling to the man who really loved her. The end of the film concentrates on religious war in Egypt and shows the slaughter of Aaton worshipers (here, similarly like in the aforementioned movie, "The Egyptian"). The end, however, is quite optimistic. Nevertheless, the film lacks the grandeur, lavish sets, psychological ambiguity that the American productions of the time can boast.

The cast of the film are not that famous actors and actresses like in most American movies of the 1950s and 1960s, but they perform quite well. Jeanne Crain is particularly great as Nefertiti, she is very beautiful and her face really fits to the role. Edmund Purdom does a good job as her lover, Tutmosis. Except for Amedeo Nazzari and Carlo D'Angelo who do not particularly shine in their roles, there is one more star worth attention - Vincent Price as Nefertiti's father, Benakon. There is something ancient in his face, something that we find in the mummies...

Although the film is not a hit and does not have an outstanding cinematography, there are some memorable scenes that have remained in my memory for long. The first of such scenes is when Nefertiti listens in secret to the meeting of Amon Ra priests plotting against Amenophis and the new religion. She looks at them through the eye of the great statue of Sphynx and a mysterious Egyptian melody is being played as the background. Another scene is the dance of a harlot in the headquarters of the Egyptian army. I don't know if there are many films of that time which so sexually show the dance of a woman. And indeed very well played! Yet, the final shot is great, the camera moves from Nefertiti and Tutmosis kissing to the close-up of her sculpted bust. Intentionally, this is a symbolic reference to modern times when the bust can be still admired at the Egyptian museum in Berlin.

Of course, NEFERTITI, THE QUEEN OF THE NILE (1961) is no masterpiece. If you expect much from this film after seeing the one about Sinuhe, you may be disappointed. Nevertheless, if you regard any historical epic worth a look, this film is really for you.

This is all speculation but an interesting story, showing how the famous and timeless statue of Queen Nefertiti still after so many thousands of years stir imaginations and inspire to invention and creation. The cinematography is outstanding, the music of Carlo Rustichelli couldn't be better, Jeanne Crain is perfect as the Queen, Vincent Price is horribly absurd as the mad and wicked father, Edmund Purdom makes a good job of the sculptor with all his tribulations for his love, but the most interesting actor is Amedeo Nazzori as Amenophis. Mind you, he is never called Ekhnaton, although that was the king of this issue of the conflict between old believers and the new monotheistic religion of the sun, which caused a revolution in its day in ancient Egypt about 3500 years ago. The King was more realistically played by Michael Wilding in "Sinuhe the Egyptian" seven years earlier, and this film has clearly taken one or two hints from that movie, Jeanne Crain being very much like Jean Simmons. Amedeo Nazzori makes a very interesting character as a very convincing king inspiring confidence with his sympathetic character but with the great weakness of oversensitivity, leading to mental breakdowns, transcending into a religion of peace abhorring all bloodshed.

It's not a great movie, but it is interesting enough with some memorable scenes, especially the ones in the workshop, culminating in the famous scene when the Queen is first introduced to her sculptor, the Pharaoh having no idea that they have been lovers, and the lover knowing nothing of her difficult way to the throne. This is great theatre.

This is an unpretentious Italian Historical Epic film based on the figure of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti. The story is acceptable -don't look for historical accuracy- and deals with the romance of the queen to be with a poor sculptor and the dilemma she has to face when forced to choose between her love or duty. Locations, settings, colour and gowns are acceptable too.

Italians were fully dedicated to this kind of "B" epic productions in the early 60's and they often hired well known American or British performers -usually after their best years- in order to raise the level of these films and make them more suitable for international markets (Orson Welles, Broderick Crawford, Victor Mature and Basil Rathbone were among them).

Jeanne Crain was always a just correct actress, but she looks beautiful here as Nefertiti and you prefer to feast your eyes on her than to analyze her performance. Vincent Price -just before his deservedly successful association with Roger Corman in Poe's based horror stories- plays without effort a villainous high priest. The love interest of the queen is Edmund Purdom in his usual dull and wooden acting; I can't recall another actor that was given so many chances to reach stardom with -if not great- rather expensive products and failed ("The Egyptian", "The Prodigal", "The King's Thief" or later "The Yellow Rolls Royce"). He ended up in "B" European films and no more than that.

All in all, this is a movie to see if you like historical Epics but it surely won't make history in the genre.

Altough much liberty is taken with history (in all fairness, there is still a great deal that is not known about this period) an interesting story has been concocted about the mysterious queen. It seems the sculptor who made the famous bust was enamored of her before she became the royal wife and was a mere High Priest's daughter who was cruelly forced to marry Amenophis IV unconvincingly played by Amadeo Nazzari, who is not in the least like Ahkenaton. But the costumes and sets are gorgeous, and Miss Crain is lovely. Vincent Price is credible as the nasty priest of Amon-Ra.

A Sword and Sandal epic movie centers about Amenhotep IV (Amadeo Nazzari) son of Amenophis III who reigned Egypt . Amenhotep IV was crowned in Thebes and there he started a building program and a new religion , taking on the traditional priests (Vincent Price in one of his most unknown movies) . He married Nefertiti (Jeanne Crain) who loved Tutmes (Edmund Purdom) , sculptor who made the famous bust from her . Amenhotep IV-Akhenaten tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion, yet in the end it would not be accepted . After his death, traditional religious practice was gradually restored .

It's a slice of ancient history set in 1300 B.C. : Amenophis IV is known as Akhenaten or Akhenaton , he was proclaimed maximum priest imposing a sole and , only one , great God : ¨Aton¨ or God Sun , pitting the priests (Vincent Price) followers to ¨Amon Ra¨ . Marriage between Amenophis and Nefertiti would born Tutankhamon . Amenophis created a new city called Ajetaton or Amarna . This is a Peplum style movie with impressive images but including factual errors , as Amenhopis IV changed his name to Akhenaten after converting to the worship of the Aton , and his capital was Akhet-Aton , not Thebes . Jeanne Crain is beautiful , Vincent Price , as always , plays very well a villain person . There are several secondaries and good Italian actors seen in Peplum or Sword and Sandals genre , Musclemen movies and Spaghetti Westerns : Alberto Farnese , Liana Orfei , Umberto Raho, Ralph Baldasarre , among others . Spellbound color cinematography by Massimo Dallamano ensure the glowing spectacle . Set design is breathtaking and Carlo Rustichelli's musical score is excellent . The picture was professionally directed by Fernando Cerchio . The movie gets likeness to 'Sinuhe the Egyptian' but lack luster and budget . Rating: 6 points/10