Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961)

Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961)

Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile movie storyline. In ancient Egypt, Tumos (Edmund Purdom), an apprentice sculptor, is in love with Tenet (Jeanne Crain), a beautiful girl who is to be dedicated to the gods as a priestess. Tumos and Tenet intend to elope, but the high priest Benakon (Vincent Price) learns of their plans. He has Tenet taken into custody and Tumos is condemned for violating religious laws.

Tumos flees to the desert to join his friend prince Amenophis (Amedeo Nazzari), the heir to the throne. Amenophis is an effective warrior who has just defeated the Chaldeans. Among the Chaldean prisoners is Seper (Carlo D’Angelo), the priest of a new God Aten, who he claims to be the one true god. Seper proclaims a religion of love, and prophesies the imminent death of the old Pharaoh and the coming reign of Amenophis. The prophecy comes true. Before he returns to Thebes to become pharaoh Amenophis agrees to the marriage of Tenet and Tumos, and makes Seper one of his advisers.

Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961)

In Thebes, Benakon reveals to Tenet that he is her father. He also tells her that she is not to be a priestess; the old pharaoh had agreed that she should marry Amenophis on his death. He gives her the new name Nefertiti and says she is to be the Queen of the Nile.

Amenophis accepts her as his wife, unaware that Nefertiti is the same person as the “Tenet” he had given to Tumos. Tumos, an obstacle in the whole plan, has been arrested by Benakon. He eventually escapes from prison, but is attacked and mauled by a lion. He survives and is nursed by Merith (Liana Orfei), an artist’s model who is in love with him. Nefertiti is told he is dead.

Tumos soon learns that Tenet is now called Nefertiti and is married to the pharaoh. He gets drunk and sleeps with Merith. When Nefertiti learns that Tumos is alive, she asks Amenophis to make him the court sculptor and order him to sculpt a bust of Nefertiti. While he works on it, the couple renew their love.

Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961)

Meanwhile Benakon is disturbed by the growing influence of Seper’s god. His men burst into the Atenist church, killing Seper and many of the worshipers. Nefertiti is among them, but escapes with Tumos’ help. Amenophis is disgusted by the killing. He proclaims that all idols are to be destroyed and the old priesthood abolished. However, he forgives Benakon, to emphasise his devotion to the values of the new faith.

Nefertiti, Regina del Nilo (English Translation: Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile) is a 1961 Italian Sword-and-sandal historical drama written and directed by Fernando Cerchio and produced for MAX Film by Ottavio Poggi. The film stars Jeanne Crain, Edmund Purdom, and Vincent Price. Purdom had previously starred in The Egyptian (1954), which has a similar plot and characters.

Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile Movie Poster (1961)

Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961)

Directed by: Fernando Cerchio
Starring: Jeanne Crain, Vincent Price, Edmund Purdom, Amedeo Nazzari, Liana Orfei, Carlo D’Angelo, Raf Baldassarre, Alberto Farnese, Clelia Matania, Romano Giomini, Gino Marturano
Screenplay by: John Byrne, Fernando Cherchio, Ottavio Poggi
Production Design by: Ernest Kromberg, Amedeo Mellone
Cinematography by: Massimo Dallamano
Film Editing by: Renato Cinquini
Costume Design by: Giancarlo Bartolini Salimbeni
Set Decoration by: Gianfranco Lowle
Music by: Carlo Rustichelli
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Colorama Features (USA)
Release Date: September 20, 1961 (Italy), January 15, 1964 (United States)

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