It is a performances centric movie

Charming and brutal

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

As tribute to the all-conquering mighty Pharaoh Khufu, Jack Hawkins, Princess Nellifer, Joan Collins, offers herself in place of spoils to fill the pharaoh's treasure vaults given that she's just a poor ruler from an even poorer country. In no time at all, she becomes the fave of the pharaoh using her seductive wiles and allure in an ambitious scheme to usurp the throne, letting nothing and no-one, including the current queen, her son and pharaoh himself stand in her way. Long regarded by many in Hollywood as the poor man's Liz Taylor, Collins' makes the most of her own flawless beauty, and, talent as a legitimate actress in a once-in-a lifetime role as Nellifer. She even manages to overshadow and upstage Hawkins in their scenes together. Other points of interest include our being afforded an insider's POV of how the pyramids might have been constructed from drawing board stage and labyrinthine interior to stone apex. Filmed on location, director Howard Hawks enlisted some 9,787 extras actually recruiting from the ranks of the modern Egyptian Armed Forces. Novelist William Faulkner co-wrote (but didn't necessarily improve upon) the screenplay. Spoiler alert: In the classic tradition of Greek tragedy, Collins' receives her just reward in what has to be the ultimate cinematic revenge.

Land of the Pharaohs is directed by Howard Hawks and collectively written by Harold Jack Bloom, William Faulkner and Harry Kurnitz. It stars Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, James Robertson Justice, Dewey Martin and Alex Minotis. Music is by Dimitri Tiomkin and cinematography by Lee Garmes and Russell Harlan.It falls into the filmic splinter of historical epics that thrived greatly in the 50s and 60s, where a cast of thousands are costumed up to the nines, the sets sparkle and location photography smooths the eyes. Land of the Pharaohs has all these things, what it does lack is a high end action quotient, the makers choosing to craft a picture about intrigue in Pharaoh Khufu's (Hawkins) court as the great pyramid is constructed. This is not to say it's a dull picture, it maintains interest throughout, with shifty shenanigans afoot, femme fatale connivings and plenty of slaves standing proud for their cause. While the big finale is devilishly potent.However, one has to really close off the ears at times to avoid the dreadfully wooden dialogue, and some scenes are painfully misplaced, such as the sight of a miscast 45 year old Hawkins wrestling with a bull, I kid you not. Also miscast is Collins, undeniably sexy, but never once does she convince as an Egyptian princess, and her make-up is awful. There are stars in the film, but it does in fact lack star power. The real stars are Tiomkin, Garmes and Harlan, who each bring the spectacle of the production to vivid life. It was a minor flop at the box office and Hawks pretty much disowned it, but it's not without intelligence and in spite of its flaws it's a good watch for historical epic loving adults. 6.5/10

Land Of The Pharaohs will go down in cinema history as Howard Hawks's attempt to out DeMille, the great Cecil B. in DeMille's own territory of cast of thousands spectacle. Hawks got a rather mixed reception for his film in that regard.In its way Land Of The Pharaohs is as campy a film as any DeMille ever gave us even without the arcane writing that typifies a DeMille product. Jack Hawkins as Pharaoh Khufu is the ruler that stretched Egypt's hegemony over its widest area and he's decided that he's going to have the biggest tomb around to symbolize his glory. To design such a tomb he drafts James Robertson Justice who is an architect among the prisoners of a recently conquered people. In a package deal Hawkins gets the son as well who grows up to be Dewey Martin and who during the course of the film incurs a big debt from Hawkins.The biggest problem in this film is that ultimately the subject of the film is ego and vanity. Hawkins with his bloody conquest and his desire to have a monument to stand for all time to his ego and vanity is just not a terribly sympathetic figure. But he's positively heroic to the vixenish young Joan Collins who starts out as a Cyprian princess given to Hawkins in return for tribute of a few thousand bushels of wheat. Right there Hawkins should have sent the baggage packing, trophy concubines he can get anywhere, but that grain was to feed his army of workers on that tomb.Once in the palace, Collins starts intriguing in her best Alexis Carrington manner, but she gets a rather fitting fate in the end.Land Of The Pharaohs does have some nice crowd scenes that DeMille might have envied. Some of the best scenes show the ancient methods of construction of the tomb with nice Dimitri Tiomkin music accompanying.But story and characters are the base of a really good film and Jack Hawkins is not a heroic Khufu by any means.

About 5,000 years ago in Egypt, pharaoh Jack Hawkins (as Khufu) returns from a successful war, loaded with golden treasure and slaves for his collection. Away three months with his conquering men, Mr. Hawkins cleans up and has sex with beautiful wife Kerima (as Nailla). Hawkins loves gold and wants to take it with him to the afterlife. He has robbed graves and knows he needs to build an impenetrable tomb in order to keep his gold forever. For this purpose, Hawkins builds one of the Great Pyramids of Egypt...The film's narrator estimates three million huge blocks of stone are used to construct the pyramid...Enslaved architect James Robertson Justice (as Vashtar) plans the building. He wants payment to be freedom for his people - especially the son who kneels up to become handsome Dewey Martin (as Senta). Workers include slaves and others toiling in return for godly Hawkins' promise of life after death. After 15 years, pretty princess Joan Collins (as Nellifer) arrives. After she mouths off to Hawkins, he has her whipped, wearing a pointy bra and harem pants. She becomes one of Hawkins' wives, then plots against him...Ms. Collins is beautifully proportioned..."Land of the Pharaohs" was produced and directed by Howard Hawks, so everyone knew where to send congratulations or condolences. This film received most of the latter.Ordering a lot of medium and long shots, Mr. Hawks may have thought CinemaScope would take care of everything else. It is strange to read William Faulkner as one of the film's writers; we can only wonder what he was drinking, or not drinking, for his participation. The story should have been told from the perspective of "Vashtar" (Justice), who harbored the secret that "Senta" (Martin), seductively targeted by "Nellifer" (Collins), was the illegitimate son of "Khufu" (Hawkins). Lack of characterization, stand kneel or walk acting, and poor direction ruined a good plot and great ending.***** Land of the Pharaohs (6/24/55) Howard Hawks ~ Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, Dewey Martin, James Robertson Justice