Movie Cosmos - Khartoum

Description:

English General Charles George Gordon is appointed military governor of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan by the Prime Minister. Ordered to evacuate Egyptians from the Sudan, Gordon stays on to protect the people of Khartoum, who are under threat of being conquered by a Muslim army.

Top Cast >

Charlton Heston

As Gen. Charles 'Chinese' Gordon

Laurence Olivier

As Mahdi

Richard Johnson

As Colonel Stewart

Ralph Richardson

As William Gladstone

Alexander Knox

As Sir Evelyn Baring

Johnny Sekka

As Khaleel

Michael Hordern

As Lord Granville

Zia Mohyeddin

As Zobeir Pasha

Marne Maitland

As Sheikh Osman

Nigel Green

As General Wolseley

Hugh Williams

As Lord Hartington

Ralph Michael

As Sir Charles Dilke

Douglas Wilmer

As Khalifa Abdullah

Edward Underdown

As Colonel William Hicks

Peter Arne

As Major Kitchener

Alan Tilvern

As Awaan

Michael Anthony

As Herbin

Roger Delgado

As Sheikh Abdul Rahim

Leo Genn

As Narrator (voice)

Jerome Willis

As Frank Power

Top Crew >

Eliot Elisofon

Director

Basil Dearden

Director

Robert Ardrey

Writer

Julian Blaustein

Producer

Edward Scaife

Director of Photography

Tom Buchanan

Boom Operator

Pamela Cornell

Set Dresser

Jeff Seaholme

Camera Operator

John Peverall

Assistant Director

Bert Ross

Sound Recordist

Yakima Canutt

Second Unit Director

Mary Bruce

Researcher

Dino Di Campo

Sound Editor

Frank Cordell

Original Music Composer, Conductor

Jack Atcheler

Camera Operator

H. A. R. Thomson

Camera Operator

Bluey Hill

Assistant Director

John Dennis

Sound Recordist

Frank Ernst

Unit Manager

Gordon K. McCallum

Sound Recordist

Ted Tester

Assistant Art Director

Fergus McDonell

Editor

Eileen Head

Continuity

Kay Rawlings

Continuity

Scott MacGregor

Assistant Art Director

Tom Smith

Makeup Artist

Charles Orme

Production Supervisor

Ray Parslow

Camera Operator

Harry Waxman

Second Unit Director of Photography

Laurie Clarkson

Sound Recordist

John McCorry

Wardrobe Supervisor

Basil Appleby

Unit Manager

Kelvin Pike

Camera Operator

Richard Parker

Special Effects

John Howell

Art Direction

Cliff Culley

Special Effects

Bill Lodge

Makeup Artist

Hilda Fox

Hairdresser

Weston Drury Jr.

Casting

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (6/10)

An epically staged historical drama about the uprising in the Sudan by the Mahdi (Sir Laurence Olivier) and his army of Dervishes against the British Empire. Prime Minster William Gladstone (Sir Ralph Richardson) was initially opposed to committing troops to reverse this defeat, and so instead decided to send as an imposing military figure as he could - General Charles Gordon (Charlton Heston). Respected and loathed in equal measure, he travelled to the war zone and our story tells the tale of his attempts to combat the religious fervour and desire for freedom from this local population. This is a great looking film from Basil Dearden and the scale of the battle scenes are impressive; the acting less so and there is something frankly ridiculous about Olivier's portrayal of the Madhi. It's a long watch, too....

2024-06-01