International intrigue in London, involving an American university professor, an Arab prime minister, a ruthless businessman, a beautiful spy, and hieroglyphics.International intrigue in London, involving an American university professor, an Arab prime minister, a ruthless businessman, a beautiful spy, and hieroglyphics.International intrigue in London, involving an American university professor, an Arab prime minister, a ruthless businessman, a beautiful spy, and hieroglyphics.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 2 wins & 4 nominations total
Lewis Alexander
- Racegoer
- (uncredited)
Jack Armstrong
- Ascot Racegoer
- (uncredited)
Peter Avella
- Henchman
- (uncredited)
Roy Beck
- Reporter at Press Conference
- (uncredited)
Paul Beradi
- Ascot Racegoer
- (uncredited)
Michael Bilton
- Camera Shop Owner
- (uncredited)
Ernest Blyth
- Man at Gatwick Airport
- (uncredited)
George Curtis
- Man in Crowd
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGregory Peck found the stunts particularly difficult because of an old leg injury due to horseback riding. During the escape in the corn field, Peck had to keep telling Sophia Loren to slow down because it looked as if she was rescuing him and not the other way around.
- GoofsAfter the man has been drowned in the fish tank, there are several shots of the actors with the tank in the background. In all but one of the shots, the drowned man is seen floating on the surface. In the goofed shot, the drowned man can be seen swimming toward the side of the tank.
- Quotes
David Pollock: Follow that car!
Taxi Driver: All my life I have waited for somebody to say that!
- Alternate versionsFor the UK theatrical release, the BBFC removed a few seconds of the drowning in the aquarium and the sight of a man being bloodily shot in the face in order to obtain an 'A' rating (the equivalent of today's 'PG'). All later releases have been uncut and rated '12.'
- ConnectionsFeatured in Biography: Sophia Loren: Actress Italian Style (1997)
- SoundtracksWe've Loved Before (Yasmin's Theme)
Written by Henry Mancini, Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Conducted by Henry Mancini
Featured review
A Little Hitchcock Style, A Little James Bond Style, A Lot of Fun!
ARABESQUE is another fab Universal romantic thriller in the grand CHARADE tradition, including some of the same personnel! If director Stanley Donen's classic 1963 comedy-thriller CHARADE is Hitchcock Lite, then ARABESQUE is Hitchcock Lite after taking a few classes in James Bond 101 (including an opening title sequence by Maurice Binder, who also did the honors for CHARADE as well as for most of the Bond movies). As the hieroglyphics expert embroiled in Middle Eastern intrigue while decoding the cipher everyone's after, the usual slightly wooden note in Gregory Peck's delivery is oddly effective as he tries to loosen up and deliver Cary Grant-like witticisms (from co-scripter "Pierre Marton," a.k.a. CHARADE alumnus Peter Stone). Peck may not be Mr. Glib, but he's so inherently likable and seems so delighted to get an opportunity to deliver bon mots after all his serious roles that he's downright endearing, like a child trying out new words for the first time. And co-star Sophia Loren, at her most alluring as an Arab femme fatale, can make any guy look suave and sexy! Alan Badel, looking like a polished Peter Sellers in cool shades, virtually steals his scenes as the suave-bordering-on-unctuous villain with a foot fetish. Shoe lovers will swoon over the scene with Badel fitting the lovely Loren with a roomful of fancy footwear. Speaking of things of beauty, Christopher Challis's dazzling, inventive cinematography won the BAFTA (the British equivalent of the Oscars), and Christian Dior got a BAFTA nomination for Loren's elegant costumes. Suspenseful and sparkling as this twist-filled adventure is, ARABESQUE's biggest mystery is why it's still only available in VHS format. If this gem ever gets deluxe treatment as a DVD (including letterboxing, please!), I sure hope they get Donen and Loren together to do the kind of entertaining, informative commentary that Donen did with the late, great Stone for Criterion's CHARADE DVD. In the meantime, ARABESQUE turns up on American Movie Classics and Turner Classic Movies periodically, so check your TV listings -- this fun thriller is worth seeking out! UPDATE FOR 2012: ARABESQUE is now available from Universal in a six-DVD Gregory Peck collectors' set, along with MIRAGE, CAPE FEAR, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, CAPTAIN NEWMAN, M.D., and THE WORLD IN HIS ARMS!
helpful•458
- dtb
- Mar 30, 2002
- How long is Arabesque?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $4,800,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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