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HistoryWarDrama

55 Days at Peking

- A handful of men and women held out against the frenzied hordes of bloodthirsty fanatics!

Diplomats, soldiers and other representatives of a dozen nations fend off the siege of the International Compound in Peking during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. The disparate interests unite for survival despite competing factions, overwhelming odds, delayed relief and tacit support of the Boxers by the Empress of China and her generals.

Release Date : 1963-05-06

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Samuel Bronston ProductionsAllied Artists Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Fifty Five Days at Peking

Cast

Charlton Heston

Character Name : Maj. Matt Lewis

Original Name : Charlton Heston

Gender : Male

Ava Gardner

Character Name : Baroness Natalie Ivanoff

Original Name : Ava Gardner

Gender : Female

David Niven

Character Name : Sir Arthur Robertson

Original Name : David Niven

Gender : Male

Flora Robson

Character Name : Dowager Empress Tzu-Hsi

Original Name : Flora Robson

Gender : Female

John Ireland

Character Name : Sgt. Harry

Original Name : John Ireland

Gender : Male

Harry Andrews

Character Name : Father de Bearn

Original Name : Harry Andrews

Gender : Male

Leo Genn

Character Name : Gen. Jung-Lu

Original Name : Leo Genn

Gender : Male

Robert Helpmann

Character Name : Prince Tuan

Original Name : Robert Helpmann

Gender : Male

Kurt Kasznar

Character Name : Baron Sergei Ivanoff

Original Name : Kurt Kasznar

Gender : Male

Philippe Leroy

Character Name : Julliard

Original Name : Philippe Leroy

Gender : Male

Paul Lukas

Character Name : Dr. Steinfeldt

Original Name : Paul Lukas

Gender : Male

Elizabeth Sellars

Character Name : Lady Sarah Robertson

Original Name : Elizabeth Sellars

Gender : Female

Massimo Serato

Character Name : Garibaldi

Original Name : Massimo Serato

Gender : Male

Jacques Sernas

Character Name : Maj. Bobrinski

Original Name : Jacques Sernas

Gender : Male

Jerome Thor

Character Name : Capt. Andy Marshall

Original Name : Jerome Thor

Gender : Male

Geoffrey Bayldon

Character Name : Smythe

Original Name : Geoffrey Bayldon

Gender : Male

Joseph Fürst

Character Name : Capt. Hanselman

Original Name : Joseph Fürst

Gender : Male

Walter Gotell

Character Name : Capt. Hoffman

Original Name : Walter Gotell

Gender : Male

Jūzō Itami

Character Name : Col. Shiba

Original Name : 伊丹十三

Gender : Male

Mervyn Johns

Character Name : Clergyman

Original Name : Mervyn Johns

Gender : Male

Alfredo Mayo

Character Name : Spanish Minister

Original Name : Alfredo Mayo

Gender : Male

Martin Miller

Character Name : Hugo Bergmann

Original Name : Martin Miller

Gender : Male

Conchita Montes

Character Name : Mme Gaumaire

Original Name : Conchita Montes

Gender : Female

José Nieto

Character Name : Italian Minister

Original Name : José Nieto

Gender : Male

Eric Pohlmann

Character Name : Baron von Meck

Original Name : Eric Pohlmann

Gender : Male

Aram Stephan

Character Name : Gaumaire

Original Name : Aram Stephan

Gender : Male

Robert Urquhart

Character Name : Capt. Hanley

Original Name : Robert Urquhart

Gender : Male

Lynne Sue Moon

Character Name : Teresa

Original Name : Lynne Sue Moon

Gender : Male

Burt Kwouk

Character Name : Old Man (voice)

Original Name : Burt Kwouk

Gender : Male

Mike Steen

Character Name : Undetermined Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Mike Steen

Gender : Male

Lucy Appleby

Character Name : Martha (uncredited)

Original Name : Lucy Appleby

Gender : Female

Félix Dafauce

Character Name : Dutch Minister (uncredited)

Original Name : Félix Dafauce

Gender : Male

Andrea Esterhazy

Character Name : Austrian Minister (uncredited)

Original Name : Andrea Esterhazy

Gender : Male

Carlos Casaravilla

Character Name : Japanese Minister (uncredited)

Original Name : Carlos Casaravilla

Gender : Male

R.S.M. Brittain

Character Name : Sergeant Major (uncredited)

Original Name : R.S.M. Brittain

Gender : Male

Michael Chow

Character Name : Chiang (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Chow

Gender : Male

Chow Siu-Loi

Character Name : Court Boxer (uncredited)

Original Name : Chow Siu-Loi

Gender : Male

Mitchell Kowall

Character Name : US Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Mitchell Kowall

Gender : Male

Paul Naschy

Character Name : Extra (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Naschy

Gender : Male

Fernando Sancho

Character Name : Belgian Minister (uncredited)

Original Name : Fernando Sancho

Gender : Male

Lucille Soong

Character Name : Concubine (uncredited)

Original Name : Lucille Soong

Gender : Female

Robert Rietti

Character Name : Spanish Minister (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Rietti

Gender : Male

Milton Reid

Character Name : Boxer (uncredited)

Original Name : Milton Reid

Gender : Male

Nicholas Ray

Character Name : US Minister (uncredited)

Original Name : Nicholas Ray

Gender : Male

Alfred Lynch

Character Name : Gerald (uncredited)

Original Name : Alfred Lynch

Gender : Male

John Moulder-Brown

Character Name : Tommy (uncredited)

Original Name : John Moulder-Brown

Gender : Male

Guillermo Vera

Character Name : El hombre del carrito (uncredited)

Original Name : Guillermo Vera

Gender : Male

George Wang

Character Name : Boxer Chief (uncredited)

Original Name : George Wang

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-03-27

It is tempting just to look upon this as an imperialist (Western, not Chinese) costume drama with fireworks. I think, however, it does merit a little more credit than that. Samuel Bronston pulls together quite a cast as Hollywood (via Madrid and Valencia) gives us it's version of the failed/foiled Boxer rebellion that lead to the ultimate decline of the Dragon Throne. Charlton Heston and David Niven develop a decent enough chemistry as the story takes shape, and Ava Gardner, Flora Robson, Leo Genn and Paul Lukas ensure there is some strength and depth to the supporting cast, and therefore to the story of the siege of the diplomatic compound in Peking by Chinese rebels in 1900. The sets are testament to what could be done in a world before CGI (and I bet the budgets wouldn't be that much different, either) and the mass-participation scenes are colourful, noisy and look good. As ever with these kind of films, there is an inevitability around the outcome; however preposterous the odds - but this is still a commendable effort to enlighten us, a little, as to the attitude of the colonial powers to China at the turn of the 20th Century.