Khartoum

Kartum is the title of a British film of the war-type historical film genre, directed in 1966 by film director Basil Dearden, with the participation of actors from renown, such as Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Richard Johnson, Alexander Knox and Johnny Sekka. The film was nominated for an Oscar Award.

Synopsis

In 1883, British Prime Minister Gladstone (Richardson) sends General Charles Gordon (Charlton Heston) to Khartoum, Sudan, where thousands of civilians live under threat from the Muslim fanatic calling himself the Mahdi (Lawrence Olivier), and his armies of followers called the dervishes. The Mahdi has bolstered his authority by massacring an army of pro-British Sudanese soldiers and threatening to spread his influence throughout the region.

The Mahdi-Muhammad Ahmad is a mystical Muslim leader who feels called by the Prophet Muhammad to flee his infidel enemies (the Ottoman Empire and the British) from their ancestral lands and his intentions are nothing less than to reach Constantinople.

Gordon is a British soldier who walks between the English martiality carrying out the orders of the British Empire and a renegade spirit and with a deep nationalist love for the Sudanese. The British Empire, represented by Gladstone, is reluctant to send reinforcements to Sudan because the presence of troops may destabilize the region and intends to leave Sudan. Gordon opposes the British intentions and it is in this renegade position that the dervishes respond and a bloody jihad is unleashed by El Mahdi.

Gordon manages to earn the respect of El Mahdi by showing up unarmed and only accompanied by an aide to the enemy camp calling for a truce; but the Mahdi cannot stop his followers from laying siege to the city. At this moment when the fate of history hangs in the balance, Gordon faces the greatest battle of his life in defense of the ancient city of Khartoum.

Painting representing the last moments of life of General Gordon during the Khartoum siege.

Charton Heston as General Gordon and Laurance Olivier as the Mahdi, both Academy Award winners, face off as actors in this epic and moving drama, impersonating with great artistic quality two brave, mystical and solid men in their convictions; but that they respect each other and two empires that are opposed by a region convulsed by the religious fanaticism of the dervishes and British colonialist interests. The final battle for the besieged city of Khartoum ends in an ignominious fashion for British interests.

Filmed in Cinerama, featuring jaw-dropping desert battles orchestrated by the creator of the Ben-Hur chariot race, Kartum offers a magnificent spectacle of action with excellent performances and amazing cinematography, although it is lost due to an excess of dialogues making it not very dynamic, an aspect that is accentuated by not taking full advantage of the spectacularity of the story, events and settings.

Technical aspects

Regarding the technical aspects, the film was shot in Ultra Panavision 70 mm and presented in Cinerama, which gives several scenes great visibility, especially those related to combat in the desert. Lawrence Olivier's performance as the Mahdi stands out.

To add that, initially the role of General Gordon was going to fall to the actor Burt Lancaster, a proposal that he had to reject when it coincided with another filming: "El Gatopardo".

Main roles

• General Charles George Gordon: Charlton Heston
• The Mahdi: Sir Laurence Olivier
• Colonel Stewart: Richard Johnson
• Prime Minister William Gladstone: Ralph Richardson

Awards

The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.