Director: Nicholas Ray

Writers: Philip Yordan; Bernard Gordon

Music Composed and Conducted by: Dimitri Tiomkin

Producer: Samuel Bronston

Keywords: Drama, Boxer Rebellion

Name	Occupation	Birth	Death	Known for
Harry Andrews	Actor	10-Nov-1911	6-Mar-1989	The Agony and the Ecstasy
Ava Gardner	Actor	24-Dec-1922	25-Jan-1990	The Barefoot Contessa
Leo Genn	Actor	9-Aug-1905	26-Jan-1978	Quo Vadis
Walter Gotell	Actor	15-Mar-1924	5-May-1997	Gen. Gogol in James Bond films
Charlton Heston	Actor	4-Oct-1923	5-Apr-2008	The Ten Commandments
John Ireland	Actor	30-Jan-1914	21-Mar-1992	All the King's Men
Juzo Itami	Film Director	15-May-1933	20-Dec-1997	Tampopo
Mervyn Johns	Actor	18-Feb-1899	6-Sep-1992	Dead of Night
Kurt Kasznar	Actor	13-Aug-1913	6-Aug-1979	Fitzhugh on Land of the Giants
Paul Lukas	Actor	26-May-1887	15-Aug-1971	Watch on the Rhine
David Niven	Actor	1-Mar-1909	29-Jul-1983	Pencil-moustachioed actor
Eric Pohlmann	Actor	18-Jul-1913	25-Jul-1979	They Who Dare
Flora Robson	Actor	28-Mar-1902	7-Jul-1984	Fire Over England

CAST

Charlton Heston	...   Maj. Matt Lewis
Ava Gardner	...   Baroness Natalie Ivanoff
David Niven	...   Sir Arthur Robertson
Co-Starring
Flora Robson	...   The 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	...   Lt. Andy Marshall
with
Geoffrey Bayldon	...   Smythe
Joseph Furst	...   Capt. Hanselman
Walter Gotell	...   Capt. Hoffman
Ichizu Itami	...   Col. Shiba
Mervyn Johns	...   Clergyman
Alfredo Mayo	...   Spanish Minister
Martin Miller	...   Hugo Bergmann
Conchita Montes	...   Madame Gaumaire
Jose Nieto	...   Italian Minister
Eric Pohlmann	...   Baron von Meck
Aram Stephan	...   Gaumaire
Robert Urquhart	...   Capt. Hanley
and
Lynne Sue Moon	...   Teresa

REVIEWS

Review by mumford (posted on 24-Mar-2008)

One of Samuel Bronstons "epics" of the 60's 55 Days at Peking is notable for its lavish sets, thousands of extras and "big" name stars. Similar formulas were used for The Fall Of The Roman Empire, El Cid and King of Kings with variable results. 55 Days was a box office failure but all things considered not too bad. You won't remember much after viewing the film but it has its moments. Of course the casting is all over the map with non Asian actors playing the Chinese. Flora Robeson plays the Empress with authority, David Niven walks through his part and Charlton Heston is well, Charlton Heston. Wooden as an old utility pole. Boy was he ever terrible most of the time. Ava Gardner has the thankless role of a "woman of ill repute, etc. with a heart of gold. But Ms. Gardner does a fine job of it. The real stars of the film are the craftspeople who built the lavish sets and staged the great action scenes. Forget the script, it's horrible. Bronston could stage huge productions due to the low overhead in Spain. His films are impressive for their attention to detail, no CGI in those days. They had to build everything. Not anywhere near the class of El Cid but on the whole a good way to see why many say "They don't make them like that anymore".

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