mark.waltz There is so much back story in this luscious looking movie that having not seen this in over 20 years, I had to research the basic plot of this political epic of the ancient worlds. It must have been an absolute sight for wide eyes in 1954 as the new CinemaScope format made itself known to movie audiences. It takes patience now to watch the story of doctor Edmund Purdom unfold, the saga of the secrets surrounding his birth, his friendship with Victor Mature, the unrequited love from Jean Simmons and his involvement with the deadly Bella Darvi, perhaps the most calculating of all ancient screen vixens. A revelation by the elderly Judith Evelyn changes his destiny, leading him closer to the pharaoh, his throne and destruction.Ancient sagas of this nature are fascinating as history as they are as costumed soap opera with family secrets, deadly plots and a quest for power guiding each of them. The bible shows many such sagas in its discussion of ancient history touching more nationalities than just the ancient Hebrews. The Greeks and Romans as well all had their sagas, but the Egyptians allegedly had the oldest of recorded histories. This is not biblical in any manner, but a greatly detailed account of life during the 18th Dynasty. Evelyn, reminding me of Judith Anderson, reveals much in her few scenes, like Anderson "the keeper of the secrets", and ultimately the character who explodes the plot forward.Gene Tierney, as her tough talking daughter, has a few good moments as well, but along with Jean Simmons is overshadowed by the alluring Darvi who even gives Joan Collins in "Land of the Pharaohs" a run for its gold. Purdom is more a reactor, thus seemingly wooden, while Michael Wilding never really gets to establish the character of the pharaoh. It's obvious to me that Tierney had what it took but was doomed by her gender. Peter Ustinov gets a showy part as one of Purdom's associates on the outside, but I'm still not really sure of his connection, the issue being far too many characters and too much to take in, certainly not as well defined as "The Ten Commandments".At a decent running time for an epic of this nature (just under two and a half hours), this is an opponent of riches much like a pharaoh's tomb, but frequently emotionally empty and far too much of a good thing. I still highly recommend it, but it must be seen, preferably on a large screen, when one is fully prepared to pay full attention. It's a difficult film to find in its wide- screen version, so avoid all pan and scans and wait patiently for it with the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, hopefully a large one. To not have that format would be to miss a whole lot.

tomsview This film is fascinating for a number of reasons including its flaws. It is a story full of ideas, and has an intriguing cast, especially if you know a little of their history.Sinuhe (Edmund Purdom), a physician in Ancient Egypt searches for meaning to his life, but he lives in turbulent times. Pharaoh Akhnaton (Michael Wilding) is introducing the Egyptians to the concept of one God, and they don't like it. They prefer to stick to their gods with the crocodile, hippopotamus and chicken heads as well as their mummified cats.Along the way Sinuhe buddies up with the fearless Horemheb played by Victor Mature and inadvertently finds himself with a servant, Kaptah, played by Peter Ustinov who brings a light touch to the film.Sinuhe also learns the meaning of true love through a number of painful experiences. However, this element of the story allows for the casting of three stunning woman; Jean Simmons, Gene Tierney and Bella Darvi.When it was first released, critics attacked the film; Edmund Purdom and Victor Mature were squarely in their sights. However, when Peter Ustinov also derided the film, Bill Collins, Australia's much-loved film presenter, summed up the situation well when he said, "It seems to me sometimes, that actors get so embarrassed when critics in their stupidity revile their work, that they go along with it rather than admit that they actually love their contribution".Bill Collins admires "The Egyptian" and praised Victor Mature's role as perfect casting. However he felt that although she tries hard, Bella Darvi as Nefer wasn't quite right for the part, coming to the film with meagre dramatic talent. And that's where I disagree with him. If anyone was underrated in the film it's her. She plays a scheming Babylonian seductress who ensnares the naive Sinuhe, stripping him of his wealth and dignity before dumping him.Darvi was an unusual beauty who according to some was more beautiful in real life than on film. She also led a life, after much tragedy, which was not that different to the role she played here. Eventually everything caught up with her as it did with Nefer; she committed suicide aged 42. I feel her strangeness with that thick accent was perfect for the role. I can't think of too many actresses who could have projected that same unemotional, calculating and cat-like quality. Marilyn Monroe desperately wanted the role, but I just don't see it.Although the palace interiors are sumptuous, the exteriors of "The Egyptian" don't have the scope of "Land of the Pharaohs" made around the same time, however both have brilliant music scores, the like of which you rarely hear today.Beyond the technical details, "The Egyptian" is a film where the often moving story and the characters rise above deficiencies of set design and historical inaccuracies.Judging by most of the comments on IMDb, it has finally found an appreciative audience.

