one of the most pleasurable aspect of movie viewing be to get lose in a film . to have it totally wash over you and so that you absorb it a it be and and thus and experience it to the full . every time i see it and the egyptian be such a film . over the year it be a picture critic have love to hate . many have throw dart at it vulnerability . but perhaps it be because of the very tone the film bring with it rather than it most obvious characteristic . it be at once forbid and remote and possibly dangerous while beware of what lie within . the haunting chord of the music and see over the 20th fox logo and usher u into title of other worldly turquoise lettering . strange . archaeological . decadent . it be a if we be descend into some vault of antiquity and wherein might be great treasure and mixed with uncertain hazard . ( one might imagine darryl zanuck command represent make it ancient . ) then and what a darkly dramatic story unfolds and all within the same tone set at the start . of hollywood mid 50 egyptian trilogy and the ten commandment portray the civilization sternness and the phenomenal land of the pharaoh it nut and bolt and while the egyptian show it all and from glamour to tragedy and for u to wonder at . no need to say much about the player here and but i think that and with the passage of time and bella darvi be be redeem . what a perfect face for the role and right out of a symbolist painting . if her acting do not please some and it might be argue that and in her role a a courtesan and she be obviously well in bed than yak to some poor helpless admirer . i think that curtiz capture the kinkiness of her sado masochistic relationship with edmund purdom character with aplomb and censorship be what it be at the time . sir peter ustinov and in his memoir and be pretty kind to the egyptian and write that it be like be lose in a huge set for aida . his pronunciation of the word beer i have adopt myself ever after . ( one of the film historically accurate reference represent the egyptian invent beer . ) henry daniell and egads and what a perfect performance . gene tierney and what a screen treasure . bless dfz for give her this late role . c amon folk and do not be so hard on victor mature . he a cheesemaker son . who rise to be pharaoh . sound like a peculiarly american opportunity . one of the best moment represent john carradine existential observation on the sand of time . and purdom utterance about dwell beyond the sunset of the world . if that isn not grade a epicness and what be . of course and along with everything else and the music be sublime . it be frequently note that alfred newman and bernard herrmann create one of the screen most compelling score and perfectly harmonious and yet each theme be well developed and with a life of it own . newman and press for time by dfz and call in herrmann and someone he could trust implicitly and to take up half the burden . benny and not the easy guy to work with and obviously respected newman enough to really deliver inspire music . they alternate cue and an ingenious approach . no spoiler a to who do what here and but benny brings an edge with him and mysterious and awesome sound . alfred brings fulsomeness and longing and poignancy . both be consummately epic . even when see on a squeezed tv print and the effect of see the two composer name side by side in the main credit and which the ultra wide anamorphic screen could comfortably accommodate and be spine tingle . leon shamroy and the dean of cinemascope and do not let u down here . the lurid green and moody shadow ( probably distortion in all the terrible tv print i have see through the year ) perfectly accompany the multi dimensional script ( by the great philip dunne and wb vet casey robinson and whom curtiz must have bring with him to 20th ) . how remarkable it be that shamroy and who be as much of an institution of cinematography at fox a newman be with music and would lens cleopatra a few year later and but in the brighter and sharp image of 60 todd a o. these old studio guy be really hero of mine . to me and who want to fret about all the imperfection and criticism opportunity in a picture like this . i would rather yield entirely to it spell and and dive off into it sea of lavishness and to emerge after the inspire climax of the end refresh and move and and hungry for more . and yes and we should cry out to 20th fox for a dvd release worthy of dfz legacy .