User Reviews

I've given this film a 7 rating, which is much higher than most of the other IMDb participants who have expressed themselves. Frankly, I thoroughly enjoyed "Valley of the Kings." Its strong points definitely outweigh its shortcomings.

True, this is in a sense a very glossy and high budget version of a pulp adventure story. But the Egyptian locations and the color photography are worth watching. The acting, while not exceptional, is adequate; Taylor and Parker are especially appealing to the eye.

"Valley of the Kings" is an example of what Hollywood was trying to do (big names, wide screen, lush color photography, exotic location shooting, etc.) in the 50s to convince customers to turn off the TV and drive down to their neighborhood movie house. Do not expect to see a precursor to Indiana Jones. Taylor's character is no college professor who occasionally trades in his tweed coat for a leather jacket and bull-whip. He's a rough and tumble type who has picked up his archaeological knowledge while working on construction projects in Egypt.

Eleanor Parker is, as always, good to look at as the daughter of an Egyptologist who is determined to prove her father's hypothesis. The story is perhaps not exceptional, but it will hold your interest.

No one will mistake "Valley of the Kings" for "Lawrence of Arabia." But it is a solid entertainment that you will enjoy more than some of the overblown, hugely expensive productions that stumble out of Hollywood these days.

Decent and breathtaking film about Egypt , ancient discoveries , mysterious tombs , Pharaons and anything else .As a tough archeologist called Mark Brandon : Robert Taylor , is searching for old tombs and Pharaoh Rahotep when is approached by gorgeous Ann : Eleanor Parker , who asks him for help , as they have to find clues that provide solid evidences of the Bíblical Joseph's travels in ancient Egypt. Later on , they join her hubby Philip , Carlos Thompson , though he does seem a little upset when Mark and Ann began making goo-goo eyes at each other. All of them embark on a risked travel plenty of thrills , treason , attacks , double-crosses , and killings . As Ann would like to prove that some Bible stories are, in fact, true while her husband is supposed to be helping Mark but is only out for himself.

The first Hollywood movie ever filmed on location in Egypt, as the natural backdrop is riveting and look mighty hot and to add refreshing touches of action to those parched desert sands . It turns out to be a workmanlike and sometimes thrilling flick that just lacks the surges of real excitement that might have turned into an adventure classy. An amazing , timely and thrilling story very well set in Egypt . On the whole this Valley of the Kings results to be a pretty good movie. It contains a twisted intrigue about an adventurer archeologist and a married woman to find the tomb of a Pharaoh , both of them undertake a dangerous journey through pyramids , deserts , the busy Cairo , and underground vaults plenty of tombs. Some scenes where two-fisted adventurer Robert Taylor shows up may well have influenced Spielberg when he came to shot similar pieces for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Two top-boxoffice players , Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker, the latter proves to be a cool beauty. They are finely accompanied by a nice plethora of secondary actors such as Carlos Thompson , Kurt Kasznar , Victor Jory as a Bedouin Tuareg , Frank de Kova , Laurette Luez and Leon Askin

Rousing and impressive musical score by the classic composer Miklos Rozsa who realizes an attractive soundtrack in his usual style . It contains a colorful and evocative ciematography in Eastmancolor by Robert L Surtees, along with marvelous production design by Cedric Gibbons , MGM usual . Shot in Egypt and showing real monuments and pyramids .Including sightseeing from Abu Simbel, its wonderful exteriors and interior , formerly having been buried under lake Nasser for the building of the Aswan dam . This spectacular place was subsequently cut into large blocks , moved and transported uphill at late 60s to save it from being flooded. There , at Abu Simbel , takes place an overwhelming fighting between two protagonists , Robert Taylor and Carlos Thompson, to get their purports . Other locations include Great pyramids Giza , Keops , Kefren , Mizerinos and pyramid of Zoser , Cairo , Luxor , Mount Sinai with Monastery of Saint Catalina , Suez Egypt , Faiyum and Libya. The motion picture was professionally directed by Robert Pirosh , though it has some flaws , failures and gaps . Pirosh was a decent writer as Quaterback , I married a witch , Son of the Islands , Wizard of Oz , Battleground , Winning ticket , and director who shot a few films as Spring reunion , The girl Rush , Washington story. Rating 6/10 . Acceptable and passable . Well worth watching .

