Charlton Heston and David Niven provide plenty of stoic heroics in 55 Days at Peking a tepid epic that crawls along for most of its two and a half hour running time under the misguided direction of Nicholas Ray. Ray seems an odd choice to be directing in Lean territory and he more than proves it with this lackluster effort that stifles his vaunted skills (They Drive by Night, In a Lonely Place) as one of America's most unique and original filmmakers.
It's the Eight Nation Alliance versus The Righteous Fists of Harmony in a struggle for the hearts and minds of China. The Europeans are intent in colonizing (the US had no stake in acquiring a far east state) and exploiting China when a mighty force of rebels known as the Boxers incite Nationalist fervor in an attempt to drive these foreign devils from their land. Starting with the slaughter of Christian missionaries and their converts The Boxers begin to gain favor and support from the Empress Dowager and it is against this backdrop a band of stereotypes hold up inside a Peking Embassy compound in an attempt to repel the Boxers.
Along with Heston and Niven's cardboard heroes we have Ava Gardner as a shrewd and manipulative Russian Baroness who attains beatific redemption by the final reel obliterating the far more interesting character we are introduced to in the first half hour. It is left up to supporting players Flora Robson as the ED and in need of a manicure Boxer Booster Prince Touan played by Robert Helpman to provide characters of any interest.
The genre of blockbuster epics tends to adhere to a more formulaic stilted blueprint than the more quirky and imaginative areas (noir, contemporary drama) Ray excelled at. Rather than presenting us with the complex characters he is noted for he spends most of the film directing close order drill traffic and conducting national anthems making sure he dispenses equal amounts of courage and honor to each imperialistic nation. Aside from a couple of subversive jabs at the powers that be Ray's enormous talent remains invisible. This was his second epic in a row following King of Kings (featuring a blue eyed Jesus) and it all but ended his career. He would never get another Hollywood assignment or enough backing to make the smaller budgeted pictures that oozed the style and originality of this true auteur.
It's the Eight Nation Alliance versus The Righteous Fists of Harmony in a struggle for the hearts and minds of China. The Europeans are intent in colonizing (the US had no stake in acquiring a far east state) and exploiting China when a mighty force of rebels known as the Boxers incite Nationalist fervor in an attempt to drive these foreign devils from their land. Starting with the slaughter of Christian missionaries and their converts The Boxers begin to gain favor and support from the Empress Dowager and it is against this backdrop a band of stereotypes hold up inside a Peking Embassy compound in an attempt to repel the Boxers.
Along with Heston and Niven's cardboard heroes we have Ava Gardner as a shrewd and manipulative Russian Baroness who attains beatific redemption by the final reel obliterating the far more interesting character we are introduced to in the first half hour. It is left up to supporting players Flora Robson as the ED and in need of a manicure Boxer Booster Prince Touan played by Robert Helpman to provide characters of any interest.
The genre of blockbuster epics tends to adhere to a more formulaic stilted blueprint than the more quirky and imaginative areas (noir, contemporary drama) Ray excelled at. Rather than presenting us with the complex characters he is noted for he spends most of the film directing close order drill traffic and conducting national anthems making sure he dispenses equal amounts of courage and honor to each imperialistic nation. Aside from a couple of subversive jabs at the powers that be Ray's enormous talent remains invisible. This was his second epic in a row following King of Kings (featuring a blue eyed Jesus) and it all but ended his career. He would never get another Hollywood assignment or enough backing to make the smaller budgeted pictures that oozed the style and originality of this true auteur.