55 Days at Peking (1963)
Although Dimitri Tiomkin’s score evoked every fitting emotion, it was a travesty that his were the only nominations 55 Days at Peking received in 1964. This incredibly lavish war epic was majorly snubbed at the Oscars; it should have been nominated for, if not won, Best Picture.
The start of the film shows Peking in 1900. The United States, England, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Austria, and Japan are all represented with troops, flags, and national anthems played at the same time. The countries occupy separate spaces and are very clearly only interested in playing their own tunes. When the Boxer Rebellion comes to a head, all the nations must come together and try to fight the Boxers off. They’re grossly outnumbered and try to hold out and defend themselves until reinforcements arrive.
Nicholas Ray’s direction is excellent, especially when you consider his most famous films were quiet, inclusive dramas like Rebel Without a Cause and In a Lonely Place. The battle scenes are exciting and choreographically splendid to watch. This is an epic on a grand scale, with exquisitely detailed costumes and sets, by Veniero Colasanti and John Moore. In the beginning of the film, before the violence starts, there’s a ball, and all the dignitaries and military men are resplendent in their uniforms. It’s a very necessary scene, to show how far they fall during their desperate battle. I can’t understand why this film didn’t do well at the box office or during awards season; it’s one of the most fantastic historical epics I’ve ever seen. While the battle scenes aren’t grotesque, as they would be if the film was remade, there’s enough tension to satisfy modern audiences. The combination of hope and hopelessness is incredible; I don’t know whether to attribute it to the director, screenwriter, or the actors themselves.
Charlton Heston plays an American major, and he’s joined by John Ireland and Jerome Thor; the latter has a half-Chinese daughter to provide for. While balancing his soldier duties, Chuck has an affair with Ava Gardner, who’s supposed to play a Russian baroness. Ava doesn’t even try for a Russian accent, and her homage to New York on the ends of her words made me cringe a little. Thankfully, she doesn’t have a very big part, and Chuck is free to focus on his scenes without her, which are much better acted.
It’s David Niven who steals the show, not only in his character’s written part, but in his acting. He plays a British diplomat, based on the real life figure during the Boxer Rebellion, Sir Claude MacDonald, but since he has previous military experience, he’s involved firsthand in the battle strategies. Lesser actors might have played the part as a one-dimensional diplomat, but The Niv gave a four-dimensional fantastic performance. He’s just as anxious to return home to England as he is to return to the battlefield; and for a man who has the weight of his family, his country, and seven other allied nations on his shoulders, he show so much more emotion on his face than could be written in a screenplay. During the ball, the German Ambassador pays David Niven’s character a compliment, and I think it’s fitting for the actor himself:
“I admire Sir Arthur. He always gives me the feeling that God must be an Englishman.”
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru, and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More David Niven movies here!
The start of the film shows Peking in 1900. The United States, England, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Austria, and Japan are all represented with troops, flags, and national anthems played at the same time. The countries occupy separate spaces and are very clearly only interested in playing their own tunes. When the Boxer Rebellion comes to a head, all the nations must come together and try to fight the Boxers off. They’re grossly outnumbered and try to hold out and defend themselves until reinforcements arrive.
Nicholas Ray’s direction is excellent, especially when you consider his most famous films were quiet, inclusive dramas like Rebel Without a Cause and In a Lonely Place. The battle scenes are exciting and choreographically splendid to watch. This is an epic on a grand scale, with exquisitely detailed costumes and sets, by Veniero Colasanti and John Moore. In the beginning of the film, before the violence starts, there’s a ball, and all the dignitaries and military men are resplendent in their uniforms. It’s a very necessary scene, to show how far they fall during their desperate battle. I can’t understand why this film didn’t do well at the box office or during awards season; it’s one of the most fantastic historical epics I’ve ever seen. While the battle scenes aren’t grotesque, as they would be if the film was remade, there’s enough tension to satisfy modern audiences. The combination of hope and hopelessness is incredible; I don’t know whether to attribute it to the director, screenwriter, or the actors themselves.
Charlton Heston plays an American major, and he’s joined by John Ireland and Jerome Thor; the latter has a half-Chinese daughter to provide for. While balancing his soldier duties, Chuck has an affair with Ava Gardner, who’s supposed to play a Russian baroness. Ava doesn’t even try for a Russian accent, and her homage to New York on the ends of her words made me cringe a little. Thankfully, she doesn’t have a very big part, and Chuck is free to focus on his scenes without her, which are much better acted.
It’s David Niven who steals the show, not only in his character’s written part, but in his acting. He plays a British diplomat, based on the real life figure during the Boxer Rebellion, Sir Claude MacDonald, but since he has previous military experience, he’s involved firsthand in the battle strategies. Lesser actors might have played the part as a one-dimensional diplomat, but The Niv gave a four-dimensional fantastic performance. He’s just as anxious to return home to England as he is to return to the battlefield; and for a man who has the weight of his family, his country, and seven other allied nations on his shoulders, he show so much more emotion on his face than could be written in a screenplay. During the ball, the German Ambassador pays David Niven’s character a compliment, and I think it’s fitting for the actor himself:
“I admire Sir Arthur. He always gives me the feeling that God must be an Englishman.”
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru, and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More David Niven movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Picture of 1963
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Director: Nicholas Ray and Andrew Marton