The Egyptian (1954)

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

The Egyptian was a film before its time. Heavily steeped in philosophy and introspection, it was extremely unique for a Hollywood film. Only The Razor's Edge with Tyrone Power made a few years earlier had the kind of incisive content that this movie possessed. The idea that monotheism occurred almost 2000 years before Christianity is a bit misleading, however. The Hebrews were the founders of that concept that predated the Egyptians by several centuries.The production values are first-rate; as is the acting and direction. British actor, Edmund Purdom, gives a powerful performance; one that is highly underrated, as is this film. Victor Mature as a heavy is unusual in itself; as he was never cast as a heavy before or after this role. He carried it off well. Peter Ustinov, as usual, is a wonderful addition to the cast, and adds moments of lightness to a very heavy concept.Gene Tierney is the weakest entry in the film, but Jean Simmons shows off her immense talents, and is smoking hot, as well as convincing. Purdom falls for a Babylonian whore instead of Simmons; I found that to be a bit unbelievable. Otherwise, this film is a classic from beginning to end. Watch for Tommy Rettig, the owner of Lassie, as the son of Simmons. Highly recommended.

The cast is excellent, with Michael Wilding presenting the most convincing performance as the Pharaoh Ekhnaton in the difficult dilemma of being 13 centuries before his time, which actually was historically correct. All the rest is fantasy, although mummies were made indeed and most indefatigably in Egypt for three millennia, it was their prominent speciality, by the help of opening the brain in a kind of prehistoric brain surgery. The protagonist's father excels in this medical art and passes it on to his son, who makes his fortune at the court of Pharaoh, who occasionally suffers from headaches and epileptic fits, so he needs his brain physician. Victor Mature plays Sinuhe's best friend, the more pragmatic and less altruistic coming leader of the future in battles and slaughters, called Horemheb, while Gene Tierney also makes a credible and politically more realistic sister to a Pharaoh only good for sun- and star-gazing. Bella Darvi plays another important part as the ruin of the hero physician, who makes a total mess of his so promising career by reckless passion. Peter Ustinov saves him time and time again only to lose him in the end. Finally there is Jean Simmons, the real heroine of the tale and the only actual martyr among them all, who represents all that they should be living for, presenting that meaning of life that Sinuhe so eagerly quests for, which he ignores as the stupid fool he is. The music of Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Neuman is also apt and perfect all the way like the splendid photography and Michael Curtiz' direction, - so what then is so wrong about this film?It's the story itself that is not at all convincing. All the weakness is found in Mika Waltari's novel, an interesting story by all means, but he understood nothing about Egypt. Another author who wrote novels of ancient Egypt was Joan Grant, whose versions are as almost palpably credible as Waltari's is more like science fiction. Not even the dialogue is good, although the film has improved it by cutting as much of the nonsense as possible. Still, some of the best episodes of the book are missing from the film, above all Sinuhe's adventures in Crete.It's a good film, nothing bad could be said about it, and we must try to forgive Mika Waltari's weakness for fantasizing in the manner of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Flash Gordon and Cecil B. DeMille rather than trying to actually recreate ancient Egypt. Ultimately, only Michael Wilding remains truly convincing.

The biggest strength of this film is it's soundtrack, composed half by Alfred Newman and half by Bernard Herrmann. The acting is fairly hit-or- miss; some people may find Purdom a bore as Sinuhe, or Darvi's accent ridiculous, but everyone else does well with their parts, particularly Ustinov and Tierney. The weakest point of the movie is in it's length, plagued by slow pacing. Those looking for an adaptation of the book may be disappointed by the lighter tone, (a scene is dedicated to show that Kaptah and Thoth escaped Egypt during the fighting, whereas in the book Thoth was killed along with Merit, for instance) but overall it's a very well made film, good acting, and a majestic, sweeping score.

I like Bella Darvi, don't ask me why; I just do. Having glanced at other comments about Darvi, her performance, the film, the nastiness alleged, I will only say that I find Bella completely enchanting, captivating, beautiful, painfully sexy and sister of my heart. The rest is silence. Have been told my comments must be longer. Fine. How about that score? I believe that Hermann was responsible for the Nefer music. Beautiful and, in my opinion, one of the elements closest to Waltari's emotional evocations of the Sinuhe character, not Nefer's. Those familiar with the novel will recall Nefer's less than tragic continuing adventures. But we are not talking about Waltari or Nefer or Zanuck or Hollywood. Only and always, Bella, Bella, Bella.