55 Days at Peking
1963 · Movie · NR · 154 min · ★ 6.9 · 62% critics
Diplomats, soldiers, and representatives of multiple nations band together as a compound in Peking comes under siege during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. With competing interests and overwhelming odds, they struggle to hold out until help arrives, as hidden support and court politics complicate their survival.
Also known as Fifty Five Days at Peking
Where to watch
Streaming on TCM.
3 hours to watch.
Stream (included)
Streaming availability and prices may be inaccurate or change — verify with the provider before subscribing.
unSUB's subscription recommendations are informational only, not financial advice.
More value for your money
Similar titles, ranked by watch-hours per subscription dollar.
Details
- Years
- 1963
- Release date
- 1963-05-06
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 154 min
- Critic score
- 62/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.9/10 (185 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want grand, old-fashioned siege action and big-studio historical adventure; Not for you if you prefer modern, more culturally sensitive casting or want a faster-paced story like The Last Valley or Shake Hands with the Devil.
Pros: epic siege spectacle; strong ensemble cast; lavish historical sets | Cons: dated casting choices; pacing feels overlong; mixed tone on politics
Themes
- siege
- beijing, china
- 1900s
- boxer rebellion
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Original Score · 1964 · nominated
Cast & crew
Charlton Heston
as Maj. Matt Lewis
Ava Gardner
as Baroness Natalie Ivanoff
David Niven
as Sir Arthur Robertson
Flora Robson
as Dowager Empress Tzu-Hsi
John Ireland
as Sgt. Harry
Harry Andrews
as Father de Bearn
Leo Genn
as Gen. Jung-Lu
Robert Helpmann
as Prince Tuan
Kurt Kasznar
as Baron Sergei Ivanoff
Philippe Leroy
as Julliard
Directed by Nicholas Ray