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Edmund Purdom, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Michael Wilding ... see more see more... , Peter Ustinov , Judith Evelyn , Henry Daniell , John Carradine , Carl Benton Reid , Tommy Rettig , Donna Martell , Mimi Gibson , Harry Thompson , George Melford , Lawrence Ryle , Tiger Joe Marsh , Ian MacDonald , Michael Granger , Don Blackman , Joan Winfield , Mike Mazurki , Michael Ansara , Angela Clarke , Edmund Cobb , Henry Corden , Bella Darvi , Karl (Killer) Davis , Carmen De Lavallade , Tyler MacDuff , Peter Reynolds , Paul Salata , Anitra Stevens , Eghiche Harout

Based on the novel by Mika Waltari and helmed by Casablanca director Michael Curtiz, The Egyptian, a lavish period soaper, is set several centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ. Young Egyptian hea... read more read more...ler Sinuhe Edmund Purdom (ere accompanied by his servant, Kaptah, played by Peter Ustinov) draws the affection of barmaid Merit (Jean Simmons) who seeks his hand in marriage. Sinuhe provides medical assistance to the epileptic Pharoah, Akhnaton (Michael Wilding), who, meanwhile, becomes convinced that only one god exists, and thus infuriates all of his polytheistic priests, who secretly plot to assassinate him. Sinuhe has an affair with a Babylonian whore, Nefer (Bella Darvi), but grows listless with her and eventually ends the relationship, harkening back to Merit. However, she is soon extinguished, with an arrow through the heart, for also being monotheistic. Angered by this, and believing Akhnaton's ideas directly responsible for Merit's death, Sinuhe and his muscular friend, the affable Horemheb (screen heartthrob Victor Mature) poison the Pharoah. Akhnaton then dies while Horemheb prepares to ascend to the throne. Ingmar Bergman had a point when he admonished the idea of falling for one's lead actress, and it is a lesson one wishes producer Daryl Zanuck had learned; he purportedly had an extramarital affair with Darvi, taking her as a "plaything," but grew sick of her after casting her in seven films. Her career then torpedoed. (Little wonder - her horrendous performance in this film must be seen to be believed; Variety called it "less than believable or skilled.") This $4.2 million film (a massive amount for 1954) suffered from additional production problems as well, with Marlon Brando originally slated to star, but replaced, at the very last minute, by Purdom, a contract player for 20th Century-Fox. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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63% liked it

948 ratings

Unrated, 2 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Release Date: August 24, 1954

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Flixster Reviews (44)

  • jjnxn
    November 25, 2011
    jjnxn
    Creaky biblical balderdash with Jean Simmons as always giving a good performance and Peter Ustinov a fun one, everybody else is stiff. Curtiz, usually able to keep something like this going, provides a leaden pace.
  • RunBabySallyRun
    July 22, 2007
    RunBabySallyRun
    This is another yummy sword-and-sandals movie, if that's your pleasure, that takes you back to the time of King Tut's dad even!

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Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
January 31, 2012
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Lavishly produced by Zanuck, this big-budget historical epic is preposterously plotted and acted, though Shamroy's color cinematography is good. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 22, 2009
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Overlong, risible and plodding historical blockbuster. Full Review

August 1, 2008
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Bosley Crowther
March 25, 2006
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

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