Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile
Encyclopedia
Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile is a 1961
Italian Sword-and-sandal historical drama
written and directed by Fernando Cherchio and produced for MAX Film by Ottavio Poggi. The film stars Jeanne Crain
, Edmund Purdom
, and Vincent Price
. Purdom had previously starred in The Egyptian
(1954), which has a similar plot and characters.
The original Italian title of the film is Nefertiti, regina del Nilo.
(Edmund Purdom
), an apprentice sculptor, is in love with Tenet (Jeanne Crain
), a beautiful girl who is to be dedicated to the gods as a priestess. Tumos and Tenet intend to elope, but the high priest Benakon (Vincent Price
) learns of their plans. He has Tenet taken into custody and Tumos is condemned for violating religious laws. Tumos flees to the desert to join his friend prince Amenophis
(Amedeo Nazzari
), the heir to the throne. Amenophis is an effective warrior who has just defeated the Chaldea
ns. Among the Chaldean prisoners is Seper (Carlo D'Angelo), the priest of a new God Aten
, who he claims to be the one true god. Seper proclaims a religion of love, and prophesies the imminent death of the old Pharaoh
and the coming reign of Amenophis. The prophecy comes true. Before he returns to Thebes to become pharaoh Amenophis agrees to the marriage of Tenet and Tumos, and makes Seper one of his advisers.
In Thebes, the high priest Benakon reveals to Tenet that he is her father. He also tells her that she is not to be a priestess; the old pharaoh had agreed that she should marry Amenophis on his death. He gives her the new name Nefertiti
and says she is to be the Queen of the Nile
. Amenophis accepts her as his wife, unaware that Nefertiti is the same person as the "Tenet" he had given to Tumos. Tumos, an obstacle in the whole plan, has been arrested by Benakon. However, he soon escapes from prison. He survives being attacked by a lion, but Nefertiti is told he is dead. He is nursed by Merith (Liana Orfei
), an artist's model who is in love with him.
Tumos soon learns that Nefertiti is married to pharaoh. He gets drunk and sleeps with Merith. When Nefertiti learns that Tumos is alive, she asks Amenophis to make him the court sculptor. He is to sculpt a bust of Nefertiti. While he works on it the couple renew their love. Meanwhile Benakon is disturbed by the influence of Seper's one true god. The religion of Aten is growing. His men burst into the Atenist church, killing Seper and many of the worshipers. Nefertiti is among them, but escapes with Tumos' help. Amenophis is disgusted by the killing. He proclaims that all idols are to be destroyed and the old priesthood abolished. However he forgives Benakon, to emphasise his devotion to the values of the new faith.
Benakon and his followers plan a rising against the new religion, but Nefertiti learns of their plans. Tumos leaves to bring an army to the city. Benakon's followers surround the royal palace. Paralysed by his new pacifist ideals, Amenophis has a mental breakdown. Nefertiti assumes command of the defence of the palace while waiting for Tumos to bring reinforcements. Horrified by the violence that religious conflict has unleashed, Amenophis stabs himself. Nefertiti and her guards make a last stand around the sculpture of the queen, but are overwhelmed. Tumos and Merith arrive just in time with the army, but Benakon nearly kills Tumos before Merith shoots him with her bow. The army restore Nefertiti to the throne. The famous bust of Nefertiti survives the centuries to prove the queen's magnificent beauty and Tumos' love for her.
1961 in film
The year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB...
Italian Sword-and-sandal historical drama
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
written and directed by Fernando Cherchio and produced for MAX Film by Ottavio Poggi. The film stars Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Elizabeth Crain was an American actress.-Early life:Crain was born in Barstow, California, to George A. Crain, a school teacher, and Loretta Carr; she was of Irish heritage on her mother's side, and of English and distant French descent on her father's...
, Edmund Purdom
Edmund Purdom
Edmund Anthony Cutlar Purdom was a British actor.-Early life:Purdom was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England and educated at St. Augustine's Abbey School, Ramsgate, then by the Jesuits at St. Ignatius Grammar School and Welwyn Garden City Grammar School...
, and Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
. Purdom had previously starred in The Egyptian
The Egyptian (film)
The Egyptian is an American 1954 epic film made in CinemaScope by 20th Century Fox, directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. It is based on Mika Waltari's novel and the screenplay was adapted by Philip Dunne and Casey Robinson...
(1954), which has a similar plot and characters.
The original Italian title of the film is Nefertiti, regina del Nilo.
Plot synopsis
In ancient Egypt, TumosThutmose (sculptor)
"The King's Favourite and Master of Works, the Sculptor Thutmose" , flourished 1350 BC, is thought to have been the official court sculptor of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten in the latter part of his reign...
(Edmund Purdom
Edmund Purdom
Edmund Anthony Cutlar Purdom was a British actor.-Early life:Purdom was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England and educated at St. Augustine's Abbey School, Ramsgate, then by the Jesuits at St. Ignatius Grammar School and Welwyn Garden City Grammar School...
), an apprentice sculptor, is in love with Tenet (Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Elizabeth Crain was an American actress.-Early life:Crain was born in Barstow, California, to George A. Crain, a school teacher, and Loretta Carr; she was of Irish heritage on her mother's side, and of English and distant French descent on her father's...
