55 Days at Peking

1963

2h 34m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

170

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39 Images

History

War

Drama

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.

Directors

Nicholas Ray

Guy Green

Andrew Marton

Writers

Philip Yordan(screenplay by)

Bernard Gordon(screenplay by)

Stars

Charlton Heston

Ava Gardner

David Niven

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Videos3

Photos39

Top cast

Charlton Heston

Maj. Matt Lewis

Ava Gardner

Baroness Natalie Ivanoff

David Niven

Sir Arthur Robertson

Flora Robson

Dowager Empress Tzu-Hsi

Sgt. Harry

Father de Bearn

Gen. Jung-Lu

Prince Tuan

Baron Sergei Ivanoff

Julliard

Dr. Steinfeldt

Lady Sarah Robertson

Garibaldi

Maj. Bobrinski

Capt. Andy Marshall

Smythe

Capt. Hanselman

Capt. Hoffman

Directors

Nicholas Ray

Guy Green

Andrew Marton

Writers

Philip Yordan(screenplay by)

Bernard Gordon(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews1

Review

Featured review

7/10

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.

Geronimo196727 Mar, 2022