Zarak

Adventure movie dealing with the violent rebellion in Afghanistan and well set in XIX Century . On the mountainous frontier between British India and Afghanistan, circa 1860s, Zarak Khan (Victor Mature) kisses Salma (Anita Ekberg who offers some erotic scenes while performs nimble dances and grossly suggestive costuming by showing the actress in one of her scanty gowns) , the youngest wife of his father. Outraged, Haji Khan - Zarak's Father (Frederick Valk) orders Zarak to be punished but spares his life at the urging of an elderly Mullah (Finlay Currie) . Zarak now leaves his land and becomes a notorious rebel against British empire , prompting the English to assign Major Ingram (Michael Wilding) to capture him. When Ingram is captured by Ahmad, one of Zarak's rivals, Zarak risks his life to save the British officer. But then things go wrong , but later he escapes from British Army . As Zarak Khan sends a threat : I have returned , I attack fort Abbott at dawn on the day after tomorrow. For the Harem Beauty...Mighty Zarak Fought Half a Continent!.Mightiest Of The Mighty! a sensation of excitement and thrills ! Pillage! Plunder! Passion! Today's reign of Terror in Afghanistan ! White Heat Explodes in Green Hell!

Adventure and moving drama/action movie with nice mood , it is a rich , robust and colorful picture , a hell-for-leather stuff . Exciting and thrilling picture set in Afghanistan in the turbulent late 19th century . It is a rousing , moving , stirring tale , but rough-edged fare . Dealing with interesting issues , such as imperialism , colonialism and racism . One of several lively , all-action , color de luxe adventures produced by Britain's Warwick films , in this production company usually played Robert Taylor , Alan Ladd and Victor Mature as stars in the late Fifties .Warwick was set up by Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli, and its main purpose was that it offered an European lifeline to fading Hollywood star . The plot is simple and light , brave Mature to lead Afghans on a rebellion against the British and their Fort Abbott : As Zarak joins forces another rebel chief and continuing up country closer and closer to rebel territory , they both get closer to achieving their aims . The film develops an intense and obstinate confrontation between Zarak/Victor Mature and Ingram/Michael Wilding both of whom have several violent encounters , though interweaving a grudging respect for each other . As the tension , intrigue and suspense maintain a real grip across . Along the way , the film reflects the way in which Afghanistan divided two communities , both Afghan and British with their forts , luxurious life , noisy balls .. . In "Zarak" anyway , neither White Men , nor Asian people are necessarily the heroes , but both of them share the guilt of the warring confrontation . In fact, the attitude of the colonials and the Afghans are both very partially portrayed , the reason for ¨Zarak¨ is more an adventure/action movie than a historical film .The usually wooden Mature plays an obstinate Afghan whose real goal is to vanquish the colonialist British . Mature became one of Hollywood's busiest and most popular actors after the war , though rarely was he given the critical respect he often deserved. These enjoyable films were all ordinarily played by Mature who was nearly at his most agile and deft style , as he starred various Adventure films and was superstar of Hollywood epics . His roles in John Ford's My darling Clementine (1946) and in Henry Hathaway's Kiss of the death (1947) were among his finest work, though he moved more and more frequently into more exotic roles in films like Samson y Delilah (1949) and Sinuhe, the Egyptian (1954) . Never an energetic actor nor one of great artistic pretensions, he nevertheless continued as a Hollywood stalwart both in programme and in more prominent films like The Robe (1953). More interested in golf than acting, his appearances diminished through the 1960s, but he made a stunning comeback of sorts in a hilarious romp as a very Victor Mature-like actor in Neil Simon's Zorro (1966). He eventually took over his activities and, after a cameo as Samson's father in a TV remake of his own "Samson and Delilah" (Sansón y Dalila (1984) , he retired for good . He is well accompanied as co-starring by the gorgeous Anita Ekberg , reportedly the producers cut much of Ekberg's erotic dances in the ending edition, and yet objections were still made of "spicy situations" , causing a huge fuss on England billboards . And excellent support cast, such as : Michael Wilding , Eunice Gayson, Finlay Currie , Bernard Miles , Eddie Byrne , André Morell and Patrick McGoohan.

The ambient of the country at the time is pretty well shown accompanied by an atmospheric and brilliant cinematography by John Wilcox , Cyril J. Knowles, Ted Moore . Being shot on various locations : Morocco, Tangier, Burma m Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK. As well as thrilling musical score by William Alwyn and musical director by regular Muir Matheson. Being shot on location in Nairobi National Park, and Nairobi , Kenya . Lavishly produced by the notorious producers Irving Allen and the famous Albert R. Broccoli who subsequently to finance the successful James Bond series . The motion picture produced by Warwick along with Columbia Pictures was decently directed by Terence Young who directed some of the best Bond movies as Doctor No , From Russia with love and Thunderball .

"Zarak" gets off to a roaring start - with us entering the Arabian village where Anita Ekberg's character lives with her old husband, being acquainted with her lusty relationship with his son (Victor Mature) and the father catching them in the act and sentencing them both to death - all within the first ten minutes of the film!!!! After that, it sort of delves into non-stop rebel war fighting scenes, which aren't that engrossing or all that well filmed - only momentarily catching up with Ekberg and her turgid relationship with Mature here and there. There are some very "American" touches of humour which clearly separate this US sword and sandal flick from the much more common Italian ones. But Anita Ekberg's scantily-clad dances, and sizzling seduction scenes are reason enough to seek out this title and sit through the yawn- inducing battle scenes which make up most of the movie.

Zarak Khan is the son of a chief who is caught embracing one of his father's wives, Salma. Zarak's father sentences both to torture and death but they are saved by an imam. The exiled Zarak becomes a bandit chief and an enemy of the British Empire.

It's a watchable orientalist romp, despite the muddled script, sometimes plodding pace, especially in the first half, and it has some good action sequences such as the bridge scene. Far from a great film, however it's diverting enough, especially with Anita Ekberg and her outfits or lack of it, and a good performance by Michael Wilding as the British officer looking to capture Zarak Khan (the great Victor Mature). There's a 007 connection here - Terence Young is the director, screenplay by Richard Maibaum, co-produced by Albert broccoli and actress Eunice Grayson feature.

although I was just a teenager when I saw Zarak, I remember very fondly this excellent film, notably the unbelievable Anita Ekberg's dance, certainly one of the most thrilling piece of eroticism of all British films. Director Terence Young was certainly a master of blending sex appeal with action as testified by his latter films (Safari, Dr No...) Ms Ekberg who certainly is the main attraction of the film is not the only one: Victor Mature as Zarak, an afghan rebel (!) is excellent as usual and the British officers are stiff to the point that they look only at Mature and not at Anita Ekberg. Can you believe it? What is amazing me is how such a cult film which has strong fans all over the world lay unissued and can't be seen anymore. When someone somewhere will at last publish this little gem on DVD?

In 1956 I was a twelve year old girl, going to the Saturday Matinée with my friends. The things I remember best about Zarak were the marvelous colors of the costumes, the romantic plot line and the desert fighting. It was both a Swash and a Buckle, and made even more exciting by its exotic location. Victor Mature was a bit long in the tooth, and probably could have played the father instead of the son, but he was still in good enough shape for my twelve year old heart to side with the errant lovers. Anita Ekburg didn't actually act much, but she was spectacular---in living color and almost in the costumes. In comparison to Victor Matures' be-robed macho, Michael Wilding seemed a bit of a stuffed shirt, leading most twelve year old girls to decide that Arabs were much sexier than Englishmen!