Movie · 1963
55 Days at Peking
“A handful of men and women held out against the frenzied hordes of bloodthirsty fanatics!”
Released 6 May 1963 154 min History / War / Drama More from 1963 → IMDb ↗ · Letterboxd ↗ · TMDB ↗
Diplomats, soldiers and other representatives of a dozen nations fend off the siege of the International Compound in Peking during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. The disparate interests unite for survival despite competing factions, overwhelming odds, delayed relief and tacit support of the Boxers by the Empress of China and her generals.
FR·01
How old were they?
Paul Lukas
as Dr. Steinfeldt
Félix Dafauce
as Dutch Minister (uncredited)
Mervyn Johns
as Clergyman
Carlos Casaravilla
as Japanese Minister (uncredited)
Flora Robson
as Dowager Empress Tzu-Hsi
José Nieto
as Italian Minister
Leo Genn
as Gen. Jung-Lu
Robert Helpmann
as Prince Tuan
David Niven
as Sir Arthur Robertson
Harry Andrews
as Father de Bearn
John Ireland
as Sgt. Harry
Kurt Kasznar
as Baron Sergei Ivanoff
Eric Pohlmann
as Baron von Meck
Andrea Esterhazy
as Austrian Minister (uncredited)
Jerome Thor
as Capt. Andy Marshall
Joseph Fürst
as Capt. Hanselman
Fernando Sancho
as Belgian Minister (uncredited)
Massimo Serato
as Garibaldi
Elizabeth Sellars
as Lady Sarah Robertson
Robert Urquhart
as Capt. Hanley
Ava Gardner
as Baroness Natalie Ivanoff
Charlton Heston
as Maj. Matt Lewis
Jacques Sernas
as Maj. Bobrinski
Philippe Leroy
as Julliard
FR·02
The numbers
0.6×$17m budget became $10m at the box office
36years between the oldest and youngest billed
68Paul Lukas — oldest on the call sheet
32Philippe Leroy — youngest billed
50average age of the credited cast