The Egyptian [VHS]

correction: Tommy Rettig with the dark hair plays Sinuhe's son (unknown to Sinuhe as being his own son), not Sinuhe as a young boy himself...but it is Rettig's role and image in the film which touched me with adoration as a youth...

...the reviewers seem to be confusing the quality of acting with the part which is being portrayed...Akhenaton (or Akhenaten) is supposed to be ethereal, indecisive, mystic...that is the whole point of why the priests and the power leaders in Egypt want to get rid of him... and why Horemhab in the film finally decides to join the conspiracy to rid the land of this threat to Egypt's security...both at home and as possible threat from abroad...mainly the Hittites...you might look on it as an ancient Egyptian version of "Seven Days in May"...

...Akhenaton's sister (the Princess) is an interesting character in the film...she is the strong figure who should have been born a male, and thus become Pharaoh... she has all the qualities of leadership and decisiveness which Akhenaton lacks...so naturally hers appears to be the stronger role...but the actress is portraying what the script calls for...it is not the actors or actresses who are giving poor performances, they are bringing the script to life...and the script is saying important things about people, the world, its so-called values, ambition, love, loyalty, faith, and faithlessness...if these themes are unimportant or silly to the viewer, then naturally the film is going to seem dull and insipid... but some of today's "modern" films are dealing with the same issues ("Fight Club," "Unbreakable," "The Matrix," "Dark City"...just not in ancient Egyptian costuming...) ...but even these "modern" films are getting this same see-saw reaction from viewers... either intense support for the film, or actively disgusted, give-me-my-money-back-this-film-is-trash dislike...

...if Michael Wilding, as an actor, was a non-charismatic, passive, "colorless" being, then why not see his being chosen to portray Akhenaton as a wondrous bit of inspired casting...for one certainly gets the idea that Akhenaton was NOT a strong, powerful, charismatic revolutionary who swept everyone up in his speedy march to dispense with the old Egyptian pantheon in favor of Aton...but rather that the people and the army and the priests went along simply because he was Pharaoh and had to be obeyed...was he not ruling by "divine right?"... was he not himself divine? ... if people valued their possible fate in the next life then they perhaps had to tread carefully before deciding to do in a divine Pharaoh...

...the Pharaoh's mother is a wonderful character and delicious acting by the actress...she is disgusted by the weakness of her son and by the fact that her daughter is stronger than her brother and that she should be Pharaoh instead of him..."Fowler's knots? Did you SAY FOWLER's KNOTS!??" ...and there is wondrous irony in the fact that she had been born poor and had risen to great heights because of her own cleverness and because she had attracted the previous Pharaoh's eye...and the fact that Sinuhe's real life history is the exact reverse and closely tied up in a knot with her own...

...so, watch the film for yourself...by all means purchase it...it is worth having...and worth sharing with someone who inspires you...


On your faces before the Living God!   September 8, 1999
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

Contract actor Edmund Purdom does a magnificent job, strange to think he was brought in at the last minute as a substitute for Marlon Brando! Bella Darvi went out of her way to enunciate clearly, since she'd been turned down for so many parts because of her accent. Victor Mature is absolutely priceless. This film is full of characterizations and catch phrases that will stay with you forever. Corny in places, profound and evocative in others (so was the book). Go for it!


A rare masterpiece   April 13, 2004
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

Many people have criticised this film for it's lack of "historical accuracy" - it's Hollywood, for goodness sake. It's not going to be spot on accurate, and it isn't intended to be. The film wasn't made for that - it was created for etertainment, and entertaining this film most certaintly is. Also, people say that the acting is under-par in this film - that EDmund Purdom is "flat and lifeless" in the lead role. However, remember two things - that he had only just taken the role (which had been dropped abruptly by another actor) when they began filming, and that the character of Sinue is supposed to be (particularly towards the end) quite cold and cynical. I myself think that he was brilliant in the lead role of Sinue. Also the actor who played Akhenaten has been criticised, but the man, in true "historical accuracy" wasn't the most outgoing - was he? I think that the long monologues are the best bit of the film. The only problem I had with this story was the parts with Nefer - too long, with too much of Sinue being a complete idiot. Very annoying!
But, as for the revelation at the end - of Sinue being the rightful pharaoh - *GASP*!!! Classic. This film is an absolute must-see, I couldn't stop thinking about it for days after seeing it for the first time, and it has reawakened my interest in Egyptology. An absolute masterpiece, sadly underrated.