Khartoum (film)
Khartoum is a 1966 British epic war film written by Robert Ardrey and directed by Basil Dearden. It stars Charlton Heston as British General Charles "Chinese" Gordon and Laurence Olivier as Muhammad Ahmed (a Sudanese leader whose devotees proclaimed him the Mahdi), with a supporting cast that includes Richard Johnson and Ralph Richardson. The film is based on historical accounts of Gordon's defence of the Sudanese city of Khartoum from the forces of the Mahdist army, during the 1884–1885 Siege of Khartoum. The opening and closing scenes are narrated by Leo Genn.
| Khartoum | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Basil Dearden Eliot Elisofon (introductory scenes) |
| Written by | Robert Ardrey |
| Produced by | Julian Blaustein |
| Starring | Charlton Heston Laurence Olivier Richard Johnson Ralph Richardson |
| Narrated by | Leo Genn |
| Cinematography | Edward Scaife |
| Edited by | Fergus McDonell |
| Music by | Frank Cordell |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates | 9 June 1966 (World premiere, London) |
Running time | 134 minutes 128 minutes (US) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6–8 million |
| Box office | $3 million (est. US/Canada rentals) |
Khartoum was filmed by cinematographer Edward Scaife in Technicolor and Ultra Panavision 70, and was exhibited in 70 mm Cinerama in premiere engagements. A novelization of the film's screenplay was written by Alan Caillou.
The film had its Royal World Premiere at the Casino Cinerama Theatre, in the West End of London, on 9 June 1966, in the presence of Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon.
Khartoum earned Robert Ardrey an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. The film also earned Ralph Richardson a BAFTA Award nomination for Best British Actor.