This movie is an adaptation of the novel The Egyptian by Mika Waltari, published in 1945, which achieved global success as a bestseller. Due to the significant interest generated by the book, 20th Century Fox acquired the rights for its cinematic adaptation, with producer Darryl F. Zanuck spearheading the film project. The screenplay was written by Casey Robinson. The film was shot using the innovative CinemaScope format, enhancing its visual effects for a heightened sense of realism.
The production company endeavored to position the film as a major success and thus enlisted renowned actors of the era. Initially, Marlon Brando was considered for the role of Sinuhe; however, shortly before filming commenced, he declined the part. Consequently, Edmund Purdom, a relatively lesser-known actor compared to Brando, assumed the role. As Purdom took on roles rejected by Mario Lanza and Brando himself, he became known as “The Replacement Star”. Victor Mature portrayed the pivotal character Horemheb while Michael Wilding depicted Akhenaten in this significant production.
The film's technical crew was composed of highly skilled professionals. Notably, Leon Shamroy, a cinematographer from 20th Century Fox, who earned the record number of Oscar nominations (18) in the cinematography category with Charles Lang. Lyle R. Wheeler served as the art director, renowned for his exceptional work such as the art direction in Gone with the Wind (1939), which earned him an Oscar.
While the film showcases opulent and grandiose aesthetics typical of historical peplums, there are notable achievements in set design. For instance, the temple of Aten is portrayed as a vast open-air complex inspired by archaeological findings. The costumes also reflect a commitment to archaeological accuracy, evident in details like Queen Nefertiti's headdress based on her Berlin bust and Queen Tiye's headdress faithfully recreated. The film adeptly captures the political tensions during Akhenaten's reign, particularly the conflict between his promotion of Aten's cult and opposition from Amun's powerful priests.
King Akhenaten is depicted as a ruler focused on spirituality rather than foreign affairs, overshadowing his military campaigns in Asia.
Nevertheless, while historical accuracy was evidently important, the hieroglyphs displayed on the sets lack any meaningful interpretation. The film's art directors drew inspiration not from direct consultation of Egyptian sources but rather from American museums. A notable instance is the recreation of a palace scene in the film that features a painting from the tomb of Menna (TT69) in Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, located in the Theban Necropolis. This particular painting gained recognition in the United States due to a faithful reproduction housed at the Metropolitan Museum of New York, crafted by Nina M. Davies, an artist specialized in replicating Egyptian artwork. It is likely that the popularity of these replicas among museum visitors influenced The Egyptian's art directors to incorporate them into the film's sets.
Furthermore, within the same film, efforts are made towards historical accuracy through depicting various reliefs from the Amarna period portraying the royal family venerating Aten, the solar disk. This can be observed in the portrayal of the pharaoh's palace towards the end of the film following Akhnaton's poisoning.
Numerous scholars have attempted to draw parallels between Christian theology and Akhenaten's monotheistic beliefs, suggesting that this film aligns with such interpretations.
Lastly, it is noteworthy to place this film within a period marked by successful Egyptian-themed peplums. Interestingly, some of the sets used in this film were later repurposed for Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments in 1956.

Author: Guillermo Juberías Gracia