55 Days at Peking( 1963)

TV-MAHistoryWarDrama

70%

User
Score

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

Overview

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.

Top Billed Cast

Charlton Heston
Maj. Matt Lewis
Ava Gardner
Baroness Natalie Ivanoff
David Niven
Sir Arthur Robertson
Flora Robson
Dowager Empress Tzu-Hsi
John Ireland
Sgt. Harry
Harry Andrews
Father de Bearn
Leo Genn
Gen. Jung-Lu
Robert Helpmann
Prince Tuan
Kurt Kasznar
Baron Sergei Ivanoff
Philippe Leroy
Julliard
Paul Lukas
Dr. Steinfeldt
Elizabeth Sellars
Lady Sarah Robertson
Massimo Serato
Garibaldi
Jacques Sernas
Maj. Bobrinski
Jerome Thor
Capt. Andy Marshall
Geoffrey Bayldon
Smythe
Joseph Fürst
Capt. Hanselman
Walter Gotell
Capt. Hoffman
Jūzō Itami
Col. Shiba
Mervyn Johns
Clergyman
Alfredo Mayo
Spanish Minister
Martin Miller
Hugo Bergmann
Conchita Montes
Mme Gaumaire
José Nieto
Italian Minister
Eric Pohlmann
Baron von Meck
Aram Stephan
Gaumaire
Robert Urquhart
Capt. Hanley
Lynne Sue Moon
Teresa
Burt Kwouk
Old Man (voice)
Mike Steen
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Lucy Appleby
Martha (uncredited)
Félix Dafauce
Dutch Minister (uncredited)
Andrea Esterhazy
Austrian Minister (uncredited)
Carlos Casaravilla
Japanese Minister (uncredited)
R.S.M. Brittain
Sergeant Major (uncredited)
Michael Chow
Chiang (uncredited)
Chow Siu-Loi
Court Boxer (uncredited)
Mitchell Kowall
US Marine (uncredited)
Paul Naschy
Extra (uncredited)
Fernando Sancho
Belgian Minister (uncredited)
Lucille Soong
Concubine (uncredited)
Robert Rietti
Spanish Minister (voice) (uncredited)
Milton Reid
Boxer (uncredited)
Nicholas Ray
US Minister (uncredited)
Alfred Lynch
Gerald (uncredited)
John Moulder-Brown
Tommy (uncredited)
Guillermo Vera
El hombre del carrito (uncredited)
George Wang
Boxer Chief (uncredited)

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Review 1Discussion

A review by CinemaSerf

Written by CinemaSerf on Sun Mar 27 2022

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 th...