Reviews (1)

An entertaining curiosty
"55 Days at Peking" is somewhat of a novelty to me. The reason I gave it one more star than it deserves is because of the novel direction of the great Nicholas Ray. I am still amused at films that use over-the-hill actors portraying characters who are supposed to be considerably younger. This is a story about foreign diplomats trapped in Peking during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. Sets are exotic (filmed at Bronston studios in Spain) and the colors are exquisite, though the VHS tape version is badly in need of a restoration; colors have faded. This film could not be released in the politically correct mainstream that film purists have seemed to develop. Most of the "Chinese" are actually Japanese actors, and, worse, Europeans made up as Asians. Very tacky. (Flora Robson, however, seems to have loads of fun as the Chinese dowager empress). See this film for the wonderful direction of Ray; seeing Ava Gardner working again is always a delight. The scope of the film is powerful (too bad there's not a letterbox version, since it was filmed in super-Panavision), and it's a fine history lesson, historically quite accurate. ... Read more