The Queen of Sheba

I enjoyed QUEEN OF SHEBA. I was entertained by it and thought it was really colorful for a Black & White film: many characters played by a beautiful cast, amazing complex sets, beautiful locations. Music score by the brilliant Nino Rota. What's not to like?

The script was well written with some clever plot lines. I really like how the story was set-up, with the two Israelites heroes, Prince Rehoboam (son of King Solomon) and his right hand man Isachar, pretending to be the two travelers/spies who were captured while on their way to Sheba. When they arrive at a secret Oasis near Sheba, both men immediately fall in love with the two women who are bathing there, Prince Rehoboam with Princess (soon to be Queen) Balkis and Isachar with the Princess' handmaiden. When the King dies, Balkis becomes Queen and she is wed to a God/statue and cannot love a mortal man. This complicates things as Balkis has fallen in love with Prince Rehoboam (and vice versa). Things get even more complicated when the dashing but evil Kabaal, commander of the Sheban army, also lusts after Balkis and wants Prince Rehoboam out of the picture.

After much merriment in Sheba, the Prince and Isachar are about to be found out as impostors since the two travelers/spies who were captured in Solomon have escaped and have told everything to Kabaal. The Queen learns about the Prince's deception but also about his imminent marriage to another aristocratic woman. Prince Rehoboam and Isachar (with the handmaiden) leave Sheba with their lives just in time but Queen Balkis is infuriated with the Prince and declares war on the Kingdom of Solomon. This sets up a major battle and more intrigue and fun action.

The acting is good for a lightweight romance/action/adventure film. Do not expect Shakespeare. This is a purely entertaining film. Leonora Ruffo as the Queen and a warrior was believable. She had the right amount of innocence, strength and beauty. Gino Leurini as the Prince was a memorably atypical hero. The two had chemistry. Umberto Silvestri as Isachar was totally cool and Franco Silva cut a dashing and yet evil figure as the army commander Kabaal. But the actor that easily steals the show in THE QUEEN OF SHEBA was Gino Cervi as King Solomon. His portrayal was a real stand-out and made the whole story believable and yet mythical as well.

The film has a surprising number of stand-out scenes, including the opening; the encounter at the secret Oasis (with underwater sequences!); the first time we see Kabaal drilling his army; the three way challenge, between the Prince, Kabaal and Balkis, on horseback; Balkis becoming Queen; the tavern scene; the battle at the end; the duel between the Prince and "Kabaal" (you'll know what I mean); the denouement in the valley of silence (wow!!!). Anyway, I could go on and on but there's really a fair amount of well-mounted sequences here. All beautiful shot in glorious Black & White. I usually like Peplums in color but I have to admit that the B&W cinematography was at times stunning. And then there's the score by Nino Rota.

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA might not be considered as a great film by many but I was greatly entertained by it. For fans of Pepla, it's a must see. Much better than that bloated Hollywood epic, SOLOMON & SHEBA.

Entitled "The Queen of Sheba" on the DVD or video versions in the U.S., this is a well budgeted effort in the long-tradition of cinematic sword and sandal movies. Indeed, this genre of movie began in Italy almost a half century before. The Italian school of cinema put out some grand ancient-world epics before "going to seed" in the late 50's and 60's. So, "Sheba" is right on the cusp of this. Production values are quite good--costumes and sets. Most of the acting is tepid to poor, and the battle/fight scenes are slack; therefore, the script's hokeyness is not concealed. Still, "Sheba" is interesting viewing for a movie buff into sword and sandal flicks. A partial saving grace--it's not too long!

The dubbing although well done does nonetheless cause the acting to appear rather wooden. It would perhaps be better subtitled. The script and some of the characterisations were better than average. But the single thing which makes this film truly remarkable is the scale of the sets. A staircase which appeared to be perhaps 200 feet wide and rising perhaps 80 feet led into a building which towered above it AND went back perhaps 100 feet. The remainder of the building was not painted on glass because people could be seen walking between it and the camera. Tiny figures walked up the steps. Was the set really that big? It was bigger than anything seen from Hollywood yet it was only on screen for perhaps a minute. Another set had a vast colonnaded hall - with a ceiling perhaps 100 feet high.

Although handsomely shot in B&W, it was though a shame that the film was not in colour - Princess Balkis's eyes were supposedly "as blue as ultramarine" - here they were as grey as a foggy day in London

In ancient Israel King Salomon whose wisdom and benevolent rule is seen as a threat to more tyrannical monarchs in the region . Solomon is wise and rules his kingdom well. King Salomon (Gino Cervi) names his younger son, Rehoboam (Gino Leurini), his heir and sends him on a spy assignment to Sheba . But he slowly falls in love with the Queen(Leonora Ruffo) . In fact, the Queen is in league with other kingdoms and her aim is to divide the twelve tribes of Israel . Over time however, she too falls in love with Rehoboam choosing to side with him against the priests . The luscious Queen of Sheba falls in love with the King of Israel's son , Rehoboam , however, he is in love with someone else ,Zamira (Marina Berti who played Quo Vadis as Petronio's gorgeous slave) , daughter's King of Tiro . The Queen thinks Rehoboam has double-crossed her and influenced by Kabaal (Franco Silva), commander of the Sheban army attacks the city of Jerusalem . The Queen of Sheba royally ticked off , invades Israel King but Rehoboam attempts to prevent a war between their two countries .

This is an early Peplum with drama, court intrigues , a love story and spectacular battles , but not brain food .Don't look for too much of a screenplay, because the emphasis is on lavish spectacle . Lousy performances in theatrical style with lots of gesticulation .As usual in Peplum films appears the choreographic girls dancers and lots of action with several adventures including spectacular fights , impressive sets and some good effects . The sets and production design impress too .The film contains an evocative and spectacular music by Nino Rota -The Godfather- well conducted by Franco Ferrara . This elaborate recounting is regularly directed by Pietro Francisci though with little relation with the Biblic events . Francisci was an expert on Peplum as he proved in 1963 Ercole sfida Sansone , 1960 Saffo, Venere Di Lesbo ,1960 The battle of Siracusa ,1959 Hércules unchained and particularly 1958 Hércules with the great Steve Reeves . Fun for the whole family though it tends toward the ponderous at times but for the most part, it's an average movie .

Remade , some years later ,by Henry King ,as "Solomon and sheba " ,starring Yul Brynner and Gina Lollobrigida as the temptress who allowed herself an orgy : the pagan queen finally embraced the "true " God.

In the Bible ,only a few lines are given over to Sheba ;her life is reportedly more detailed in the Coran,and she's referred as Balkis in it,as in the Italian movie.

In spite of some plot holes, the Italian movie compares favorably with the big budget American superproduction ; there's only one scene shared by both versions: the obligatory famous judgement of Solomon concerning the two mothers .

Solomon 's time on the screen is rather short,leaving the lion's share to his son Roboam (who ,historically, would be Solomon's and Sheba's son) ,who meets the queen who has a bath incognito in an oasis (the famous waterfalls which you can see in almost every Italian sword and sandal /peplum film) and naturally it's love at first sight.Roboam and his mate use a pseud to enter her town ,and when she discovers she 's been cheated , the queen declares war to Solomon.Historically ,Solomon's reign was peaceful and prosperous ,but his 700+wives and lovers and his tolerance with the Pagan religions provoked an angry response from the petulant Jehovah at the end of his reign.

The siege scene is well directed and helps the queen find both true love and true faith .

It had not been the only time an Italian black and white peplum was remade as a cinemascope/color epic : they remade Freda's "Spartacus"(1952) ,which ,in spite of Kubrik's film reputation, deserves to be seen.