Eleanor Parker has come to Egypt at the turn of the last century to seek the help of two fisted archaeologist Robert Taylor. Given this man's readiness to duke it out with friend or foe, he might well have been Sean Connery's father and Harrison Ford's grandfather. Maybe on Sean's mother's side accounting for the name change.

Parker's mission is to prove a theory of her late father that there is some archaeological proof of the biblical story of Joseph and they've identified a Pharaoh who might have been the one in charge at the time Joseph was doing his prognosticating from his dreams. She convinces Taylor and her husband Carlos Thompson to go to the Valley Of The Kings and seek the proof.

Our archaeologists run into a lot of opposition from Tuareg leader Victor Jory, antiquities dealer Kurt Kaszner, and even from Thompson who's in it for whatever loot he can acquire and smuggle. One of the plot weaknesses is that Thompson's villainy is revealed too early. Let's a lot of the suspense out of Valley Of The Kings.

Valley Of The Kings is a gorgeously photographed film on location in Egypt in the real Valley Of The Kings. Taylor and Parker were in their second of three films they made together and they were an item while Taylor was in between marriages to Barbara Stanwyck and Ursula Thiess. The attraction is quite obvious.

There is also a wonderfully staged climatic fight on top of one of the tombs between Taylor and Thompson. Valley Of The Kings is an entertaining enough film, that could have used a better written story for its cast of talented players.

Valley of the Kings is directed by Robert Pirosh who also co-writes the screenplay with Karl Tunberg. It is suggested by historical data garnered from the book "Gods, Graves and Scholars" written by C. W. Ceram. It stars Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, Carlos Thompson, Kurt Kasznar and Victor Jory. Music is scored by Miklós Rózsa and cinematography by Robert Surtees.

The earth holds few treasures which have stimulated man's imagination - - and his greed - - - as much as the tombs of the rulers of ancient Egypt, the Pharaohs. This is the story of the search for the most fabulous tomb of them all. It begins near Cairo in 1900...

A tour of the marvellous sights of Egypt, with a tomb hunt and love triangle in the middle! That's how Valley of the Kings has often been likened too over the years, which while that has some semblance of truth, because Surtess and Pirosh's location work is that good, it detracts from the good human drama forming the narrative. There's some dastardly goings on in the mix, smouldering passions and a determination from Miss Parker's character to prove right her deceased father's notion that biblical Joseph was in Egypt at Ra-Hotep's reign. Action is not in short supply and the journey under taken by the principals is wrought with dangers of the human and nature kind. Cue sandstorm, scorpion, duel in the sand, horse drawn buggy chase, rooms of skulls, catacombs, knuckle fight on top of a statue, hieroglyphics and clues etched onto stone tablets! Everything you want for a sand swept adventure really.

Some back story.

It certainly should have been better, but there were many issues behind the scenes that didn't help. Pirosh himself felt that had he been allowed to develop the story how he saw fit then a better film would have been born out. He was being badgered by MGM chief Dore Schary, who along with his right hand man, Charles Schnee, were demanding script changes. Didn't help that there were frictions in the cast as well. Taylor and Parker had had an affair previously when making Above and Beyond in 1952, here in 54 Taylor was involved with actress Ursula Thiess, sure enough Taylor and Parker resumed their affair (one only has to see an amazing kiss scene to know this!). Thiess went off and made Taylor jealous elsewhere, which worked as Taylor left a crestfallen Parker to marry Thiess just as Valley of the Kings was being released. Amazingly, Parker would re-team with Taylor the following year for Many Rivers to Cross! Actors eh! Pirosh quit directing in 57, citing a distaste for behind the scenes power struggles as his primary reason for quitting.

Those in search of a high energy treasure hunt type picture will be disappointed here. Thought to be one of the 1954 films to influence Lucas/Spielberg for Indiana Jones, this is not frenetically paced stuff. Characters are afforded time to tell the story, the high energy points are placed selectively as the plot unfolds. But with enough twists and sub-plots along the way, the film thankfully is never dull. And of course there's the fabulous work of Surtees and Parker's beauty to marvel at as well! 7/10

Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker as turn-of-the-century archaeologists in Egypt make a handsome couple in this beautifully-photographed MGM production. Their hunt for a pharaoh's lost tomb and their growing attraction to each other provide a number of good moments but the real stars here are the monuments of Egypt -- including a visit to St. Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai. The rousing fist-fight between Robert Taylor and Carlos Thompson on the crown of one of the Abu Simbel statues is a glorious moment.

