Kings of the Sun (1963) User Reviews

Yul Is Cool But The Rest Lack Credibility

[ccthemovieman-1 · 5/10 · 24 July 2008]

One major advance films have made since the "classic era" of the 1960s and before that, is in realism of characters. You don't see white people playing Asians or blacks or Indians anymore. When you do see it, in these old films, it now looks ludicrous and takes away from the seriousness of the movie.

Yul Brynner, however, is one guy who could get away with it. Here, he plays Mexican-Indian warrior "Chief Black Eagle" and he's believable. Whether it's his deep, menacing voice or bald head with striking feature, Yul was cool no matter role he played.

I can't say the same for the rest of the cast. The co-star, George Chakaris as "Balam (the ninth)" as the same pretty-boy hairstyle right out of the late '50s/early '60s; Richard Basehart ("Ah Min," a Mayan priest) has coloring on his face and wig you have to see to believe! Barry Morse ("Ah Zok") will forever be typecast as "Lt. Girard" the man who harassed for years TV's "The Fugitive." Meanwhile, there is film-TV-tough guy Leo Gordon as "Hunac Kell" and Shirley Anne Field as "Ixchel." Field is beautiful and looks the part, but a British accent in Mayan territory? However, as the film goes on, Field is more and more believable, for some reason.

Whatever, there's always the story and a nice widescreen print now out on DVD, which I was fortunate enough to obtain for rent. It was filmed in the Yucatan, so the scenery is real - not some studio back lot.

In the story, Balam's Mayans get pushed out of their area by a war-mongering neighbor, led by Kell. There is nowhere to escape except by water over the Gulf of Mexico. This was no easy feat back in these early days. They make it, start to build their new homes and civilization, only to run into the Indians who already reside nearby. They are led by Chief Black Eagle and he's not too friendly.

The rest of the film answers two big question: 1 - What will happen between the two groups? Will one annihilate the other, or can they live in peace? 2 - What if the old enemies - Hunac Kell's barbarians - show up? And......of course, the big question: who gets the girl?

"Our people cannot live together. There is a wall between us."

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 7/10 · 13 April 2008]

"Kings of the Sun" is the story of a civilization burst into full flower…

In their profound desire to win favor from the deities, the Mayans made human sacrifice the keystone of their religion…

Keeping the Buddhist monk hairstyle as his trademark, Brynner easily steals the show with his virile personality, distinctive look, speech and mannerism… He is Black Eagle, the barbarian chief who comes to the defense of the Mayans…

George Chakiris plays Balam, the jaguar, king and son of kings to the ninth generation… Although in spite of being young and brave and untried, Chakiris lacks the heroic stature with which the role might have been satisfied…

Shirley Anne Field is the delicate Ixchel who would never leave Black Eagle except if he ever used to tell her that he loved her…

Richard Basehart is the high priest who tried to make the king understand that he cannot bring this new life to his people without giving a life… For a thousand years they've been bound by this law… The gods cannot be cheated…

Leo Gordon is the tyrant Hunac Kell… His strength is a sword of metal and the Mayans are powerless against it…

Filmed beautifully in Chichén Itzá, Yucatán – Mexico, J. Lee Thompson's motion picture is colorful and highly entertaining

Kings of the Sun review

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 25 June 2020]

Pretty-boy George Chakiris wisely keeps his shirt on opposite a buffed up Yul Brynner on whose form Joseph MacDonald's camera dwells with unadorned admiration. Had he paid similar attention to the insipid love interest Shirley Anne Field, people would complain about the sexual objectification of women, but Brynner seems to enjoy all the attention. J. Lee Thompson keeps the action moving along and the story entertaining, even though it is all highly predictable, and Richard Basehart looks suitably embarassed to be seen in an assortment of silly headgear and hairdos.

One Among Movie Kings of Adventure

[marcin_kukuczka · 7/10 · 1 July 2007]

The Mayas, one of the most mysterious and interesting civilizations that the world has ever seen, have not been popular movie heroes in cinema history. Except for Mel Gibson who recently directed APOCALYPTO, a stunning picture showing the twilight of the Mayan kingdom, not many people know that there was also J. Lee Thompson before who made KINGS OF THE SUN. He directed it in the early 1960s and, as a result, the film is filled with its era, with the style of the 1960s film-making. The reason why this movie is short of popularity is its highly limited access, not many TVs broadcast it, in most stores it is entirely skipped. Yet, recently, I had a chance to see KINGS OF THE SUN on Polish TV. And how did I feel about it? At first, I said to my friend who gave it a viewing with me: „Nice little movie" but after the second viewing, I noticed something captivating in it, I began to like it.

