Valley of the Kings, 1954, is playing on Turner Classic Movies on Friday, November 4 at 8 p.m.est This is another of my favorite Taylor pictures–he never looked sexier than he does here. Mark Brandon, the ruggedly handsome archaeologist played by Robert Taylor is thought to be the inspiration for Indiana Jones.
This is one of my favorite Robert Taylor pictures. Eleanor Parker and he had wonderful chemistry and both of them looked their best in this exotic action-adventure film. The following is my review for the IMDb.
This isn’t a serious or “meaningful” film. It is pure entertainment, beautifully photographed on location in Egypt. The stars, Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker, had great chemistry both off-screen and on. Taylor manages to be glamorous even when trapped in a sandstorm. The plot is relatively thin with Parker seeking to validate part of the Old Testament by finding the tomb of the Pharaoh who reigned in the time of the Biblical Joseph. She bats her eyelashes at Taylor who comes along happily. Then she introduces her husband, Carlos Thompson. There are horse and carriage chases, murders, the aforementioned sandstorm, a spectacular fight at Abu Simbel, a scorpion attack–all in ninety minutes. Given the slower pace of movies in the 1950s, there is also time for Taylor and Parker to discover each other more thoroughly (over some fermented goat). Egyptian belly dancer Samia Gamal shakes her stuff at the demure Parker. Highly enjoyable.
One of the best screen kisses ever!
Some behind the scenes photos:
Robert Taylor horsing around with a donkey and Eleanor Parker
Looking insecure on a camel.
Famous dancer & star. SG, celebrated oriental dancer, is pictured w. RT on set of MGM’s VotK in Egypt. She dances in film while T has romantic w. EP. It is Miss G’s first appearance in a Hollywood production.
With Kurt Kazsnar and Carlos Thompson.
Eleanor Parker, Robert Taylor, Robert Pirosh.
At the Sphinx.
Eleanor Parker and Robert Taylor at the Mena House Hotel.
Touring by Carriage.
Mr. Taylor meets a camel.
Actress Eleanor Parker, on her knees, helps Robert Taylor, dressed up as an archaeologist, to lace up a boot on the set of the movie ‘Valley of the Kings’. Egypt, 1954. (Photo by Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Mr. Taylor injured his knee jumping off a camel and may have had difficulty lacing his boots. They both look happy about it.
I became a Robert Taylor fan at the age of 15 when his TV show, "The Detectives" premiered. My mother wanted to watch it because she remembered Mr. Taylor from the thirties. I took one look and that was it. I spent the rest of my high school career watching Robert Taylor movies on late night TV, buying photos of him, making scrapbooks and being a typical teenager. College, marriage and career intervened. I remember being sad when Mr. Taylor died. I mailed two huge scrapbooks to Ursula Thiess. I hope she got them. Time passed, retirement, moving to Florida. Then in 2012 my husband Fred pointed that there were two Robert Taylor movies that evening on Turner Classic Movies--"Ivanhoe" and "Quentin Durward." I watched both and it happened all over again. I started this blog both for fans and for people who didn't know about Robert Taylor. As the blog passes 200,000 views I'm delighted that so many people have come by and hope it will help preserve the legacy of this fine actor and equally good man.
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