Khartoum

Released Jun 15, 1966

2h 14m

History

Drama

Action

List

100%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1883, William Gladstone (Ralph Richardson), Britain's prime minister, enlists reputable Gen. Gordon (Charlton Heston) to smooth over the situation in Sudan after a brutal battle has left several British men dead. Gordon, known to defy orders, is received well in the city of Khartoum -- so instead of acting as an ambassador, he motivates the city to prepare its defenses. Despite massive efforts to divert enemy attack, Gordon's new, small army is no match for what befalls it.

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John H

Very good movie about Britains crisis in the Sudan

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/05/24

Full Review

Will S

This is a surprisingly pointless movie. It could have been about empires and it hints in a few places that it wants to be about religious fanaticism--Gordon and the Mahdi are both religious egomaniacs--but ultimately it's only about the desire to make a movie as profitable as Lawrence of Arabia.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/13/23

Full Review

dustin d

Khartoum is a spectacle of a film. Like Lawrence of Arabia, it's a grand, historical film about an English officer intervening in desert conflict as he sees fit. Charleston Heston gives perhaps his best performance and completely disappears into his character. Laurence Olivier hams it up in blackface as "the Mahdi," which modern viewers might find offensive, but it wasn't done in a patronizing fashion. Khartoum is an entertaining, minor classic.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Alamo of the Sudan. An epic production filled with expansive, scenic visuals; large-scale, chaotic battle scenes; and a western bias. The scenes involving Olivier and Heston together, while the best part of the movie, are few and far between. The story is interesting, and well told, but did not need so long to be told.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Don’t let the great critics score fool you. There are only ten of them. A good script, but the tail end of the great 60’s historical epics. Should have been much better. Yes it’s ridiculous seeing Olivier in black face again. Almost as ridiculous is Heston using an English accent. Why is he in this? Heston was a serviceable actor but brings nothing to the role. And in an era of tremendous British actors that could have been cast and been so much better.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/31/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Ah, the biopic genre of classic Hollywood, replete with overture, intermission and voice-over intro. True to form for films made 1910s to 1960s. You learn that the Brits were after the Mahdi, the guided one. Funny that rarelly are movies from the perspective of the Islamist made any more. Equally interesting is the fact that most westerners are fully ignorant of America's war with Islam since the presidency of Jefferson and the marines fighting Islamists on the shores of Tripoli. Yet, here we are. Overall, a well-written film of epic proportions, and mostly well acted, except at times Heston's Gordon gets a little to sentimental for a general, but he is known for over-acting

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

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Basil Dearden

Director

Charlton Heston

Gen. Charles "Chinese" Gordon

Laurence Olivier

The Mahdi

Richard Johnson

Col. J.D.H. Stewart

Ralph Richardson

William Gladstone

Alexander Knox

Sir Evelyn Baring

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Rob Aldam

Backseat Mafia

Its strength is in the writing and having such powerful actors to deliver a clever and involving script.

Nov 27, 2018

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A painless and entertaining bout with history in the desert.

Rated: B+

Mar 8, 2008

Full Review

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Heston is at his bravest, and Olivier is at his tannest. Good spectacle.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 18, 2008

Full Review

Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rated: 3/5

Sep 10, 2004

Full Review

Frank Swietek

One Guy's Opinion

Rated: 3/5

Apr 15, 2004

Full Review

Daniel M. Kimmel

Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Rated: 3/5

Jan 30, 2004

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1883, William Gladstone (Ralph Richardson), Britain's prime minister, enlists reputable Gen. Gordon (Charlton Heston) to smooth over the situation in Sudan after a brutal battle has left several British men dead. Gordon, known to defy orders, is received well in the city of Khartoum -- so instead of acting as an ambassador, he motivates the city to prepare its defenses. Despite massive efforts to divert enemy attack, Gordon's new, small army is no match for what befalls it.

Director: Basil Dearden
Screenwriter: Robert Ardrey
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Julian Blaustein Productions Ltd.
Genre: History, Drama, Action
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 15, 1966, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 2h 14m

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