| She | |
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film poster by Tom Chantrell |
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| Directed by | Robert Day |
| Produced by | Michael Carreras |
| Written by | Screenplay: David T. Chantler Novel: H. Rider Haggard |
| Starring | Ursula Andress Peter Cushing Christopher Lee John Richardson Rosenda Monteros Princess Soraya Bernard Cribbins |
| Music by | James Bernard |
| Cinematography | Harry Waxman, BSC |
| Editing by | James Needs and Eric Boyd-Perkins |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | 1965 |
| Running time | 106 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | 323,778 British Pounds |
She is a 1965 film made by Hammer Film Productions, based on the novel by H. Rider Haggard. It was directed by Robert Day and stars Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.
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Upon receiving their honorable discharges from the British Army in 1918 Palestine, an expedition is made by Professor Holly (Peter Cushing), young Leo Vincey (John Richardson) and their manservant Job (Bernard Cribbins), into a previously unexplored region of north-east Africa. This, in turn, leads them to the lost city of Kuma. This lost realm is ruled by Ayesha (Ursula Andress), who is also known as "She-who-must-be-Obeyed". Ayesha is an immortal queen and former high priestess, who sees Leo as the identical reincarnation of her former lover, the priest Kallikrates (whom she herself killed when she found him in an intimate embrace with another woman about two thousand years before). Ayesha tries to convince Leo to walk into a bonfire after it has turned blue, which happens once certain astronomical conditions have occurred, which are not fully explained in the film. It will only remain in this condition for a short period and only happens on certain rare occasions. By entering the fire, Leo himself will become immortal.
As this is occurring, Ayesha's army is attacked by her enslaved tribesmen, the Amahagger. Ayesha had oppressed the Amahagger for 2,000 years, but the uprising was triggered by the queen's executing the beautiful, Ustane (Rosenda Monteros). A humble young woman, Ustane had fallen in love with Leo. Ustane's father Haumeid (André Morell) who, like his daughter, had befriended Leo, Holly and Job, is naturally outraged; he leads the attack of the Amahagger. Ayesha's army appears overwhelmed during the fierce battle against the badly equipped, but numerous barbarians.
Leo meanwhile, battles Bilali (Christopher Lee), Ayesha's fanatical priest, who wants immortality for himself, believing it is his due after his years of selfless service. After battling Leo and giving him up for dead, Bilali attempts to enter the blue flames and become immortal when he is killed by Ayesha who spears him in the back.
Ayesha takes Leo's hand and leads him into the fire as, Leo has been reluctant to embrace Ayesha's promises of immortality and power. Upon entering the fire, Leo becomes immortal. However, the same fire destroys Ayesha's immortality, and she dies as the centuries catch up with her and she ages millenia in a few seconds. The film ends with a despondent Leo stating that he doesn't care when the fire will next burn blue (so he can enter and undo his immortality), but it will find him waiting.
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