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Nabaza.net-The MarketPlace - The Egyptian
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List Price: $19.98
Our Price: $29.69
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Starring: Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Michael Wilding, Bella Darvi
Directed By: Michael Curtiz
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786301412797
Format: Closed-captioned
ISBN: 6301412796
Label: 20th Century Fox
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 1995-03-15
Running Time: 139
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Theatrical Release Date: 1954
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great for romance addicts like me, but.....
Comment: This film is fondly remembered from my childhood (Egypt was a terrific craze at the time - King Tut exhibit, Elizabeth Taylor's movie, the Mummy) and I still enjoyed it. But ... its very sexist. All Mika Waltari's (the author of the novel the script is derived form) work has a masochistic woman as the terrible, unattainable, irresistible and finally destroyed woman. Most of his novels have the woman being beaten. This one only dies of a disease (however in poverty and disgrace). So, yes, I still liked it (especially the references to Tutankhamen - see Velikovsky's analogy to the Oedipal myth) but I really look forward to the day when woman writers/directors get together to create these huge romantic epics with women who aren't either doormats for the hero or die.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Amusing distorion of history - 1950's Hollywood style
Comment: I like getting a good laugh at observing how Hollywood distorts history in order to create what will hopefully be a box office hit.
The Egyptian is billed as "The Stunning Story of an Ancient Empire Rocked by a New Religion". Since it is supposedly set in 1,300 B.C.E., I thought it would be about an Egyptian who discovers the wonderful religion of Judaism.
I was wrong. The film makers mixed some "Christian" virtues with the ancient Egyptian symbol of the ankh and some unrelated historical facts.
The ankh is a symbol that looks like a Christian cross, except that the part above the horizontal line forms a loop.
It was a symbol for the power to give and sustain life and typically associated with material things such as water(which was believed by Egyptians to regenerate life), air, sun, as well as with the Gods, who were frequently pictured carrying an Ankh.
But in the film, of course, it is supposed to represent something else - worship of the sun god. This sun god is the only god, so said the pharoah in the film who tries to get his people to convert - monotheism nicely introduced.
There was an eccentric pharoah, Akhenaten, at that time who tried to get his people to convert to worshipping only the sun god. He also insisted that artists represent him realistically, rather than stylistically. He even tried to get the capital of Egypt changed.
Not long after he died, all his efforts to change religion and art in Egypt were undone.
He did not give any special new meaning to the ankh. Also, there is no evidence that he tried to make non-violence and mercy tenets of this new religion.
Of course the film says he did in order to create parallels with Christianity.
It is a beautiful film with fabulous sets and Peter Ustinov as the hero's servant is terrific as usual. The hero is a physician who starts out idealistic, becomes bitter and then eventually discovers true love and new meaning for his life. But... Well, you will have to see the film to discover what happens next.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Ancient Egypt high society spectacle
Comment: The 1954 sword and sandal epic "The Egyptian" directed by Michael Curtiz was cut out of a similar mold as other 1950's movies with religious and ancient historic themes. The sets and costuming were colorful and very impressive and gave authenticity along with well established actors to the plot.
The story is told through the eyes of Sinuhe played by Edward Purdom, an esteemed physician in the court of Pharoah Akhnaton. Sinuhe had been an unwanted child cast onto the Nile in a small boat constructed of reeds much like the baby Moses. Taken in by a family whose father was a well respected physician of the poor, he was schooled in the arts of healing.
On an adventure with his best friend Horemheb played by a stout Victor Mature they slay a lion that was threatening the life of the soon to be pharoah. In reward for their bravery Mature gets appointed as an officer is pharoah's army and Purdom as court physician.
Purdom, inexperienced in love falls head over heels for ravishing Babylonian courtesan Nefer played by Bella Darvi spurning faithful and nurturing tavern maid Merit played by Jean Simmons. Purdom gives away all his possessions for Nefer only to be rejected and now destitute. He leaves Egypt wandering the countryside accompanied by his faithful and conniving servant Kaptah played superbly by a eyepatched Peter Ustinov.
He eventually returns to Egypt after having plied his trade abroad and amassed a fortune. He brings news of an imminent attack of Egypt by the Hittites armed with swords revolutionary in that they are forged with iron. Mature now the leader of the armies is poised to strike but is reigned by the peaceful and religious Pharoah Akhnaton.
A conflict ensues in which Sinuhe is a pivotal part. Mature and pharoah's sister the sinister Baketamon played by Gene Tierney conspire to overthrow the pharoah in order to due battle. Sinuhe who has reconnected with his true love Simmons learns of a secret that may well shape the fate of Egypt.
The film while certainly dated was nonetheless a lavishly produced and entertaining loose interpretation of ancient history.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Must Be Seen on DVD
Comment: Just Like "The Robe" and "Demetrius and the Gladiators" any trillogy of the actor Victor Mature must include on DVD this masterpiece of Hollywood Cinematography of the 1950's.
This movie sets, have the most acurate reproduction of Egyptian pieces ever created from Museum Collections. Why Hollywood have failed to released on DVD this classic, is probably only due to an oversight by those in charge, no doubt about. Because it would be a hot profitable item sale for a "DVD Classic Film Release."
Please made a DVD Release soon of this Movie.
Customer Rating:
Summary: ham and cheese deluxe
Comment: Sword-and-sandal epic junkies will love this film, that is often hilarious with its over-the top-performances from an all-star cast, often ridiculous stilted dialogue, and tacky ultra-faux sets; at times so bad it's delightful, and always very entertaining, the script as well as the cast improve as the film progresses, and it does become extremely interesting in the last hour.The cast:
Edmund Purdom is Sinuhe "The Egyptian", and is a physician who throws his life away over a wicked seductress, played to the max by Bella Darvi;
Jean Simmons is beautiful in the thankless role of Merit, the woman who has undying love for Purdom despite his weakness and the fact he totally ignores her feelings.
Victor Mature is terrific as the son of the cheese maker, who rises to command the army.
Peter Ustinov is wonderful as Purdom's servant, and in a tiny part of a grave robber, John Carradine steals the short scene he is in. The plot takes place during the reign on Akhnaton (around 1352 B.C.), played by Michael Wilding, and portrayed as a real wuss, with a tough cookie sister played by Gene Tierney, who looks stunning in her princess garb. Their mother, fond of "the strong brew", and amusingly played by Judith Evelyn, says of her children: "The gods were perverse; they gave me a son as soft as a woman, and a daughter as hard as a man".
Purdom and Mature save the Pharaoh from being a lion's lunch one day, and so starts the story, and the ups and downs of The Egyptian's life.
The direction by Michael Curtiz is for the most part fairly well paced, and a lush score by both Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Newman, and vivid Technicolor cinematography by Leon Shamroy (which received an Oscar nomination) add to the enjoyment of this film. Total running time is 139 minutes.
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