← Back to results
55 Days at Peking
1963 154 min United States of America 16+
★6.9
History, War, Drama
Director: Nicholas Ray
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Description
Diplomats, soldiers and other representatives of a dozen nations fend off the siege of the International Compound in Peking during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. The disparate interests unite for survival despite competing factions, overwhelming odds, delayed relief and tacit support of the Boxers by the Empress of China and her generals.
Budget:
$17M
Worldwide:
$10M
Starring
Charlton Heston
Actor
Ava Gardner
Actor
David Niven
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1964
— Best Original Song
Academy Awards 1964
— Best Original Score
Key opinion
55 Days at Peking is an ambitious historical epic that impresses with its grand scale and meticulous production design, often rivaling modern visual standards. While some viewers find the character-driven narrative and sentimental tone deeply moving, others criticize its slow pacing and lack of thematic depth.
| Production | The film features expansive, detailed sets that provide a sense of scale and visual richness often superior to modern CGI. | |
| Acting | The lead performances by Heston, Niven, and Gardner provide a grounded and sympathetic emotional core to the historical backdrop. | |
| Pacing | The three-hour runtime and contemplative, character-focused tempo divide audiences; some appreciate the leisurely epic pace, while others find the experience exhausting and slow. | |
| Theme | Opinions on the film's narrative weight are divided; some praise the poignant character drama, while others feel the thematic execution is overshadowed by the project's visual ambition and production difficulties. |