Main Cast: Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, Annabella, J. Edward Bromberg, Joseph Schildkraut
Release Year: 1938
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
Plot
This is an epic Darryl F. Zanuck production that plays fast and loose with historical facts regarding early 19th century French politics and the building of the Suez Canal. Tyrone Power stars as Ferdinand de Lesseps, an engineer and son of a French nobleman (Harry Stephenson). At the start of the film, he is in love with Eugenie (Loretta Young), but so is the French President Louis Napoleon (Leon Ames). After his father is appointed French consul to Egypt, the younger de Lesseps travels there and conceives the idea of a canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red seas. Back in France, he is promised help by Eugenie, now Napoleon's mistress, in exchange for Count de Lesseps' agreement to dissolve the government temporarily. Napoleon then declares himself emperor, making Eugenie his empress. The elder de Lesseps dies of shock at the political betrayal, while the younger de Lesseps starts building the canal, overcoming attacks by tribal people and severe heat. France cuts off backing, and de Lesseps has to get help from England to finish the project. A sandstorm injures de Lesseps, and his French-Egyptian lover Toni (Annabella) straps him to a post to save him, sacrificing her own life for the canal. Power and Annabella married each other after the film. The descendants of de Lesseps sued 20th Century Fox for libel, but lost. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Review
The historical fact that can be found in Suez would just about fill the navel of a sand flea, so anyone expecting a true history lesson would be better off with even the most condensed history book on the Suez Canal. Of course, Hollywood almost always takes liberties with history when creating films, so this is to be expected. What's more surprising is that the "fake" story they came up with is of such little interest. This problem is compounded by the fact that the screenplay contains achingly banal dialogue that must have made the actors cringe whenever they had to open their mouths. Fortunately, the cast is very game and doesn't let on that the words they spout are so ridiculous. It can't be said that anyone is giving a legendary performance, but Tyrone Power, Loretta Young and Annabella all turn in performances that are vastly superior to the material. It doesn't hurt that each member of this trio is a joy to look at, or that Young is costumed in some stunning gowns. As a matter of fact, Suez is visually a treat all over, with lavish sets and evocative cinematography and some fine special effects. Among the last named, the climactic wind storm is especially deserving of mention, a sequence that must have been painful and difficult for Power and Annabella. Suez would have benefited from a sprightlier pace, and while director Allan Dwan handles the action segments with style and skill, he doesn't really pull the film together into a cohesive whole. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Rudolph Sternad - Art Director, Gene Markey - Associate Producer, Royer - Costume Designer, Allan Dwan - Director, Otto Brower - Director, Barbara McLean - Editor, David Raksin - Composer (Music Score), Louis Silvers - Composer (Music Score), Louis Silvers - Musical Direction/Supervision, Bernard Herzbrun - Production Designer, J. Peverell Marley - Cinematographer, Darryl F. Zanuck - Producer, Thomas K. Little - Set Designer, Fred Sersen - Special Effects, Roger Heman - Sound/Sound Designer, Arthur VonKirbach - Sound/Sound Designer, Sam G. Duncan - Screen Story, Philip Dunne - Screenwriter, Julien Josephson - Screenwriter
