Prior reviews capture most of my comments, and indicate that the creators of "Khartoum" may have played a little loose with the historical facts of the city's fall and Gordon's death. Regardless, this is a hugely entertaining movie, made more so by the fair treatment of the Mahdi and the depth of his religious beliefs. Olivier is an odd but effective choice to portray him, but no more so than Heston as "Chinese" Gordon. (Imagine someone of Gordon's stature with a similarly ethnic name like that today...Schwarzkopf, for example.) One has the feeling that Heston does not really capture Gordon's eccentricities, but his performance is still strong. The staging and photography offer great sets and costumes and the "epic" camera work that was prevalent in 60s historical dramas.
Overall, "Khartoum" is an interesting take on British Imperial politics in a period when the practice of diplomacy and empire-building were seemingly more elegant (but were still quite messy and lethal). An "8" out of "10."
Overall, "Khartoum" is an interesting take on British Imperial politics in a period when the practice of diplomacy and empire-building were seemingly more elegant (but were still quite messy and lethal). An "8" out of "10."