By all rights I wasn't expecting to enjoy this stodgy historical drama at all: devoid of much action, it seemed talky and dull, like HEROD THE GREAT or HEAD OF A TYRANT. The obvious paucity of the budget meant that, aside from a dodgy superimposed building in the background of a scene at the beginning of the film, we aren't in for any real Egyptian locations: even though pyramids are present in the plot, we never get to see any of them. In addition, the acting is nothing to write home about: Debra Paget (THE HAUNTED PALACE) is nothing more than wooden in the titular role, and the various plotters at the court are never evil enough to make much of an impact (where's Edmund Purdom when you need him?). In fact, aside from reliable character actor Ettore Manni in a good turn as the heroic court physician and the chap playing the beleaguered architect – who I think is Robert Alda, Alan's dad, nobody in the cast really stands out. I was looking out for Rosalba Neri in a minor part but couldn't spot her.
However, about halfway through the film, things pick up and start getting interesting. There's a poisoning plot straight out of Shakespeare and some murky goings-on in sinister tombs replete with bodies and sarcophagi, and a brilliant fight scene in which Manni fends off a crazed knife-wielding embalmer. Then Paget gets buried alive (shades of THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER here) and suddenly the film gets quite good. We join a band of grave-robbers as they break into the tomb, only to encounter all manner of deadly traps and double-crosses in the sweaty confines. We get a decently-done cave-in and then a classic (and surprisingly bloody) death for the villain, who's shot to death with about a dozen arrows. Sure, this film can never be watched more than once, even by history buffs, but it's short and, for once, has more adventure than stodge. And that is a definite plus.
However, about halfway through the film, things pick up and start getting interesting. There's a poisoning plot straight out of Shakespeare and some murky goings-on in sinister tombs replete with bodies and sarcophagi, and a brilliant fight scene in which Manni fends off a crazed knife-wielding embalmer. Then Paget gets buried alive (shades of THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER here) and suddenly the film gets quite good. We join a band of grave-robbers as they break into the tomb, only to encounter all manner of deadly traps and double-crosses in the sweaty confines. We get a decently-done cave-in and then a classic (and surprisingly bloody) death for the villain, who's shot to death with about a dozen arrows. Sure, this film can never be watched more than once, even by history buffs, but it's short and, for once, has more adventure than stodge. And that is a definite plus.