55 Days at Peking

55 days in Beijing is an American film released in 1963. Monumental The film deals with the Boxer Rebellion in Beijing at the turn of the century, but was almost entirely filmed in Spain. The budget of $ 17,000,000 is especially evident in the iconic buildings, the elaborately staged battles and the magnificent facilities.

Action

In Beijing in 1900, a crisis offing: Empress Tzu -Hsi tried to stop the movement of the xenophobic Boxer halt, which have spread to the vicinity of the city of Beijing and commit attacks on Chinese Christians and foreigners. In the diplomatic quarter during which advises you worried about how your own people would be evacuated in the event of an escalation of the city.

The situation escalates when the boxer assassinate the German Ambassador on June 20, 1900 on the open road, after the Empress has given in to pressure. So now storm the boxer with the help of the imperial army against the diplomatic district, where the 500 Europeans have entrenched, commanded by the English ambassador Arthur Robertson and the American Major Lewis. The following is a list of rich defensive war, embedded therein the story of some individuals and their fate, like that of the Baroness Natalie Ivanoff and those mentioned above. Although the tables are turned several times that some 20,000 Chinese have the upper hand and come with time with heavy losses ever before. However, after 55 days, ending the siege, as the Allied troops finally arrive and take Beijing within a short time. The following is a triumphal entry of British, Russian, Japanese, American, German, French, Italian and Austrian troops.

Reviews

" Action professional Andrew Marton ( The Longest Day ) directed the impressive battles that Dimitri Tiomkin ennobled with terrific music. "

Awards

The film was for two Academy Awards in the categories "Best theme music " ( So Little Time) and nominated " Best Original Score ". The theme music of the German version was sung by Botho -Lucas -Chor.

Historical Background

From a historical perspective of the Chinese film can be criticized because the besieged rather one-sided as fundamentally virtuous, brave and steadfast, however, be represented as a cunning enemies. Historical background of the Boxer Rebellion, such as intra- Chinese tensions between Manchu dynasty ( Qing Dynasty ) and about Han Chinese, but also appearance and behavior of the " strangers" - European, American and Japanese - go uncommented. It is and remains a " Hollywood production ", which does not claim historical objectivity.

Others

  • Nicholas Ray finished the film does not, he suffered before the end of the filming of a heart attack. In its place was producer Samuel Bronson finish the film by Andrew Marton and Guy Green.
  • In order to obtain the countless Chinese extras, the film company sent out people to so many Chinese enlisted as possible throughout Spain. The result was that most Chinese restaurants were closed during the filming.
  • As for political reasons could not be filmed in Beijing, a replication of the city was built around 1900 on an area of ​​243,000 square meters in the area of Madrid.
  • The costumes of the Empress, Prince Tuan and the other in the scene in the royal court are originals that have been borrowed from a wealthy Florentine family.
  • The late Japanese film director Juzo Itami plays in this film a minor role.
  • Already a quarter of a century earlier, a German film dealt with the same subject, alarm in Beijing.
1963 in film Screenplay Robert Hamer Philip Yordan Film score Robert Lawrence (film editor) John Ireland (actor) Michael Chow (restaurateur) Epic film Guy Green (filmmaker) Alarm in Peking In a Lonely Place Born to Be Bad (1950 film) On Dangerous Ground The Savage Innocents
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