It is so because of entire different reasons than in case of APOCALYPTO. I don't like the idea to compare these two movies because they are totally different. What KINGS OF THE SUN lacks APOCALYPTO has and vice versa, including authenticity of language, cinematography, performances and music. The major reason why I was stunned by KINGS OF THE SUN is the presence of Yul Brynner. He is terrific as Black Eagle, a heroic chief of the Indian tribe who, at first, is hostile towards the new invaders; consequently, he is to be sacrificed to the God of Waters, and finally, finds himself in the absolutely unexpected circumstances. Brynner had many roles that were great but whoever claims that it is one of his very best ones is right. The way he says to Balam „Your woman is beautiful" enthralled me. The moment he observes a peculiar new city from a high tree remained in my memory as exceptionally outstanding. The final sequence is supplied with emotions also thanks to him. I admit that other cast do fine jobs, including George Chakiris as king Balam and Richard Basehart as priest Ah Min, but Brynner absolutely rocks. While he was the king in THE KING AND I, he is "the king of KINGS OF THE SUN."

The pure film factors like cinematography, direction, editing are quite fine here, yet, they are not top notch. Perhaps, that is the reason why the movie has not become one of the top movies of the genre like other films of the time. But one thing is important to mention: it is a pure adventure, not an epic but the fictitious nice little story of love, courage, fight for independence, coping with social problems, building up a new life in a new place. The character of Balam is well developed he is the King for his people, the one who says „NO" to the fanatical religion and the insane idea of human sacrifice. His final speech is pretty thought provoking „What do gods really want of us? What sort of sacrifice?" Yet, nothing draws your attention to profoundity or history - all is there around adventure goal, like in other films of the time, including THE VIKINGS (1958) by Richard Fleischer or THE LONG SHIPS (1964) by Jack Cardiff. Pity that these two cultures, the Vikings and the Mayas, have not been put on screen more often in purely historical films while there are much more educational films about Rome, Egypt or Greece. But that is a different story. KINGS OF THE SUN, for entertainment's sake, is really a rousing adventure.

The last interesting aspect of the movie I'd like to mention is its musical score which is really memorable, not very easy to tune but fits well to the scenes and the entire spirit of the movie. Music is affected by adventure, fighting, emotion... all that leaves an impact in the viewer. Consider, for instance, the rapid tunes interrupted by gentle ones when Ixchel (Shirley Anne Field) is trying to „tame" the Black Eagle. Another wonderful musical moment is when they sail on the sea, the whole picture is stunning. It is so thanks to cinematography, authentic locations, including popular pyramid of Chichen Itza, but music adds much as well.

I have a fresh memory of this movie since I have seen it recently. The case with you may be different, perhaps it has faded in your memory due to many years that have passed since you last saw it. Maybe, it is the first time you have heard of this movie. But I give you my honest advice, look for it because it is really worth seeing. Whether KINGS OF THE SUN is going to be released on DVD or not, it is absolutely worth seeking out. Doesn't have the power of APOCALYPTO, doesn't offer the authentic use of languages as well as native cast, yet, Brynner will leave you breathless and some other aspects will unexpectedly satisfy you. 7/10

A Classic?

[artzau · 6/10 · 6 December 2008]

In 1963 there was a number of Hollywood fantasies based on historical and cultural themes that made the conoscenti cringe. I mean, Mayans migrating to the Gulf Coast, other Mayans using iron artifacts, arriving in the new world and speaking the same language as the locals? Well, back in those Hollywood days in the middle sixties, audiences were not quite so demanding as now. So, George Chakiris, fresh from his West Side Story triumph and Yul Brynner, known now from a number of hits, are pitched against each other in a sixty's version of a martial arts film. Veteran character actors like Barry Morse (Gerard of The Fugitive), Brad Dexter, Richard Basehart and Ford Rainey are seen sprinkled among the good guys and classic Villain, Leo Gordon heads the bad guys. The beautiful Shirley Anne Field offers the feminine interest in a departure from her roles in grade B movies and adds to the pageantry of the film. And, the usual cast of hundreds provides some nice texture and action to off-balance Brynner's hamming it up in the close-ups. This is a fine old film that doesn't have legs that was entertaining in its time. It is available but be warned: this film would be definitely grade B fare today.