This Classic film from 1954 was created by MGM and lots of money was put into its production. The photography in Egypt and the many historic sites are outstanding and this was done mainly because Television had taken hold of many families and they were staying home and watching their TV Screens in 1954 instead of going to the movies. Robert Taylor, (Mark Brandon) was an archaeologist in Egypt and was a rough and tough man who loved adventure. Eleanor Parker,(Ann Barclay Mercedes) meets up with Mark in order to hire him to explore some ruins which will confirm that the Bible story about Joseph were true. There is plenty of romance and dangerous sand storms and plenty of riding on camels backs through out the desert and secret tombs and secret doors.

I really enjoyed looking at both actors. Robert Taylor with his piercing blue eyes and handsome profile. It was a real pleasure just to look at him. And Eleanor Parker is Eleanor - always beautiful, calm and elegant as ever.

The chemistry between Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker was very good. I felt the characters themselves were well-portrayed.

The only let-down was the plot and the Director.

It started so well but you find that some situations did not make sense and you felt the direction of the film was everywhere and going nowhere. It didn't flow jumping from one place to another then started to lag half-way through the movie.

The budding romance between Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker didn't make sense either. I mean if you were Eleanor's husband would you leave her constantly with Robert Taylor shouldn't the husband be more attentive. He was practically throwing them together and didn't seem too unhappy when her affections had changed direction. Such one dimensional character is almost too painful to watch.

It was then pretty obvious from the beginning who the villain would be but watching Philip Mercedes against Robert Taylor, well it was just too obvious.

It was such a shame considering this film had so much potential and who knows, with a better Director and stronger plot this could have turn into a box-office hit.

I first saw this film when it was released in the UK. I was thirteen at the time. It will always be a favourite because it sparked off what was to become one of my greatest passions: anything and everything to do with Ancient Egypt and its remarkable impact on the imagination, ambition and sometimes greed of every civilisation that succeeded it. Yep, Robert Taylor was perhaps out of place but Eleanor Parker made up for the weaknesses and foibles of the plot. It's just a good, old-fashioned romp.

Nice colour photography in Egyptian locations helps this rather lame story shine a little more than it would had it been entirely studio bound, and the locations scenes are certainly the most interesting aspects of this melodramatic yarn. Eleanor Parker is admirable, as always, and Robert Taylor merely...Robert Taylor, as always, but none of the characters really grab enough of our attention or hold our interest, and the plot is hardly interesting enough to bother about. A stronger story and script would have made a huge difference and put the film in a much more memorable bracket. But there are some genuinely exciting moments, particularly in the second half of the film, and the film makes great use of the Egyptian locations in ways that I doubt would be allowed today. A perfectly watchable little adventure, but don't expect too much.

Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker make a handsome couple in this story about an archaeologist agreeing to search for holy relics in an Egyptian tomb, lured by the beautiful Parker. She's married to Carlos Thompson who goes along on the desert adventure and it's easy to guess what the outcome will be as the plot develops.

The story ingredients are promising, but the picture takes a long time to get to its most suspenseful moments, including a climactic fistfight between Taylor and Thompson at the top of ancient ruins that is artfully staged for maximum effect. Too bad more time wasn't spent developing the slow-paced script which hardly matches the effectiveness of the location photography in Egypt and the striking score by Miklos Rozsa.

Fans of Taylor and Parker will enjoy seeing them together, both at their physical peak and demonstrating some good chemistry as romantic leads. He's ruggedly convincing as the Alpha-male archaeologist but the story isn't up to the level of a similar yarn Metro did previously, "King Solomon's Mines." Summing up: A weak script is the real problem.

I watched the newly-released DVD version of this film from Amazon, and I was thrilled with the quality. After all, this is a 60+ year-old film, and the color is still outstanding. It isn't a great film; the plot is a run-of-the-mill adventure story, and I always found Robert Taylor to be a wooden actor. But Eleanor Parker's lovely face more than compensates, and the real star of the show is Egypt itself. Long before Egypt fell into political turmoil, this film showcased many of the country's legendary attractions. Filmed on location, the movie incorporates beautiful views of the Sphinx, the pyramids of Gizeh, the legendary Mena House Hotel, St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai, the temples of Luxor, the Sahara Desert, and the Abu-Simbel temples. If you are a sucker for romantic locales, a good fistfight, and enjoyable escapist fare, then this one is worth your money and your Saturday afternoon.

Although not a cult movie, Valley of the kings is a nice entertaining movie. For me it has a special flavor as I had left definitely Egypt 3 years before to settle with my parents in Paris.

