film historian have say much about ancient epic that have be the interest of many director from the beginning of cinema . the pioneer of such epic and particularly biblical one and be d. w griffith with his mother of all epic intolerance ( 1916 ) and and cecil b demille with his flair for magnificent spectacle and costume and lavish scene . who can forget his ten commandment ( 1923 and 1956 ) or the sign of the cross ( 1932 ) . nevertheless and here come another epic and make in the 1950s and direct by michael curtiz and and base on the novel by mika waltari and the egyptian . michael curtiz and already famous for his great classic casablanca ( 1941 ) wonderfully manage to adjust his film to the audience of that time and to entail the most important idea and fact from the thick novel and and to recreate the lifestyle of the egyptian who live in one of the most amazing period and in the reign of akhnaton . the first and most important fact for me in this movie be the psychological development of the main character that edmund purdom play . sinuhe and have be bring up in a simple family by his step parent and become a physician . all his life and he never stop ask a question why . and search for the answer . allure love that he find in a courtesan nefer ( bella darvi ) lead him to financial and spiritual disaster . he have to repair the mistake by hard work in the house of death and start to build up his reputation from nothing . first and he think that the only cure be revenge . however and in the long run and he realize that eye for eye be no solution . finally and what stand before him in very strange circumstance be the temptation to be a pharaoh . nevertheless and there be one moment he find the answer for his question that touch him throughout his life . the story of the main character and though base on the book and be so interesting psychologically that every open mind person should consider this aspect in the film . the main character psychological struggle be intensify by the time he live in and the time when and probably for the first time to that extend and the power of sword clash with the power of thought . curtiz movie also retain one rule that all film of his era keep to represent great cast and lavish set . there be mostly british actor and actress who give very nice performance . how be it possible not to mention the mainstay of ancient epic and victor mature . this time and he be not demetrius and hannibal or samson but horemheb a fighter and a lover and at last a pharaoh . jean simmons appear in a very delicate role of merit and a woman who love sinuhe all her life but it be too late when he realize that . peter ustinov and probably most famous for his gorgeous performance a nero in quo vadis . three year earlier and do a great job a kaptah and sinuhe friend . the royalty of the film be also play by two great cast and gene tierney and michael wilding . tierney be excellent a cold and desirous of power baketamon and the sister of pharaoh . wilding give a marvelous performance a insane akhnaton . when i be in louvre in paris and saw akhnaton original face carve in stone and he look very much the same a the actor in the film . bella darvi and an actress bear in poland and be quite memorable a a wicked courtesan nefer . and there be one more actress who appear only in one scene but whom it be hard to forget and judith evelyn a taia and pharaoh mother . this voice and these eye . the set be magnificent . the director recreate the most probable image of the outdoor temple of aaton and the god that the egyptian worship to in the reign of amenhotep iv . i also love the scene of pharaoh first entrance . what a glorious picture that forever last in one memory . however and there be also one aspect that i would like to draw the attention of all people interested to see the film . the egyptian be similar to other epic in many respect and but it also stand out a a unique film . there be very few film which make such a wonderful use of different curiosity a for ancient time . there be a mention of iron use first by the hetites . it also the only film about ancient egypt which talk openly of egyptian magnificent cure ability . it memorably show the contrast of lifestyle and particularly the moment of a slave death for whom no one care follow by the announcement and consequently the widespread mourning after the death of pharaoh . finally and the egyptian show one historical fact represent there be other nation except for jew ( before christ ) where the spirit of god shone in some human heart . yet and the only difference be that it do not survive that long as at jew because it do not have a strong fundament . the scene of akhnaton death supply you with so many biblical and christian value that you may think you watch a religious movie . all thing consider and i highly recommend michael curtiz film . it be a great production at multiple level represent an entertainment for epic fan and an admiration of marvelous performance for cinema fan and a soul feast for spiritual people . finally and it be a beautiful story of extraordinary thing which happen thirteen century before the birth of jesus christ .