Tacky but fun pre-Columbian Western

[lorenellroy · 7/10 · 27 July 2005]

Writing in "Wild West Movies" Kim Newman draws attention to the lack of mainstream Hollywood product about America prior to Columbus .Indeed he identifies only two such movies -The Norseman (Lee Majors) and this one .Newman is dismissive of its merits but while no masterpiece ,and indeed it has no pretensions to being ,the movie is fun in its own cheesy way . It describes the flight of the Mayans after military defeat at the hands of their Toltec enemies,and their settlement in what is now the Southwestern USA .They form an alliance with the Apaches ,headed by Yul Byrnner and together they unite to resist the pursuing Toltecs.This is despite the conflict between Brynner and the head of the Mayans ,played by George Chakiris ,over the favours of the Apache princess played by Shirley Ann Field . Brynner lends his considerable presence to the role of the Apache chieftain and easily overshadows Chakiris in the acting stakes ,while Field is ridiculously miscast .Some attempt is made to give the characters modern resonance by having Chakiris make a stand against human sacrifice but neither characterisation nor script is really the issue here This is movie dominated by action and spectacle .The battle scenes are well staged and the sets are magnificent with some striking location photography ,shot in Chicen Itza ,Mazatlan and Yucatan ,being a definite bonus Low marks for intellect but its fun movie making and while cheesy its also enjoyable

Handsome, spectacular and exciting film set on Mayas world

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 14 September 2010]

The Mayan civilization of Central America had achieved a level of sophistication beyond that of much of Europe of the time , creating the Mound Builder culture . It had been speculated on some fairly solid proof that when their cities in Yucatan ( Chichen Itza, Copan , Palenque , Dospilas ) suffered invasion by foreign tribes , Mayan refugees and surviving tribesmen escaped by means of their ships toward north across the Gulf of Mexico and influenced the savage Indians of the Southern United States on the barren lands . Starting with a vivid recreation of a Mayan ceremony shot at a restored pyramid in Chitzen Itza , it goes on a young Mayan named Balam (George Chakiris as unlikely leader) who is proclaimed king and standing on the pyramid is saluted by his people . Balam is obliged to marry a young princess Mayan (a gorgeous Shirley Anne Field ). The king and his followers ( Brad Dexter, Barry Morse , Armando Silvestre ) as their city, Chichen Itza , suddenly being conquered (by Leo Gordon) , then they flee north by sea and try to rebuild their culture on the northern Gulf coast . The Indian chief of a resident tribe named Black Eagle ( extraordinary physique presence of Yul Brynner who personifies the romantic myth of the noble savage ) is captured by the newcomers to his land and there is dissension in the community as to whether the should be sacrificed in the ordinary way demanded by high priest (Richard Basehart) , then Balam eventually forbids sacrifice in the new land and the two peoples try a agreement with some friction . They ultimately unite to fight the original invaders of Chichen , who have pursued the Mayans.

This adventure and colorful film is packed with impressive battle scenes, skin deep spectacle, a triangular love story and is pretty entertaining . Well filmed on location in Chichén Itzá , Yucatán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, and Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico . The film uses the vast numbers of contemporary Mayan extras to good effect ; excellent camera-work by Joseph MacDonald and lighting on the more intimate scenes . Impressive ending battle , is as visually breathtaking , fought around and on the newly built pyramid by the Mayans . Furthermore an awesome musical score by the maestro Elmer Berstein .

This large scale motion picture is professionally directed by J. Lee Thompson who directed good Western ( McKenna gold) and all kind of genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes) , terror (reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (Kings of the sun, Taras Bulba) and Warlike ( Guns of Navarone, Von Braun). J. Lee Thompson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Evil that men do, Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives). Watchable results for this outlandish epic/adventure film .

Reminiscent of Universal's Maria Montez/Sabu/Jon Hall sword & sandal epics of the 40's.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 15 December 2012]

The ancient Mayans of Mexico get a chance to have an alleged history told of their people as they are forced out of their land by a more ferocious tribe, crossing the future gulf of Mexico into modern day Texas where they encounter the natives who have stomped out any undesirable intruders in order to maintain the peace in their land. As the Mayan and Native Texan leaders, Oscar Winners George Chakaris and Yul Brynnur find themselves at odds. Having survived Rita Moreno in both "West Side Story" and "The King and I", they get the soft-spoken British Shirley Ann Field, playing one of Chakaris's people whom Brynnur takes a desire to. Field, an appealing young actress, however, is no Maria Montez, although Chakaris and Brynnur are adequate substitutes for Jon Hall and Sabu. Somehow, however, I found myself laughing at the English spoken by these two actors long before Europeans settled the west, as well as assumptions of the customs, costumes and courtoirs.