blanche-2 The 1954 film "The Egyptian" is the type of film made to be seen on a huge movie screen. The film, directed by Michael Curtiz, spared no expense in cast, costumes, or photography.Edmund Purdom stars as Sinuhe, a poor orphan in 18th Century Egypt, who becomes a physician and is given a palace appointment by the Pharoh (Michael Wilding). But Sinuhe's life will take many turns. He becomes obsessed with Nefer (Bella Darvi) and gives her everything, including his parents' house and burial tombs, only to be rejected by her. He has to leave Egypt when the Pharoh's daughter becomes ill and Sinuhe does not appear at the palace to tend to her. He and his self-appointed slave (Peter Ustinov) travel everywhere, and Sinuhe again builds his reputation as a physician, and his wealth. Eventually he returns to Egypt, where his friend Horemhob is now the head of the Pharoh's guards, and war is about to rage.The star of this film was supposed to be Marlon Brando, but he didn't like anything about it, included Bella Darvi, so Purdom was cast. Purdom just wasn't an exciting actor, and he didn't warm up the camera. In a film that is paced slowly, his performance wasn't much help. There is, however, some wonderful acting from Peter Ustinov, Gene Tierney, Jean Simmons, and a boisterous performance from Victor Mature.Bella Darvi as Nefer gives basically a one-note performance. She was a protégée of Darryl and Virgina Zanuck, and Mrs. Zanuck thought of her as a daughter. When she found out that her husband thought of Darvi as more of a girlfriend, she threw both of them out of the house. Darvi came to a bad end, committing suicide in 1971. Here she reminds me a little of Linda Christian. She is quite beautiful and speaks with a slight lisp.Definitely worth watching, especially if you like this type of film.

inspectors71 Michael Curtiz' lumbering, elephantine, lugubrious, and overly-pious epic, The Egyptian is enough to make one slap the next person he or she sees wearing an "Ankh."For what seems more than the stated 140 minutes of film, the viewer has to contend with one of the most unappetizing leading men and protagonists I've ever seen, Edmund Purdom, as he drinks badly, falls in love with a nasty temptress, betrays his pharaoh, his framily, and his profession, and winds up exiled out in East Bumfudge writing his memoirs.What makes The Egyptian so bad is its desire to be an epic, but on a small-screen human scale, a celebration of monotheism, but Akhenaten was a "monolatrist," and a love story, but the only women worth having takes an arrow in a boob before Purdom's Sinuhe can get her to the altar.It's all very prim and proper stuff--for the most part--with European actors sounding regal and Victor Mature looking manly-mannish in his Egyptian tunic. Actually, I was surprised by how the movie tried to be, um, racy, what with Bella Darvi's Nefer showing up nekked in a pool's reflection (you can see the lines of her body suit) and Mature clanking around with shoulder pads, delivering his lines in his sleep, and looking as if he's in drag. The Egyptian tries mightily to be something, to say something important. What it accomplishes is 2 hours and 20 minutes of history being mangled, Egyptian folklore and religion being defiled, and slave Peter Ustinov reaching under his eye patch to take out a prostheses, and delivering a cartoon-level popping noise when the gold thingy clears it's socket. My advice is to look up Steve Martin performing King Tut on YouTube.