), a beautiful girl who is to be dedicated to the gods as a priestess. Tumos and Tenet intend to elope, but the high priest Benakon (Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
) learns of their plans. He has Tenet taken into custody and Tumos is condemned for violating religious laws. Tumos flees to the desert to join his friend prince Amenophis
Akhenaten
Akhenaten also spelled Echnaton,Ikhnaton,and Khuenaten;meaning "living spirit of Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV , was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
(Amedeo Nazzari
Amedeo Nazzari
Amedeo Nazzari was an Italian actor.Star of Italian cinema during the 40's and 50's. He made several melodramas with Raffaello Matarazzo, such as Catene in 1949...
), the heir to the throne. Amenophis is an effective warrior who has just defeated the Chaldea
Chaldea
Chaldea or Chaldaea , from Greek , Chaldaia; Akkadian ; Hebrew כשדים, Kaśdim; Aramaic: ܟܐܠܕܘ, Kaldo) was a marshy land located in modern-day southern Iraq which came to briefly rule Babylon...
ns. Among the Chaldean prisoners is Seper (Carlo D'Angelo), the priest of a new God Aten
Aten
Aten is the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra. The deified Aten is the focus of the monolatristic, henotheistic, or monotheistic religion of Atenism established by Amenhotep IV, who later took the name Akhenaten in worship in recognition of Aten...
, who he claims to be the one true god. Seper proclaims a religion of love, and prophesies the imminent death of the old Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
and the coming reign of Amenophis. The prophecy comes true. Before he returns to Thebes to become pharaoh Amenophis agrees to the marriage of Tenet and Tumos, and makes Seper one of his advisers.
In Thebes, the high priest Benakon reveals to Tenet that he is her father. He also tells her that she is not to be a priestess; the old pharaoh had agreed that she should marry Amenophis on his death. He gives her the new name Nefertiti
Nefertiti
Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. Nefertiti and her husband were known for a religious revolution, in which they started to worship one god only...
and says she is to be the Queen of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. Amenophis accepts her as his wife, unaware that Nefertiti is the same person as the "Tenet" he had given to Tumos. Tumos, an obstacle in the whole plan, has been arrested by Benakon. However, he soon escapes from prison. He survives being attacked by a lion, but Nefertiti is told he is dead. He is nursed by Merith (Liana Orfei
Liana Orfei
Liana Orfei is an Italian film actress. She appeared in 37 films between 1959 and 1971. She was born in San Giovanni, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Tipi da spiaggia * Guardatele ma non toccatele...
), an artist's model who is in love with him.
Tumos soon learns that Nefertiti is married to pharaoh. He gets drunk and sleeps with Merith. When Nefertiti learns that Tumos is alive, she asks Amenophis to make him the court sculptor. He is to sculpt a bust of Nefertiti. While he works on it the couple renew their love. Meanwhile Benakon is disturbed by the influence of Seper's one true god. The religion of Aten is growing. His men burst into the Atenist church, killing Seper and many of the worshipers. Nefertiti is among them, but escapes with Tumos' help. Amenophis is disgusted by the killing. He proclaims that all idols are to be destroyed and the old priesthood abolished. However he forgives Benakon, to emphasise his devotion to the values of the new faith.
Benakon and his followers plan a rising against the new religion, but Nefertiti learns of their plans. Tumos leaves to bring an army to the city. Benakon's followers surround the royal palace. Paralysed by his new pacifist ideals, Amenophis has a mental breakdown. Nefertiti assumes command of the defence of the palace while waiting for Tumos to bring reinforcements. Horrified by the violence that religious conflict has unleashed, Amenophis stabs himself. Nefertiti and her guards make a last stand around the sculpture of the queen, but are overwhelmed. Tumos and Merith arrive just in time with the army, but Benakon nearly kills Tumos before Merith shoots him with her bow. The army restore Nefertiti to the throne. The famous bust of Nefertiti survives the centuries to prove the queen's magnificent beauty and Tumos' love for her.
Cast
- Jeanne CrainJeanne CrainJeanne Elizabeth Crain was an American actress.-Early life:Crain was born in Barstow, California, to George A. Crain, a school teacher, and Loretta Carr; she was of Irish heritage on her mother's side, and of English and distant French descent on her father's...
- Tenet/NefertitiNefertitiNefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. Nefertiti and her husband were known for a religious revolution, in which they started to worship one god only... - Vincent PriceVincent PriceVincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
- Benakon - Edmund PurdomEdmund PurdomEdmund Anthony Cutlar Purdom was a British actor.-Early life:Purdom was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England and educated at St. Augustine's Abbey School, Ramsgate, then by the Jesuits at St. Ignatius Grammar School and Welwyn Garden City Grammar School...
- Tumos - Amedeo NazzariAmedeo NazzariAmedeo Nazzari was an Italian actor.Star of Italian cinema during the 40's and 50's. He made several melodramas with Raffaello Matarazzo, such as Catene in 1949...
- Amenophis IV - Liana OrfeiLiana OrfeiLiana Orfei is an Italian film actress. She appeared in 37 films between 1959 and 1971. She was born in San Giovanni, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Tipi da spiaggia * Guardatele ma non toccatele...
- Merith - Carlo D'Angelo - Seper
- Raf Baldassarre - Mareb
- Alberto FarneseAlberto FarneseAlberto Farnese was an Italian actor. He appeared in 89 films and television shows between 1951 and 1989. He starred in the film Whom God Forgives, which won the Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury award at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:* Rome 11:00 * The...
- Dakim - Clelia MataniaClelia MataniaClelia Matania was a British born, Italian actress.Born in London, she appeared in British films between 1936 and 1937 and in Italy runs films with Totò-Actress: *Melody of My Heart...
- The wetnurse