55 Days at Peking

A film about the siege of the legations in Peking in 1900. An uprising against the presence of foreign powers begins in China. The rebels surround the legation quarter in the capital. Inside are the representatives of eleven countries, their families and a small number of soldiers; the outside is cut off and relief is weeks away. The film covers those fifty-five days: shortage of water, dwindling ammunition, disagreements between nations, and the argument over who commands whom under siege. The cast includes an American major, a British minister and a Russian countess. The narrative gives the event largely from the point of view of the besieged and devotes very little to the causes of the uprising; the film is criticised for that today. It was shot in Spain, with part of Peking rebuilt outside Madrid. The budget was among the highest of its period and the film did not return what was expected. Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and David Niven lead. Nicholas Ray directed; he had health problems during the shoot and part of the film was completed by others. A typical example of its period for anyone who likes large-scale historical films of the 1960s. For a viewer who cares about historical balance, the narrative is one-sided and gives almost nothing of the Chinese side.