*Spoiler/plot- 1966, The British Empire and Queen Victoria is influencing the global politics. Queen Victoria's government needs a problem solved in Sudan and calls on a famous principled Christian retired general to solve the problem of a Muslim uprising in the Sudan. This mission is accomplished, just not in the way the politicians want. He succeeds where others fail at the cost of his life but not his career or fame.
*Special Stars- Charlton Heston, Sir Laurence Olivier, Richard Johnson, Nigel Green, Sir Ralph Richardson, Peter Arne, Roger Delgado
*Theme- The British Empire is complex and politics will not necessarily support worthy issues. A Victorian general with Christian beliefs and scruples is asked to solve a political problem that no one will touch without plausible 'deny-ability'.
*Based on- Trivia and historic accounts of Victorian General Gordon exploits.
*Trivia/location/goofs- ONLINE. General Gordon was only 5' 5" and not a towering hero as Mr. Heston. Also the heroic stature featured at the end of the film was moved from Sudan when that country got independence. That stature is now at the Royal Engineer's academy in the UK because General Gordon was a graduate of the Royal Engineers college. In London's St. Paul's cathedral basement cellar crypt area, there is a very regal funeral monument to Gen. Gordon that looks like his tomb, but it isn't. General Gordon was buried in the Middle East. There was a great upstaging competition between Heston and Olivier in their film scenes together. Sir Olivier was in the successful stage play about Moors, Othello. Also in an earlier version of the film, several 'unsuitable' censored removed scenes showing the many decapitated heads of the Europeans ambassadors leaving Khartoum and the killed General Gordon were cut out in the public theatrical print releases. They have never been put back in and rumors say that Mr. Heston use to keep his Gen. Gordon prop make-up death's head in his Hollywood home to scare visiting quests for laugh.
*Emotion- A very enjoyable heroic and well acted film. Tells of an interesting episode of Middle East history and is still very relevant today.
*Special Stars- Charlton Heston, Sir Laurence Olivier, Richard Johnson, Nigel Green, Sir Ralph Richardson, Peter Arne, Roger Delgado
*Theme- The British Empire is complex and politics will not necessarily support worthy issues. A Victorian general with Christian beliefs and scruples is asked to solve a political problem that no one will touch without plausible 'deny-ability'.
*Based on- Trivia and historic accounts of Victorian General Gordon exploits.
*Trivia/location/goofs- ONLINE. General Gordon was only 5' 5" and not a towering hero as Mr. Heston. Also the heroic stature featured at the end of the film was moved from Sudan when that country got independence. That stature is now at the Royal Engineer's academy in the UK because General Gordon was a graduate of the Royal Engineers college. In London's St. Paul's cathedral basement cellar crypt area, there is a very regal funeral monument to Gen. Gordon that looks like his tomb, but it isn't. General Gordon was buried in the Middle East. There was a great upstaging competition between Heston and Olivier in their film scenes together. Sir Olivier was in the successful stage play about Moors, Othello. Also in an earlier version of the film, several 'unsuitable' censored removed scenes showing the many decapitated heads of the Europeans ambassadors leaving Khartoum and the killed General Gordon were cut out in the public theatrical print releases. They have never been put back in and rumors say that Mr. Heston use to keep his Gen. Gordon prop make-up death's head in his Hollywood home to scare visiting quests for laugh.
*Emotion- A very enjoyable heroic and well acted film. Tells of an interesting episode of Middle East history and is still very relevant today.