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55+days+at+peking | Year: 1963 Directed: - Andrew Marton - Nicholas Ray - Guy Green Actors/Actresses: - Charlton Heston - Ava Gardner Widescreen fans please note... ...you can order a very good quality print of this film from Amazon France's marketplace sellers. The only drawback is that the English version has French subtitles which can't be erased using the menu. However, when you see the low price, even accounting for postage, you won't complain. A movie that needs to be remade Don't get me wrong. This movie is fun but as historical accuracies go, it falls pretty flat. The movie doesn't even use the real names of the people involved. I'm a big fan of epic period pieces and I think there is a lot going for this kind of movie to be made today (with an international cast) First I'd choose John Milius, Michael Mann, or Mel Gibson as director Sample Cast<BR>George Clooney or Billy Zane.....US Marine Major<BR>Catherine Zeta Jones...Russian countess<BR>Elizabeth Hurley....British ambassador's wife<BR>Tom Sizemore.....US Marine sgt<BR>Chow Yun Fat.....Prince Tuan<BR>Michelle Yeoh....Empress Dowager<BR>Brian Cox....British Ambassador<BR>Ioan Gruffudd (Hornblower) or Heath Ledger....British Captain<BR>Jermey Irons....German Colonel<BR>Sophie marceau....French ambassador's wife<BR>Alan Rickman....Russian ambassador You get the picture :-) spectacular yet intimate Before the era of political correctness, Caucasian actors donned make up to play characters of other races; roles which, for whatever reason, could not be filled by non-white actors at that time. If you are the kind of person who gets mad watching white people play "sinister" Chinese roles then stay away from this movie or be prepared for this kind of thing: Prince Tuan: "Your majesty, the execution has been stopped!" The Empress: "Who!" Prince Tuan: "Jung Lu!" However if you can keep that momentary suspension of disbelief going just long enough to allow yourself to get into the story, then you can believe Flora Robson is the Empress and 55 Days is one of the most underrated films of all time: the action sequences are extremely well paced and choreographed and the film, for the most part, stays faithful to history. Obviously the producers could not reproduce the entire Forbidden City so the "palace" exterior scenes are somewhat hokey, but the legation compound and the city wall are reproduced in a convincing way and as set pieces they are used to great effect. Look for Walter Gotell (General Gogol from the 007 films) and Nicholas Ray himself (in wheelchair) as the American ambassador. Buy 55 Days At Peking at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on 55 Days At Peking Search with the Priority Search Engine on 55 Days At Peking This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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