A Sword and Sandal epic movie centers about Amenhotep IV (Amadeo Nazzari) son of Amenophis III who reigned Egypt . Amenhotep IV was crowned in Thebes and there he started a building program and a new religion , taking on the traditional priests (Vincent Price in one of his most unknown movies) . He married Nefertiti (Jeanne Crain) who loved Tutmes (Edmund Purdom) , sculptor who made the famous bust from her . Amenhotep IV-Akhenaten tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion, yet in the end it would not be accepted . After his death, traditional religious practice was gradually restored .
It's a slice of ancient history set in 1300 B.C. : Amenophis IV is known as Akhenaten or Akhenaton , he was proclaimed maximum priest imposing a sole and , only one , great God : ¨Aton¨ or God Sun , pitting the priests (Vincent Price) followers to ¨Amon Ra¨ . Marriage between Amenophis and Nefertiti would born Tutankhamon . Amenophis created a new city called Ajetaton or Amarna . This is a Peplum style movie with impressive images but including factual errors , as Amenhopis IV changed his name to Akhenaten after converting to the worship of the Aton , and his capital was Akhet-Aton , not Thebes . Jeanne Crain is beautiful , Vincent Price , as always , plays very well a villain person . There are several secondaries and good Italian actors seen in Peplum or Sword and Sandals genre , Musclemen movies and Spaghetti Westerns : Alberto Farnese , Liana Orfei , Umberto Raho, Ralph Baldasarre , among others . Spellbound color cinematography by Massimo Dallamano ensure the glowing spectacle . Set design is breathtaking and Carlo Rustichelli's musical score is excellent . The picture was professionally directed by Fernando Cerchio . The movie gets likeness to 'Sinuhe the Egyptian' but lack luster and budget . Rating: 6 points/10