It is also interesting to note that once Brynnur, being used as a possible sacrifice for the Mayan Gods, is set free and peace seems inevitable, all it takes is the rivalry over a woman to put the two people at war all over again. Fortunately, circumstances erupt which keep that from escalating, but in the final, I had the sudden urge to break into singing "Something Wonderful" from "The King and I" or "Somewhere" from "West Side Story". It makes me wonder if Jerome Robbins did the choreography for the native dances.

Overall, I did enjoy the movie in spite of laughing at a lot of it, but in certain segments, it truly is extremely slow and slightly overlong. The sets do seem taken right out of Egyptian biblical epics, or at least some of MGM's recent "Tarzan" films. To add to the campiness, there is the Cecil B. DeMille like narration at the beginning, helping to explain the history of the Mayans and their Godly sacrifices.

I liked its clever premise

[Entwyf · 8 September 1999]

This movie is terrific!. I liked its clever premise of the Mayan culture contacting the Plains Indian culture. The Kon Tiki and Ra voyages of Thor Heyerdahl proved that "primitive" peoples sailed amazingly far distances, so the Mayans reaching North America and meeting a North American tribe is quite feasible. The two cultures' contact was fascinating and involving. I saw this movie years ago, and then once or twice on broadcast television channels. I wish I could see it again! With all the wide variety of cable and satellite channels now available, I wish one of them would show The Kings Of The Sun....... Or that it would become available on video or DVD.......

Fictional look at early American civilization

[SimonJack · 6/10 · 22 November 2014]

"Kings of the Sun" is a highly fictionalized story about the Mayan civilization of central America. The story has one of the last remaining Mayan groups fleeing to save their civilization. The Mayans were spread across much of modern day southern Mexico into other Central American countries. Others of their groups had been attacked and wiped out or conquered by an invading warring nation. We see clearly the distinction between the advanced civilization of the Mayans and the barbaric nature of their attackers. The movie doesn't give us a date or time frame, so it might have been any time in the latter Mayan period (100 to 700 A.D.). This was all well in advance of European discovery.

Many viewers today may not find this movie very interesting or entertaining. It is slow, for sure. There was considerable interest in ancient civilizations around the mid-20th century. And, a host of movies like this were made back then. Today we know more about the ancients, and Western interests for the most part seem to have shifted to the stars, space and the distant future. The fiction of the story here is only slightly interesting. The script isn't that good. Yul Bryner is probably the only good acting job, as Black Eagle. The rest of the cast are just so-so.

This movie has a number of conflicts with history. One has the invaders with iron weapons against the Mayans' wooden swords. In fact, there is little evidence of metal discoveries and development in the Americas. Only toward the middle of the second millennium is there some scant appearance of bronze objects. But, iron and steel appear only with the Europeans in the 16th century. That struck me as a strange thing that would belie history as well. If the Mayans were so advanced, and an agricultural society, why had they not discovered bronze or iron with which to make plows and other farming implements and tools? They hadn't yet in this movie, but the barbaric invaders had iron swords.

I note some of the reviews and correction comments that take issue with the Indian dress and tepees of Yul Bryner's tribe. But, I don't see or recall anything in the film that says the Mayans landed near the Mississippi Delta. The only evidence of any stream is a very small one. And, the vegetation that we see – trees and underbrush don't resemble anything like the moss-covered forests of Louisiana and the Bayou country. That area is very moist with considerable rainfall. But, this film has the Mayans reaching land in a dry area. So, I suggest that they would have landed in southeast Texas. They might have landed anywhere from present-day Corpus Christi to north of Galveston. That would have put them close to the lower range of the Comanche Indians. The Comanche where a fierce warring and hunting tribe that ranged across the Plains from southern Nebraska to central Texas. And, they built and slept in tepees. If one looks at a map of Gulf of Mexico, it's clear to see that the Mayans could have left the Yucatan Peninsula and sailed "across the sea," landing in southeast Texas.

At one point in the film, Black Eagle says that his people can learn much from the Mayans, and that the Mayans can learn from them. The Mayans are not hunters but farmers. We see them build a dam on a creek to divert the water to irrigate their crops. Archaeologists decades ago found irrigation ditches that had been used by the Hopi Indians of Arizona nearly 2,000 years ago. Then, in 2009 near Tucson, scientists discovered more ancient irrigation canals. Those had been used by ancestors of the Hopi in 1,200 B.C.

