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Title: 55 Days at Peking (1963)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Charlton Heston | ... |
Maj. Matt Lewis
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| Ava Gardner | ... |
Baroness Natalie Ivanoff
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| David Niven | ... |
Sir Arthur Robertson
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| Flora Robson | ... | ||
| John Ireland | ... |
Sgt. Harry
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| Harry Andrews | ... |
Father de Bearn
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| Leo Genn | ... |
Gen. Jung-Lu
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| Robert Helpmann | ... |
Prince Tuan
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| Kurt Kasznar | ... |
Baron Sergei Ivanoff
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Philippe Leroy | ... |
Julliard
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| Paul Lukas | ... |
Dr. Steinfeldt
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| Elizabeth Sellars | ... |
Lady Sarah Robertson
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Massimo Serato | ... |
Garibaldi
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Jacques Sernas | ... |
Maj. Bobrinski
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Jerome Thor | ... |
Capt. Andy Marshall
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
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. Written by Martin H. Booda <booda@datasync.com>
Taglines:
A handful of men and women held out against the frenzied hordes of bloodthirsty fanatics!Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
6 May 1963 (UK) See more »Also Known As:
Fifty Five Days at Peking See more »Box Office
Budget:
$17,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1
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(The Peking Theme)
Recorded by Andy Williams on CBS Records
Words by Paul Francis Webster
Music by Dimitri Tiomkin
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
4000 extras were required for the film, including Chinese people brought from restaurants and laundries across Europe since there were not enough available Chinese people in Spain for the mass scenes. See more »Goofs
Captain Hanley's rank displayed on his uniform is that of Lieutenant. See more »Quotes
Lady Sarah Robertson: Do you think that if a child dies in a foreign place without ever having seen home that its soul doesn't rest? I think it goes into limbo - an enormous, empty Chinese limbo. And it wanders there, lost and crying...See more »
Soundtracks
So Little Time(The Peking Theme)
Recorded by Andy Williams on CBS Records
Words by Paul Francis Webster
Music by Dimitri Tiomkin
See more »
"55 Days at Peking" is the story of the Boxer Rebellion in China, in the summer of the year 1900, where the violent wind of discontent disturbs the land…
Separated from the foreign compound by a mere wall and a gate is the Forbidden City, where, in untouchable isolation, Empress Dowager Tzu—protected by an army of eunuchs—earnestly advises Sir Arthur (David Niven) that all foreign residents, including diplomatic personnel, to leave Peking within 24 hours…
For the Empress of China (Flora Robson), the situation in Peking cannot be expected to become tranquil because of the projected draught, because of hunger and unrest among the people, because of the merciless demands of the foreign powers… Prince Tuan (Robert Helpmann) counsels the empress a reckless adventure, while Gen. Jung-Lu (Leo Genn) counsels prudence and patience…
That morning, Sir Arthur came to the Imperial Palace with the truth, the truth that is already known to the German government, and to all other powers, asking the empress to take action against Prince Tuan who commanded the Boxers to drag and kill the German minister…
Obviously, the empress rejected Sir Arthur's truth and his protest, informing him that Prince Tuan is her closest and most trusted adviser and she appointed him to head the foreign office… The ambassadors realizing now that Prince Tuan succeeded in getting the support of the empress, vote on whether to stay or leave Peking…
Niven demonstrated both his capacity and his potential as the English diplomat with no intention of displaying fear of the Boxers, nor of handling the victory to Prince Tuan…
Ava Gardner looks beautiful as the Russian Baroness who knows that her sublime trinket sure glitters…
Lynne Sue Moon steals the show in her moving portrayal of the abandoned Oriental 12-year-old child in need of love and care and who has been promised, by her father, to be taken home to America… Her best scene comes at the climax of the movie when Heston— riding out at the head of his Army—stops, looks down at the girl, and says, "Here, take my hand." He pulls her upon his horse and they ride together out of Peking…
Nicholas Ray's direction and the actors' performance appear sincere enough… Those merely looking for an epic spectacle are likely not to get satisfaction from it as a motion picture… In spite of its aspirations, "55 Days in Peking" isn't enough to keep us engaged, while, there's no denying, succeeded in entertaining us for a while…