Arabesque (1966)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

Gordon Cotler (novel)
Julian Mitchell (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 May 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Ultra mod, ultra mad, ultra mystery

Plot:

Story of international intrigue involving a university professor, an Arab prime minister, a ruthless businessman, a beautiful spy, and hieroglyphics.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Code | Arab | Spy | Double

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Prof. David Pollock
Sophia Loren	...	Yasmin Azir
Alan Badel	...	Beshraavi
Kieron Moore	...	Yussef Kasim
Carl Duering	...	Hassan Jena
John Merivale	...	Maj. Sylvester Pennington Sloane
Duncan Lamont	...	Webster
George Coulouris	...	Ragheeb
Ernest Clark	...	Beauchamp
Harold Kasket	...	Mohammed Lufti

Also Known As:

Stanley Donen's Arabesque (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:A (1966) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:Unrated | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Ascot, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Stanley Donen Films

Trivia:

The part of David Pollock was originally written for Cary Grant. When Gregory Peck had trouble getting the humor right in a line, he'd smile and tell director Stanley Donen "Remember, I'm no Cary Grant."

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: There is no reference to the movie's title, "Arabesque". The references are all to the original book's title, which was "The Cipher".

Quotes:

Beshraavi: Mr. Pollock, very good of you to reonsider my proposal.
David Pollock: I always try my best to cooperate with the very rich Mr. Beshraavi.

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Conversation with Gregory Peck (1999)

Entertaining Romantic Thriller

This movie is reminiscent of Charade in that it is a thriller that is lighthearted in places. Highlights of Arabesque are Gregory Peck playing the somewhat bumbling type, Sophia Loren's exotic beauty, and some memorable humorous situations like Pollack hiding in the shower with Jasmin while being questioned and later the two of them trailing the guy who drops the candy wrappers. The ending action sequence with the press conference, the horse chase, and the helicopter were also well done. All in all, very good entertainment, 7/10.