55 Days at Peking - Almost a good movie

Cafe Society
1

I have always respected 55 Days…, but never quite “liked” it. I saw it again this weekend after around a decade or more of not seeing it. And again it pretty much just escapes being a “really good” movie.

Each of the leads does a good job at being who they are, but not fitting with the others. To tell the truth I’m not certain what Ava Gardner is doing in the film but she sure does it with a flair. Heston is heroic, Niven is British. The scope is grand, even when it is not necessary. The music borders on silly.

It is anti-colonial while at the same time making colonialism seem noble. It glorifies the “noble savage” (in this case the Chinese) while at the same time stereotyping him as cunning and sly and with no respect for human life.

Even the title cards are weirdly out of place. They seem to almost belong to a romantic comedy, or something.

Please somebody defend this almost good film and tell me I don’t know what I am talking about.

2

I agree that it doesn’t quite make it into the “top notch” category, but it’s an enjoyable flick nevertheless:

  • the Baroness turns out to have a heart of gold after all;
  • I always chuckle at the scene where the British ambassador’s decision to stay put in the legation forces all of the other Great Powers to follow suit in order to save face;
  • I think Flora Robson’s portrayal of the Dowager Empress is rather good, and quite moving in the end;
  • Robert Helpmann is a hoot as the “fiendish” advisor to the Empress;
  • the music is catchy, if nothing else.

Ever since I saw this film as a child I’ve wanted to ride on one of those self-propelled rail wagons.

3

I get the impression that the storyline of a US Marine working with a Japanese officer was supposed to be a deliberate “WTF?” for audiences at the time.

The Japanese Officer was played by Juzo Itami, who directed some great movies in the 80’s, like Tampopo

It was directed by Nicholas Ray (Rebel Without A Cause), who had no business directing epics.

This movie is not on the Internet Movie Firearms Database, and I’m not sharp enough to see if the Marines are using Spanish Mausers to stand in for M1895 Lee Navy’s