I saw the movie when it was released in Paris in 1954. I enjoyed it. It was the occasion to see those magnificent temples and especially Abu Simbel where is shot one of the main scenes. At that time the Assuan Dam had not provoked the disastrous effects we know today nor obliged to move the temple. The faces of Ramses II were not spoiled by the cuts visible today due to the move in several sections of this splendid masterpiece of art and architecture.

It is worth seeing such a movie with a good cast and dream a little to what was the shock in those times for the lucky traveler able to reach them. Imagine what was the shock of Belzoni when he discovered the temple sunk into the sand!

One of the reviews struck me. One of the reviewers really disliked this film--mostly because the film got so much of the Egyptology wrong. When I read this, I thought perhaps it was written by my own daughter! She is an ancient religions/Egyptology major in college and watching a film like this is NOT an enjoyable experience if you are just looking to be entertained! She, too, spots all the methodological flaws. Now I can't blame my kid--I am a history teacher and watching films like "Pocahontas" with me is no treat, either! To those who love the topics, the way Hollywood cavalierly handles these topics is appalling. All the public usually cares about, however, is whether or not they enjoy watching the film! So, in light of this, my review is NOT intended for Egyptologists or those in the know--just for the average schmuck out there!

The film plays like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and a traditional MGM epic film of the 50s. In other words, while there is lots of adventure reminiscent of Indiana Jones, there is a greater emphasis on spectacle as well as a bit of a nod to the popular Biblical epics of the day (boy, were they popular back then!).

Robert Taylor plays the role of an archaeologist who is digging in Egypt at about the turn of the 19th century. Eleanor Parker approaches him and asks for his help to try to prove that the Biblical Joseph really existed---and during the reign of Ra-hotep. However, Taylor is convinced that Joseph did not exist and it's all a waste of time. But, reluctantly, he agrees---apparently because he thinks Ms. Parker is kind of hot. However, what they don't know is that there is a traitor in their midst--someone who is more interested in stealing whatever treasures the two of them unearth. Plus, this evil piggy and his friends are more than glad to kill if need be.

Overall, the film has some very nice Egyptian locales and nice acting. While the story is a bit slow at times, the overall effort is pretty good--though far from Taylor's best work. It should be enjoyable for the average viewer--not a must-see be certainly a bit better than just a time-passer.

Robert Taylor, with a vocabulary of one word in Arabic ("emshee". "walk" or "get moving") conducts a laughable search for lost tombs. After considerable "adventure" his native guide leads him on a long desert trek to the famous rock-cut temple of Abu Simbel and says, "there it is". He could have just as easily said "go up river until you see some big statues", since this temple has been known to the West since about 1815. One good feature is the use of the French excavations at the Step Pyramid at Saqqara as a background to Taylor's archaeological "work". Shots in Cario, supposedly around the beginning of the 20th century, show a remarkable amount of modern electric and telephone wire. Not for anyone interested in historical accuracy, either ancient or modern.

It's 1900 Cairo. Ann Mercedes (Eleanor Parker) recruits archaeologist Mark Brandon (Robert Taylor) to search for the tomb of Pharaoh Ra-Hotep and follow in her father's footsteps. She is married to Philip (Carlos Thompson).

I love the Egyptian locations although every other scene is shot in front of a ruin. They are really showing off every bit of location shot. It's an old fashion drama adventure. Parker is dressed to the nines. At times, she's ridiculously over-dressed. The story moves too slowly. It's not much in terms of action. There is a nice sword fight. I like the shocking twist. Mostly, the plot is pretty bland. The story is not much. I do love Egypt and this movie has lots of that.

The only thing to recommend this movie would be the scenes of Egypt's historical sites. But this movie is so incompetent and cheap that most of the time Taylor and Parker are acting in front of previously shot scenes projected on to a green screen. The few scenes that purport to show the stars in those actual locations are shot from behind the pair, leading me to believe those ''live" scenes involved extras. I'd be willing to bet Taylor and Parker never set foot in Egypt. The sword fight scene is so badly choreographed it's embarrassing for all involved. And the fistfight that so many others here refer to as a highlight alternates from green screen to obvious sound stage, so let's stop pretending it's some sort of highlight. All that said, I actually think other reviewers are selling Robert Taylor short. He does his best in this dog. But Eleanor Parker is such a stiff she drains the life out of the movie. They should re-bury this one in King Tut's tomb and forget about it.

