With the passing of one of the last of the larger-than-life actors, I wanted to share the trailer for what I think was his best role--that of the eccentric but brave and honorable General George "Chinese" Gordon in Basil Dearden's "Khartoum" (1966). You won't see this film mentioned too much in his obits, but I think this part fit him like a glove. And ,as this trailer shows, this film has its echoes in our own time. No matter what you think about Imperialism, this is a story I think that captivates in part because you get the action and scope you expect in an epic film, and the back room cunning power-politics and cynicism of high officials, in this case Sir Ralph Richardson's turn as Prime Minister Gladstone.
I think Heston was a very old school British sort of American actor. His Shakespeare roles gave his audience that impression. He also was a bit stiff in certain parts, and played stoic authority figures well, so this Gordon figure suits his strengths as an actor to a tee. Anyway, if you've never seen this one and like historical drama, you could do a lot worse than renting this one some weekend.
Khartoum (1966)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060588/
Directors: Basil Dearden
Eliot Elisofon
Writer: Robert Ardrey (writer)
Cast: (in credits order) verified as complete
Charlton Heston - Gen. Charles 'Chinese' Gordon
Laurence Olivier - The Mahdi
Richard Johnson - Col. J.D.H. Stewart
Ralph Richardson - William Gladstone
Alexander Knox - Sir Evelyn Baring
Johnny Sekka - Khaleel
Michael Hordern - Lord Granville
Zia Mohyeddin - Zobeir Pasha
Marne Maitland - Sheikh Osman
Nigel Green - Gen. Wolseley
Hugh Williams - Lord Hartington
Ralph Michael - Sir Charles Dilke
Douglas Wilmer - Khalifa Abdullah
Edward Underdown - Col. William Hicks
Peter Arne - Maj. Kitchener
Alan Tilvern - Awaan
Michael Anthony - Herbin (uncredited)
Roger Delgado - (uncredited)
Leo Genn - Narrator (uncredited)
Lisa Guiraut - The dancer (uncredited)
Ronald Leigh-Hunt - Lord Northbrook (uncredited)
Alec Mango - Bordeini Bey (uncredited)
George Pastell - Giriagis Bey (uncredited)
Jerome Willis - Frank Power (uncredited)
I have seen a lot of Heston movies but not this one. It definitely will on my movie queue tonight. thxa
ReplyDeleteI have no seen this one. I will have tosee if I can find it and watch it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think either of you will be disapointed in this one. I'm going to watch it soon again myself.
ReplyDeleteKhartoum is on TCM late tonight so I plan on checking it out.
ReplyDeleteThat's good news--hope you like it.
ReplyDeleteexcellent historical epic. Very good role by Heston-I also like him very much in Will Penny.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked "Khartoum". I gather the film did well at the box office, but not inside the United States. This was, according to one source, because most Americans were not that familar with the Sudan and there was no love interest. (Although there is a bit of Egyptian belly-dancing.)
ReplyDelete"Will Penny" (1968) was a good change of pace for him I thought. Strong supporting cast, too: Joan Hackett, Bruce Dern, Donald Pleasance. I saw an interview once where Heston said the latter was his favorite role.