Genghis Khan (1965 film)
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| Genghis Khan | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) Theatrical poster by Frank McCarthy. | |
| Directed by | Henry Levin |
| Screenplay by | Beverley Cross Clarke Reynolds |
| Story by | Berkely Mather |
| Produced by | Irving Allen |
| Starring | Omar Sharif James Mason Stephen Boyd Eli Wallach Françoise Dorléac Telly Savalas |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Edited by | Geoffrey Foot |
| Music by | Dušan Radić |
Production companies | Irving Allen Productions Central Cinema Company Film (CCC) Avala Film |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Countries | United Kingdom West Germany Yugoslavia United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4.5 million[1] |
| Box office | $2.25 million (US & Canada rentals) 2.6 million tickets (France & West Germany) |
Genghis Khan is a 1965 biographical adventure film directed by Henry Levin and starring Omar Sharif, depicting a fictionalized account of the life and conquests of the Mongol emperor Genghis Khan. Distributed in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1965 by Columbia Pictures, the film also features James Mason, Stephen Boyd, Eli Wallach, Françoise Dorléac and Telly Savalas.
A 70 mm version was released by CCC Film in West Germany. It was filmed in Yugoslavia with Technicolor and Panavision.
Plot
The young Temujin sees his father tortured and killed by a rival tribe led by Jamuga. Held prisoner, he is yoked into a large wooden wheel around his neck and tormented by the tribal children. He meets the young Bortai after an act of kindness to her, but is punished by Jamuga. Temujin then escapes and hides in the hills, followed by holy man Geen and mute warrior Sengal, who pledge their allegiance to the man vowing to unite all the Mongol tribes. Temujin liberates Salkits prisoners from group of Merkits, who they then slaughter and rob. The newly freed men join Temujin and unite with Temujin's Yesugai tribe.
Raids along caravan routes gradually increase the size of his army, and then Temujin decides to capture and take as his wife the young Bortai. He does so, but then she is recaptured by Jamuga (having found the camp by following Bortai's brothers Subotai, Jebai and Kassar defecting from Jamuga's tribe), who rapes her before Temujin can steal her back. Temujin raises the resulting child as his own, naming him Jochi. Temujin's army heads east in order to escape Jamuga.
A stranded Chinese ambassador is helped out by Temujin, who accompanies the diplomat into Song China, where he meets the Emperor of China. Despite being well fed, given elegant clothing and getting to experience luxuries such as bathing, wine and the arts, Temujin, Geen and Bortai's brothers all agree that it is a prison. After the Mongols successfully defeat Manchurians led by Jamuga holding the city of Hopeh, Jamuga is taken prisoner; the Temujin is proclaimed "Genghis Khan, the Prince of Conquerors". Temujin's Mongol army stays in Peking for a long period, training, learning, and growing complacent.
The imprisoned Jamuga escapes at one point. Finally, feeling trapped, the Mongols break out of their "captivity", killing the Emperor of China in the process, and begin their conquest of Asia.
After laying waste to everything from Manchuria to Moscow, the Mongol army finally battles the Shah of Khwarezm, defeating him and capturing Jamuga one last time. Temujin and Jamuga fight one last battle, and, although victorious, Temujin succumbs to his wounds soon after, following a loving good-bye to Bortai. A voiceover speaks of Genghis Khan's reputation and successors in expanding his empire.
Cast
- Omar Sharif as Temujin, later Genghis Khan
- Stephen Boyd as Jamuga
- James Mason as Kam Ling
- Eli Wallach as Shah of Khwarezm
- Françoise Dorléac as Bortei
- Telly Savalas as Shan
- Robert Morley as Emperor of China
- Michael Hordern as Geen
- Yvonne Mitchell as Katke
- Woody Strode as Sengal
- Kenneth Cope as Subotai
- Roger Croucher as Kassar
- Don Borisenko as Jebai
- Patrick Holt as Kuchiuk
- Susanne Hsiao as Chin Yu
- George Savalas as Toktoa
- Gustavo Rojo as Altan
Production
The film was shot over 125 days.[1]
Allen and Euan Lloyd (who worked in publicity) wanted to make a follow-up called Clive of India based on a script by Terence Young but it was never made.[1]
Box office
In the United States and Canada, the film earned $2.25 million in distributor rentals.[2]
In Europe, the film sold 1.724 million tickets in West Germany[3] and 879,532 tickets in France,[4] for a combined 2,603,532 tickets sold in West Germany and France.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Scheuer, P. K. (1965, Jan 05). "Pat O'Brien takes new lease on life" Los Angeles Times
- ^ Anticipated rentals accruing distributors in North America. See "Top Grossers of 1965", Variety, 5 January 1966 p 36
- ^ "Die erfolgreichsten Filme in Deutschland 1965" [The Most Successful Films in Germany in 1965]. Inside Kino (in German). 1965. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "Gengis Khan (1965)". JP's Box-Office (in French). Retrieved 11 November 2021.
External links
- 1965 films
- 1960s historical adventure films
- 1960s biographical films
- British historical adventure films
- British biographical films
- British epic films
- British adventure drama films
- English-language Yugoslav films
- Films directed by Henry Levin
- Films with screenplays by Berkely Mather
- Columbia Pictures films
- Depictions of Genghis Khan on film
- Films set in 12th-century Mongol Empire
- Films set in 13th-century Mongol Empire
- Films set in 13th-century Song dynasty
- Films set in Mongolia
- Yugoslav historical adventure films
- Films shot in Yugoslavia
- Films with screenplays by Beverley Cross
- Films set in Iran
- Films set in Beijing
- 1960s English-language films
- 1960s British films