Strange Affair

[EdgarST · 4/10 · 28 July 2012]

I did not see this film when it was originally released. I was 12 then, but for some reason I was not attracted to it. So today, when I have finally seen it, I am not moved by nostalgia, as it often happens to me when I revisit films from my youth. This one is truly a poor motion picture, for all the reasons some reviewers have indicated: awful script and dialogs, inaccuracy of several sorts, corny costumes and settings, unbelievable hair styles, Caucasian actors playing natives of the American continent, and very bad acting, especially from Yul Brynner who overdid the macho number he created for the King of Siam, posing as if he were doing a photo shoot for "Tomorrow's Man" or any other male physique magazine of the 1960s. Today it seems worse, with everybody speaking the same language (English), but with different USA accents, except Shirley Anne Field who did her best British phrasing. As for the score, once Elmer Bernstein complained in a letter he wrote me (he is the only composer I have ever exchanged correspondence with) that he had not convinced any record company to issue "Kings of the Sun", one of his favorite film scores. If heard apart from the visuals, I am sure it works, but to most ears quite probably it sounds as the score for a western or biblical film. As it is, it sounds strange adding musical comments to images that pretend to convey life in America the continent, before the arrival of the European conquistadors. Bernstein was not all that wrong, in any case, for scriptwriter James R. Webb worked on this one just after "How the West Was Won" and before "Cheyenne Autumn", maybe taking it for another western without horses.

People of the Sun

[thinker1691 · 8/10 · 7 March 2007]

Anyone interested in seeing Hollywood's version of the Maya should view this noted 60's entry. The film is punctuated with panoramic locations, magnificent sceneries and considerable numerical extras for sustained blockbuster effect. Entittled, " The Kings of the Sun ", this film is a worthy offering to entertain young and old alike. Assembled for the cast are Yul Brynner as Chief Black Eagle, George Chakiris as a Mayan Chiefton, Richard Basehart as a Mayan Priest and Shirley Anne Field as Ixchel, a beautiful princess. Accompanying this artistic rendering is it's rousing, nearly overpowering musical score composed by legendary Elmer Bernstine. The film depicts the story of a Mayan people amid its cultural throes in which Chakiris, replaces their dying king, but is forced to flee by a deadly rival menacingly played by Leo Gordon. Commandering an entire peaceful Mayan tribe on the hinterland of the Yucatan and sailing to the shores of America, Chakiris not only establishes a new beginning for his following, but collides culturally with Brenner and his Native American tribe. Aside from Eviserating cultural traditions, pummeling ancient deities and perhaps trampling on the Historical record, the film events are nevertheless worthy of tongue in cheek possibility. In the end, one can smile happily at this wonderful attempt and praise it for its dramatic sincerity. **** .

A mixed bag. 10 for social significance. 3 for plausibility. 8 for cast. 5 for screenplay. 1 for today's enlightened casting choices

[gadfeal · 7/10 · 20 August 2022]

This film, hardly promoted as much as lesser ones, is highly significant in that none of the protagonists portrayed were White in the 1960s. While today that casting would be severely criticized, for a film aimed as edu-tainment of a largely White moviegoer in 1963, it would have been impossible to finance as well and commercially disastrous without the draw of Yul Brynner, and, to a lesser extent, other Hollywoodian actors of some note.

The importance is that it FINALLY introduced that the Mayan civilization pre-Columbus was more advanced in several areas than anything in Europe. Where they were not - in weapons, in ground and maritime transport - led to their demise, and, perhaps unintentionally, European borne diseases like smallpox, influenza etc. Wiped out perhaps 80% of Mesoamericans in the 16th Century. That last humanitarian disaster gets almost no mention in typical North American or European authored history books, but the statististics are glaring. There may have been as many as 120 million Mesoarmericans in 1492 (the lowest estimates are about 30 M) - that would be much more populous than ALL of EUROPE at that time; even Spain probably had only 8 million inhabitants. The 80% loss to disease, slaughter, abuse and starvation in ONE CENTURY makes the Black Plague seem "mild". From 1335-1443, for example, the English population is estimated to have gone from 4 million to 2 million; in the same period, France went from some 22 million to 17 million. It took Europe, on average, about 125 years to replemish their populations; it took Mesoamerica more than 300, with Mexico's population pre Columbus only recovering in the 1950s!

From that point of view, it was a seminal film - much as Brokeback Mountain, despite its ridiculously implausible portrayal of gay sex and relationships and tone-deaf casting, was able to introduced homosexual protagonists who were not laden with the stereotypes - even though the ending was highly stereotypical. It at least introduced the concept of homosexuality as an innate, unchosen phenomenon, and that the trouble with it is the extreme intolerance of society.

