Solomon and Sheba *** (1959, Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders, Marisa Pavan, David Farrar) – Classic Movie Review 5710

Yul Brynner stars as Solomon but the voluptuous Gina Lollobrigida and the waspish George Sanders are much more fun as Sheba and Adonijah. 

The Old Testament according to director King Vidor, using as his text not the Bible but Crane Wilbur’s reworked story, in which Solomon (Yul Brynner) becomes king of ancient Israel, faces threats from his brother Adonijah, the Egyptian Pharaoh (David Farrar) and the scheming Queen of Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida).

King Vidor’s 1959 140-minute movie Solomon and Sheba is a kitsch, entertaining biblical extravaganza, with thundering battles, a Fifties-style coy orgy, an ill-assorted array of actors and accents, and a big production by Ted Richmond and Edward Small. It notably features a dance routine intended to convey the orgy scene.

Yul Brynner takes over from Tyrone Power, who died on location in Spain after filming a few shots and can still be seen in some distant views, as a grave and solemn Solomon. But much more entertaining are the voluptuous Gina Lollobrigida and the waspish George Sanders, who simply are much more fun as Sheba and Adonijah. As usual with international epics of this period, there is a strong contingent of British actors.

Cinematographer Freddie Young’s rich and vibrant images in Technirama and Technicolor, as well as Richard Day and Alfred Sweeney’s production designs, ensure a spectacular-looking epic. But, of course, the movie is not exactly a paragon of good taste. Just in case you thought it was not going to be any good, they modestly advertised it as ‘The Mightiest Motion Picture Ever Created!’.

Also in the cast are Marisa Pavan as Abishag, John Crawford as Joab, Alejandro Rey, Harry Andrews as Baltor, Finlay Currie as David, José Nieto, Maruchi Fresno as Bathsheba, William Devlin as Nathan, Jack Gwillim, Jean Anderson, Laurence Naismith, Julio Peña and Claude Dantes.

Solomon and Sheba is directed by King Vidor, runs 140 minutes, is made by Edward Small Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Anthony Veiller, Paul Dudley and George Bruce, is shot in Technirama and Technicolor by Freddie Young, is produced by Ted Richmonrd and Edward Small, and is scored by Mario Nascimbene and Malcolm Arnold, with production designs by Richard Day and Alfred Sweeney.

The cut version runs just 122 minutes.

It is the last film directed by King Vidor.

A US TV movie version of the story followed in 1995.

Luigia ‘Gina’ Lollobrigida was born on 4 July 1927.

She celebrated her 90th birthday on 4 July 2017.

Gina Lollobrigida died at a clinic in Rome on 16 January 2023, at the age of 95.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5710

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