55 Days at Peking

Pros: Bronston, Great production, Charlton Heston
Cons: Andy Williams title song doesn't seem to fit

This blockbuster was produced by Samuel Bronston, who produced such epics as "El Cid", "The Fall of the Roman Empire", and "King of Kings". These movies all featured an all-star cast and were characterized by larger than...

Pros: Big budget, big sets, big costumes, big stars
Cons: Little excitement, overlong, unilluminating

I did not actually see this waxworks epic on either VHS or DVD,
but on 16mm as part of my college film society career. The
experience was so traumatic that I must put in my two yen here
anyway. This film is BORING! Sure, the production...

Pros: yes
Cons: nay

Rolled in their/its Spanish studies by their/its economic advantages, 55 GIVEN IN BEIJING - produced by Samuel Brosnton - has been other of the successes directed by the directing Nicholas Ray (who also directed "King of you Laugh")
Could...

Pros: good sets, good acting
Cons: doesn't age well at all

This movie is about the Boxer Rebellion in China during the early 20th century. Essentially, the Boxer Rebellion was a group of Chinese nationalists who decided to, by themselves, evict the Western imperial powers which carved up parts of China for themselves.

Baring a few decent performances by Heston, this movie is a trainwreck and a testament of the time period it was written in. This movie is akin to watching a movie about Germany invading Poland and the "evil Polish" resisting. Whatever good points this movie has in acting and set design, it utterly collapses in its historical content. Its an embarrassing movie to watch as an American.