THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS

US, 1954, 86 minutes, Colour.
Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, Carlos Thompson, Kurt Kasner, Victor Jory, Leon Askin.
Directed by Robert Pirosh.

The Valley of the Kings is very entertaining Boys' Own adventure kind of material. Beautifully photographed in Egypt with attractive settings in an archaeological dig at the turn of the century, the plot is of goodies and baddies and robberies and villainy. The heroic team are Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker who also appeared at this time in Above and Beyond and Many Rivers to Cross. Nothing special, but quite entertaining in its way.

1. Audience interest in excavations, archaeology? The thriller conventions blended with this background?

2. The adventure conventions, period setting, danger, greed, intrigue, fights? The conventions of archaeology and exploration? Romance? The usual ingredients, how well blended?

3. The colour photography, the importance of the Egyptian locations and the way these were used? As settings for the drama, for example the opening, sailing on the Nile, the fight on the top of the statue? The Egyptian atmosphere of the music?

4. The film was suggested by archaeological books. Was the basic plot credible? Investigations in Egypt in the 19th century, the involvement of English and Americans? Anne's father and his involvement? Her wanting to explore and prove his theories? Mark and his work? The background of greed and international intrigue? Sufficient for the purposes of this film?

5. Mark as a Robert Taylor hero? Credible in archaeology? His work, shrewdness, clash with Philippe? Anne as a conventional heroine? Her relationship with her father, her husband? Mark’s accusation that she was self-centred? The truth in this? Philippe as the conventional villain? A weak character, pressurized?

6. The minor characters especially those involved with the intrigue? Were they well developed? Sufficiently for the purposes of the film?

7. How much knowledge did the film presuppose? How well did it fill in its background? The credibility of such archaeology. excavations in Egypt itself, specially the final climax and the opening of the tomb with its evidence?

8. Which were the most memorable sequences? To do with the theme, the adventure?

9. The basic presuppositions in the audience of good and evil? Right and wrong? Heroism? Romance?