In 1900 Egypt, an American archaeologist (Taylor) has a race with a rival exploitive British adventurer-explorer (Thompson) to find the fabulous [fictional] lost tomb of King Rahotep, a Pharaoh who may have known the Israelite Joseph, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Matters are complicated by unscrupulous Egyptian Arab black market antiquities dealers (in fine performances by character actors Victor Jory, Kurt Kasznar, Leon Askin) and the romance of a beautiful British Egyptologist (Parker) who arrives on the scene. The plot and story are contrived and melodramatic, but the production values, locations, acting, dialog, music score by the master Miklos Rozsa, and visual effects are superb. In other words, it makes up in style what it loses in content. Filmed partly on location in Egypt, in Cairo, the Giza Pyramids, Sakkara, Karnak and Luxor (the Great Temple of Amenhotep III), and the Valley of the Kings. Of particular interest is a fight scene staged atop one of the four colossi of King Ramoses II the Great at the Temple of Abu Simbel: part of it was filmed on location; part of it was replicated in the MGM studio soundstages with clever matte photography and grandiose sets. Climactic scene is the discovery of the splendiferous tomb of King Rahotep – full of art objects replicated from the artifacts found in the actual tomb of King TutankhAmen – in the Valley of the Kings. [Special note: there actually was a Pharaoh named Rahotep, who lived during the 17th Dynasty of ancient Egypt, circa 1750 B.C. and could have known sephardic Israelites like Joseph, who most likely lived circa 1850 B.C.] The Technicolor is beautiful. Highly enjoyable action romance. Great fun for fans, Egyptologists, and film addicts who just want to enjoy a good old fashioned yarn.

This movie had everything in it to become the Indiana Jones of the '50's but yet it isn't.

The movie its story had potential. The story of the search for holy artifacts supporting that the stories of the bible are true and the biblical Joseph really existed and lived in Egypt, sound fascinating and surely good enough to make a fun adventurous movie around. Yet the movie never becomes are really great and perfectly fun adventurous movie to watch. The story is not imaginative enough and basically there is very little interesting or spectacular happening on the screen. The movie could had really used some more action and better villainous characters, to make the movie more exciting, tense and entertaining to watch.

There really isn't much happening in this movie, which seems odd, considering the genre of the movie and its story. The movie makes a redundant and pointless impression because of that. Even though the story sounds like it- this just isn't a fun or adventurous must-see.

The movie is a bit clumsy looking at times. Though its production values are good and the actors do their best, the movie just isn't good enough to watch at times. The movie was obviously shot with only one camera, with as a result some silly and ineffective camera positions at times. It especially makes the more fast paced and action sequences look ridicules and ineffective.

The movie uses some beautiful locations and is obviously shot really in Egypt itself, for most part. It uplifts the movie and gives it a certain extra sense of feeling of traveling, adventure and mystery. Too bad that the movie doesn't know how to fully exploit and use this feeling and atmosphere. It once again shows why Robert Pirosh wasn't the greatest director around.

Considering its potential, it's a disappointing movie that in its core still brings some good entertainment. So not a completely unwatchable movie, even though it probably has more weak than strong points in it.

6/10

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Dullard and Right Wing Tattle Tale Robert Taylor Dutifully Goes On Location to Egypt Along with a Great Cinematographer and Former Real Life Flame Eleanor Parker. Always an MGM Workhorse with a Small Amount of Talent, Good Looks, and a Distinctive Voice, He Never Managed to Bring Anything Special to His Movies.

Competent and Willing was Robert Taylor. In this "Travelogue" it is Egypt's Tourist Locations that Highlight, Always in the Background and are a Sight to Behold. Today's Audiences are Jaded by All the High Definition Documentaries on Multiple Channels, there is Never a Shortage of Footage from All of Those Monuments that the 1,000 Year Civilization Left Standing. So This May Not be that much of a Draw.

The Movie is Rather Lackluster in the Foreground and is Talky but Doesn't Say a Whole Lot that is Interesting. The Script is Standard Junk and is Almost Blasphemous in Front of those Gigantic Wonders. The Movie Making Crew Just Seems Way Out of Their Element and are Intimidated by the Splendor and the Film Comes Off as Just Workmanlike.

Overall, it is Worth a Watch but for the Most Part it is Creaky in Pace and Scholarly Only in the Most Elementary. It's Eye Candy at Best and an Opportunity Completely Wasted at Worst.