Ed-Shullivan Mystery, crime, history, adventure, romance, action, and heroism all neatly wrapped up in this 1954 film classic which in my opinion did not get the public credit it so justly deserves. Actor Robert Taylor played archaeologist and tomb hunter Mark Brandon, who "IS" the original Indiana Jones minus the great musical score penned by John Williams in Raiders of the Lost Ark. John Williams revolutionized the film industry by engaging his audiences in his films' even before the first words and/or scene(s) were even spoken and continued to capture his audiences as the films end credits continued to roll, but I digress. Back to the Valley of the Kings we have a film that also engages its audience with the entry of a beautiful Mrs. Ann Barclay Mercedes played by the lovely Eleanor Parker. Mrs. Ann Barclay Mercedes always seemed to be over dressed for travelling in the desert but she came to the Valley of the Kings to honor her deceased archaeologist father who believed there was still one Kings tomb that remained to be discovered. So Mrs. Ann Barclay Mercedes traveled with her husband Philip Mercedes played by Carlos Thompson to the Valley of the Kings to seek the assistance of the well known archaeologist Mark Brandon.It isn't long before we realize that Ann's husband Philip has nefarious intentions and thus he himself opens the door for Ann to be torn between her (new) love for tomb hunter and archaeologist Mark Brandon and her marriage commitment to her husband Philip. The scenes throughout the film were expansive which helped make the film feel as if we were on a real Valley of the Kings tomb expedition. Of course there were dozens of camel rides, sandstorms, a sword fight with a native and a significant treasure hunt for a King's tomb. I have watched this film three times and it never gets tiring. Eleanor Parker, Robert Taylor and Carlos Thompson as the villainous husband and cad were all scene stealers who kept the film going at a rapid and interesting pace. I rate the film a strong 8 out 10 and it is well worth watching (at least twice) if you have an adventurous spirit.

dhrice I watched the newly-released DVD version of this film from Amazon, and I was thrilled with the quality. After all, this is a 60+ year-old film, and the color is still outstanding. It isn't a great film; the plot is a run-of-the-mill adventure story, and I always found Robert Taylor to be a wooden actor. But Eleanor Parker's lovely face more than compensates, and the real star of the show is Egypt itself. Long before Egypt fell into political turmoil, this film showcased many of the country's legendary attractions. Filmed on location, the movie incorporates beautiful views of the Sphinx, the pyramids of Gizeh, the legendary Mena House Hotel, St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai, the temples of Luxor, the Sahara Desert, and the Abu-Simbel temples. If you are a sucker for romantic locales, a good fistfight, and enjoyable escapist fare, then this one is worth your money and your Saturday afternoon.

wes-connors In 1900 Egypt, archaeologist Robert Taylor (as Mark Brandon) helps well-heeled Eleanor Parker (as Ann Barclay Mercedes) look for proof regarding Joseph of the Old Testament. They also find themselves mutually attracted, which puts her husband Carlos Thompson (as Philip Mercedes) in a nasty mood. Not that he needed much help. Oddly enough, threatening adultery doesn't derail the mission, perhaps because God has someone to put asunder. The colorful and authentic location cinematography by Robert Surtees is the picture's main strength; its weaknesses are just as obvious.*** Valley of the Kings (7/21/54) Robert Pirosh ~ Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, Carlos Thompson, Kurt Kasznar

bkoganbing Eleanor Parker has come to Egypt at the turn of the last century to seek the help of two fisted archaeologist Robert Taylor. Given this man's readiness to duke it out with friend or foe, he might well have been Sean Connery's father and Harrison Ford's grandfather. Maybe on Sean's mother's side accounting for the name change.Parker's mission is to prove a theory of her late father that there is some archaeological proof of the biblical story of Joseph and they've identified a Pharaoh who might have been the one in charge at the time Joseph was doing his prognosticating from his dreams. She convinces Taylor and her husband Carlos Thompson to go to the Valley Of The Kings and seek the proof.Our archaeologists run into a lot of opposition from Tuareg leader Victor Jory, antiquities dealer Kurt Kaszner, and even from Thompson who's in it for whatever loot he can acquire and smuggle. One of the plot weaknesses is that Thompson's villainy is revealed too early. Let's a lot of the suspense out of Valley Of The Kings.Valley Of The Kings is a gorgeously photographed film on location in Egypt in the real Valley Of The Kings. Taylor and Parker were in their second of three films they made together and they were an item while Taylor was in between marriages to Barbara Stanwyck and Ursula Thiess. The attraction is quite obvious. There is also a wonderfully staged climatic fight on top of one of the tombs between Taylor and Thompson. Valley Of The Kings is an entertaining enough film, that could have used a better written story for its cast of talented players.