The other good things about the film is Yul Brynner. He could physically pass as a Metis today, which he was in that he was mixed European Russian, Central Asian and East Asian. He also always brings presence, 100% committment and embodiment of a warrior chief very convincingly. The other secondary actors were either White or mixed in what could be ungraciously nicknamed "Blackface". The blue-eyed English woman cast as the Mayan princess, the blue-eyed high priest played by American Richard Baseheart etc.; such casting would not happen today. However, at least the background characters seemed to be local Mexicans Metis or Indigenous, and Chichen Itza was one of the sites. It was good that so many would have the work and that Mexico's Indigenous sites, culture and technology were, at least, mentioned.

Now the criticism. The historical accuracy has already been criticized by people more informed than I about that. What I don't understand is how a civilization that cuts stone to build pyramids, crafts wood to make water wheels and planes wood smooth DID NOT HAVE metal tools. Their arch enemies did, and it beggars belief that they could not have not only acquired metal swords from slain enemies but also compel captured enemies to divulging the technology to make metal weapons.

The next issue is storyline credibility even for fiction. The protagonist tribe had maritime technology with sails and used it to escape their less technologically advanced enemies who could not pursue them. Yet, a mere few years later, they were discovered by former enemies is what seemed to be even more advanced ships. Sloppy content writing.

Nonetheless, I value this film for its introduction to an "ignorant" (in the academic sense) American audience of some of the valuable advances of Mayan that were, unfortunately, completely discarded by invading Spaniards. Imagine if the astronomy level achieved by the Mayan had been integrated into European knowledge for example.

Not enough is still not part of major historical texts as regards the technological, engineering and societal development in Mesoamerica, nor about the near genocide as a result of first the Spanish and then other Europeans arrival in the late 15th Century.

Hilarious...How Many Blue Eyes and Bad Tans and Wigs Can You Spot?

[nafps · 3/10 · 14 November 2020]

Not a single Native or Latino in sight.

Instead, a blue eyed actress as the female lead and Greek actor George Chakiris with an immaculately blow dried brown pompadour.

Tanning makeup less believable and more orange than even the current president.

Elderly white actors with Little Richard style dos and Liberace style costumes. Even more odd, they are the only ones without orange tans and are as pale as ghosts.

Even the great Yul Brynner can't save this. He uses the same accent whether he's playing a pharaoh or a Thai king or a supposed-to-be...Mohawk? Apache? Lakota?

Because the costumes of the two "tribes" are as ridiculous as anything else, made up, mangled, no effort to be even a tiny bit accurate. Brynner has a haircut like a Mohawk. His people have Lakota tipis, but the whole setting is supposed to be somewhere near the southwest desert.

Chakiris's supposed Mayas have Roman style togas, Egyptian style other clothing, and Babylonian style head pieces, except for the priests who, again, have Liberace style headdresses.

Why didn't they just make it a complete fantasy with hobbits, dragons, and unicorns? It's about as accurate and wouldn't inspire nothing but laughter.

And no, spare us the "of that time" excuse. The Lone Ranger's Jay Silverheels was a dozen years before this, and Gunsmoke also had entire casts of actual Natives playing Natives. The first famous Native actor was Lilian St. Cyr way back in the 1910s. Whole films like Daughters of Dawn and Eskimo had all Native casts since the silent film days. The director and producer were just lazy and indifferent.

Giving a few stars only because it's fun to watch obviously white extras in horsehair wigs that keep almost coming off in fight scenes. It's fun to watch for the same reason Plan Nine from Outer Space is.

Seldom Seen Classic Still MIA

[bddk88 · 19 October 2001]

Talk about originality. This film broke new ground in its telling of culture clash in the New World many years before the arrival of the White Man. Made in 1963, the slowly changing face of race and minority relationships was just beginnng so for the first time in major motion picture history we have a "historical epic" between just the good old indians around with nary a cowboy in sight. The beginnngs of political correctness not withstanding they couldn't quite cast the movie with just Indians, maybe Jay Silverheels was under contract with some other studio, and besides they needed some Really Big Stars. Enter Yul Brenner who could outking anybody that side of Sean Connery and the rest is history. Sure the storyline is laughable by todays standards but that only makes it more fun. My main point is as follows- 1. WHERE IS THIS MOVIE? Has it decayed into dust? I have not seen this movie on television for 25 years. I cannot find it on VHS. 2. REMAKE THIS MOVIE This movie should be remade with the wandering tribe being the Egyptians who brought pyrimads and that cool game that predated basketball. The final battle would be with the Egyptians a classic East vs West battle. Bloodheart/Gladiator production values would give us the never before view of these great cultures as never before.

