Arabesque (1966)

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

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

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Bilton	...	Camera Shop Owner (uncredited)
Windsor Davies	...	Policeman in Car Crash (uncredited)
Gordon Griffin	...	Fanshaw (uncredited)
Harry Locke	...	(uncredited)
Malya Nappi	...	Ragheeb's wife (uncredited)
James Payne	...	Driving the kidnap lorry (uncredited)
Robert Rowland	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Larry Taylor	...	Beshraavi's Henchman (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Donen

Writing credits
Gordon Cotler		(novel "The Cypher")
Julian Mitchell		(screenplay) &
Stanley Price		(screenplay) &
Peter Stone		(screenplay) (as Pierre Marton)

Produced by
Stanley Donen	....	producer
Denis Holt	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Christopher Challis

Film Editing by
Frederick Wilson

Art Direction by
Reece Pemberton

Makeup Department
W.T. Partleton	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David W. Orton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Jordan	....	second unit director (as John M. Jordan)
Eric Rattray	....	assistant director
Stuart Black	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Terence A. Clegg	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bill Dennison	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Roy Dorman	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
C. Le Mesurier	....	sound mixer (as C. Le Messurier)
John W. Mitchell	....	sound mixer
Don Sharpe	....	dubbing editor
Archie Ludski	....	additional dubbing editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	back projection (uncredited)

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	horse stunt double: Gregory Peck (uncredited)
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunt double: Gregory Peck (uncredited)
Jack Silk	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Austin Dempster	....	camera operator
Colin Corby	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Norman Gryspeerdt	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Thom Noble	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Douglas Gamley	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Maurice Binder	....	title designer: main titles
Arthur Carroll	....	production executive
Constance Willis	....	continuity
Jean Hall	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Maurice Landsberger	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Stanley Donen Films (as A Stanley Donen Production)
• Universal Pictures (presents) (as Universal)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)

Other Companies

• Christian Dior  Miss Sophia Loren's wardrobe specially created by

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:

last feature of John Merivale.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Peck/Loren are escaping from a helicopter, the filming crew is clear visible on the right side of a bridge (in the helicopters' POV)

Quotes:

David Pollock: This isn't your house. This is my house, and you weren't invited, so go away!
Yasmin Azir: I didn't even know if you were alive, but I came to warn you anyway.
David Pollock: Warn me about what?
Yasmin Azir: Nazim's men. They are on their way here to get the cipher back. You've got to get away.
David Pollock: Now slow down a minute. Aren't you the same Miss Azir who just stood there while your friends tried to kill me?
Yasmin Azir: Oh David! You don't think I enjoyed that?
David Pollock: Oh! Well! So long as you didn't enjoy it!

Movie Connections:

References The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Excellente-esquire

Not only is the whole cinematography clever (love those shots with actors in the mirrors) but this is one of those hidden gems from the '60s. The whole look and feel just oozes what you imagine the '60s to be--intrigue, mysterious/swarthy foreign spies, a totally cool/hot babe (Sophia Loren could not be any more gorgeous) and a handsome yet bumbling professor (Gregory Peck out harrison Ford-ing Harrison Ford years ahead of the curve). The dialog also sparkles with that old sort of Kate Hepburn--Cary Grant type interplay albeit at a much more languid and sexier pace. There are also hints of Hitchcock and Orson Welles in the story telling and directorial style.