Solomon and Sheba
Salomon und die Königin von Saba
Image courtesy of Park Circus/MGM
Gina Lollobrigida, Yul Brynner
Solomon and Sheba | Salomon und die Königin von Saba by King Vidor
USA 1959, Retrospective
Image courtesy of Park Circus/MGM
Yul Brunner, Marisa Pavan
Solomon and Sheba | Salomon und die Königin von Saba by King Vidor
USA 1959, Retrospective
Image courtesy of Park Circus/MGM
George Sanders, Félix de Pomés, John Crawford
Solomon and Sheba | Salomon und die Königin von Saba by King Vidor
USA 1959, Retrospective
Image courtesy of Park Circus/MGM
King Vidor
Solomon and Sheba | Salomon und die Königin von Saba by King Vidor
USA 1959, Retrospective
Source: Sammlung Cinémathèque suisse. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
On his deathbed, King David of Israel names his younger son Solomon as successor, leaving elder son Adonijah out in the cold. But his brother’s vengeance is not the only thing threatening Solomon’s rule. At the behest of the Egyptian pharaoh, the queen of Sheba arrives in Jerusalem. Solomon becomes so infatuated with her that he allows her to mount a pagan celebration. With this betrayal of their God, the tribes of Israel rise in anger against the king. When Adonijah joins forces with the Egyptians, Solomon’s fate seems to be sealed … The underlying motif of King Vidor’s biblical epic is how sexuality can undermine religion and statecraft. The director’s first choice for his tale of the conflict between duty, reason, and proclivity was Tyrone Power. However, while shooting a sword fight on location in Spain, the actor had a heart attack and died. He was replaced by Yul Brynner, who played Rameses in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments (1956). With Brynner in the title role, the tenor of the film changed, acquiring an unintended autocratic mien, in which physical lustre – such as the colourful costumes, equestrian battles, and an orgy – triumphed over the psychological aspects.
With
- Yul Brynner
- Gina Lollobrigida
- George Sanders
- Marisa Pavan
- David Farrar
- John Crawford
- Finlay Currie
- Harry Andrews
- José Nieto
- Maruchi Fresno
Crew
| Director | King Vidor |
| Screenplay | Anthony Veiller, Paul Dudley, George Bruce |
| Story | Crane Wilbur |
| Cinematography | Fred A. Young |
| Editing | Otto Ludwig |
| Music | Mario Nascimbene |
| Sound | David Hildyard |
| Art Director | Richard Day, Alfred Sweeney, Luis Perez Espinosa |
| Costumes | Ralph Jester |
| Assistant Directors | Piero Mussetta, José María Ochoa, Joseph E. Kenny, Pepe Lopez |
| Producer | Ted Richmond |
Produced by
Theme Pictures, S.A. (A King Vidor Production)
Additional information
Print: Park Circus, Glasgow