Still to this day it stands out as a different movie

[non_sportcardandy · 7/10 · 24 July 2005]

Not since this movie came out in the theaters have I seen it,sixteen years old I stayed to see it twice.Being part of a basic downtown Oakland movie crowd the battle scenes went a long way to getting my thumbs up.After so many years of viewing Indians vs pioneers ,vs cavalry,vs davy crockett and old Betsy, vs etc.....here was a movie where all characters were Indians.Along with this different storyline and non-Indian actors I had to remind myself the first 1/3 of the movie"This is a movie about Indians vs Indians".Then to really make things different all the tribes seem to be situated south of El Paso.At the time I was aware there had been Aztecs in Mexico,it was much later that I heard of the Mayas,Toltecs,Olmecs,Mextecs and others.For that reason while viewing this movie I thought maybe Cortez and the Castillian hordes might come on the scene all of a sudden and go into their pillage and plunder act.Instead the enemy consisted of Leo Gordon and his hordes.The costumes,weapons and structures make this a movie about Indians.The movie is o.k. overall,the obvious non-Indian cast was a little difficult for me to take.Although Yul Brynner had a strong Olmec look his portrayal had some shortcomings.The most obvious one being when he has been captured.He's binded with long lengths of rope or leather ,the ends are being held by some guys about fifteen feet away.With a wild look on his face for every step he goes forward he lurches 3 or 4 sideways.More like he's a wild animal than a human being,maybe he got caught up in all the pounding drum beating,that'll do it every time.He also does his share of posing and posturing which all-in-all I think is his way of showing he's a proud savage warrior.Yul is a good guy and I've enjoyed him in other movies but watching him in this movie I can only think of one word-Ham.Despite that this movie is worth a look for being so different.

Original Apocalypto?

[minivanmamaturbo · 7/10 · 9 December 2006]

I saw this movie once when it first came out in 1963. I was 9 or 10, depending on the date of release. I don't remember a lot about the plot but I remember that I really liked the movie. It was a favorite. A few years ago my older brother brought up Kings of the Sun as we were talking about old movies. It was also one of his favorites.

Kings is in the same genre as The Alamo, The Vikings and The Long Ships. These were all movies that were exciting and encouraged us to learn about history.

I haven't Apocalypto yet, but I'd like to compare the two. MGM could make some cash if they released Kings of the Sun now--as Apocalypto comes out. Maybe it isn't politically correct enough to be released. Since I can't remember any details, and if I did they would be filtered through the memories of a 9 year old I can't comment beyond that. If they'd release it I'd buy a copy for each of my three brothers -- as well as myself-- for Christmas.

Pre-Columbian Mexico

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 18 March 2009]

Kings Of The Sun maybe one of the very few films ever done about Pre- Columbian America that will not have a single member of the Eastern Hemisphere in it. It's curious the vision that we white folk bring to such an enterprise.

One thing is certain and it's universally certain. The native populace of this hemisphere had its wars and rivalries way before Christopher Columbus, John Cabot or any of their contemporaries ever set a foot in what became North and South America. And romantic rivalries happen every place on the globe.

Such a rivalry occurs in Kings Of The Sun where young king George Chakiris leads some of his key people and commandeers a whole tribe more of them because they have the votes to leave the Yucatan area and go miles up the coast. He's got reason to flee, a really nasty and vicious warrior king played by Leo Gordon has learned the use of metal and he's making weapons of mass destruction. Don't kid yourself in those times, the guy who invented that was on top in either hemisphere. Bearing that in mind, Chakiris flees to fight another day.

The new hybrid tribe sets up further along the coast and they meet up with Yul Brynner's tribe. They look more like American Indians than the Chakiris crowd of Mayans do. I'm not sure how much farther up the coast of the Gulf of Mexico they went and I think the writers left it purposely vague.

Chakiris had to make a bargain that he would marry the chief of the other tribe's daughter in order to put his fleet in operation. She's played by the fetching Shirley Anne Field and Brynner's got the hots for her also. That threatens to rip up a new friendship, especially when Leo Gordon and his crowd comes a calling.

Though Kings Of The Sun is an impressive looking film and the players all perform well, I've a feeling it was intended to be far more ambitious than what eventually came out. Certainly people who are more versed Pre-Columbian native cultures could make a far better comment on the authenticity of it.

More studied than sturdy, an historical epic very much concerned with its characters.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 7 April 2013]

Kings of the Sun is directed by J. Lee Thompson and co-written by Elliott Arnold and James R. Webb. It stars Yul Brynner, George Chakiris and Shirley Anne Field. A Panavision production with colour by DeLuxe, it is filmed on location in Mexico at Mazatlan and Chichen Itza. Photography is by Joseph Macdonald and the music scored by Elmer Bernstein.

When the Mayan tribe are attacked by Hunac Ceel's (Leo Gordon) army, the King is killed and his son Balam (Chakiris) succeeds the throne. Balam leads his people to new land in the American Gulf Coast region, where they set up a new home from which to flourish again. However, the region is already occupied by an Indian tribe led by Black Eagle (Brynner), can it be possible for two different cultures to co-exist? They need to work it out one way or another because Hunac Ceel and his army are on their way to finish the Mayan's off for good.

As with many other historical epics, Kings of the Sun is no history lesson. But for those who don't mind a dialogue driven narrative that's dressed up splendidly in colour and scenery? Then this should more than cater for your needs. The problems with the film are evident quite early in the piece, non native actors playing different race characters is always a bit iffy, but when they are the centre piece of the story it's never going to go away during the film watching experience. Thankfully Brynner is an exception, he manfully carries the film on his considerable frame and offsets considerably the badly cast Chakiris and the pasty faced (and blue eyed!) Field. The latter of which isn't acting badly, she just looks hopelessly out of place. Brynner is panther like in movements, and able to exude the raw emotion required for the role of Black Eagle.

Other strong points in the film are Bernstein's score, which lands in the ears and rattles the brain with historical thunder, Macdonald's "Panavision" photography around the exotic Mexico locations, and the battle sequence for the big finale. J. Lee Thompson was a fine director of action, and so he proves here with a near 8 minute construction of gutsy sword and arrow play that features reams of extras and high quality stunt work. If it's a battle sequence to win around those who have been bored by the long stretches of chatter and love triangle dalliances? That can't be guaranteed, but it is a blood and thunder battle fit to be mentioned with the best the historical epic genre has to offer.

Thompson (Ice-Cold In Alex/The Guns of Navarone/Cape Fear) copped some flak from the critics for this film, but really the fault lies with the casting director and the writers. You would think that since they were re-jigging history anyway, they may as well have written in some exciting machismo fuelled passages of play long before that final battle, they did after all have the right director for such moments. Still, I liked it quite a bit, yes it's very talky, but there is good interest value in the two different races trying to co-exist, with the big cloud of human sacrifice proving to be the hot topic central to the human interest story that drives the picture on. 7/10

Great if you saw it as a kid...but then you grow-up...

[bbaldwin7 · 3/10 · 25 July 2006]

It hasn't improved with time. In fact, when I saw it again on the Japanese DVD, I cringed. It's easily J. Lee Thompson's worst picture. Even "Taras Bulba" stands above this. Bernstein's score is a mess. He obviously didn't care much about the project after spotting it for music. The script is awful, the dialog unspeakable, and the performances uniformly bad. The costumes are corny and the actors look and obviously feel ridiculous in them. Watch Brad Dexter's walk throughout. It's as if he's trying to balance that over-sized helmet on his head! I've heard Walter Mirisch is embarrassed by it and keeps it out of release. The Mirisch Corporation's 85 or so other pictures generate enough income without this turkey. I believe it's the only epic of the pre-Columbian Americas ever filmed. So it's a real shame that about $3,000,000. was wasted on this story. A few more months in scripting and it might have been worth the expenditure. You get the feeling this one was written on AeroMexico on the way down.

Kings of the Sun

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 12 August 2023]

The oddest of casting here as Yul Brynner, George Chakiris and Shirley Anne Field star in a story of a Mayan population driven from their city by invaders. They take refuge in what they hope will be a safe haven far away and rebuild their temple. Brynner plays "Black Eagle" the chief of the local tribe already in-situ and after a few skirmishes, he gets captured and falls in love with Chakiris' betrothed - "Ixchel" (Field) before the invaders catch up with them... It is rare for meso-American history to be the focus of a plot and it makes for quite an interesting cultural backdrop. Sadly, it's not really capitalised upon and the writing and performances are just too stilted to make this anything much more than a typical sword-and-sandal effort set on a different continent.

Maya con dios!

[arkent · 3/10 · 2 June 2001]

This delightfully corny film mixes genres. On one level, it's a story about Indian conflicts in the days before Europeans arrived in America. That's pretty special in itself, as there aren't many films exclusively about Indians. With one exception, everyone in the cast is a real Indian. The exception, of course, is the lead parts--all of which are played by non-Indians. Yul Brynner, for example, plays the chief of an unnamed Gulf Coast tribe. As you know, he wasn't a real Indian; he was Siamese. (In this film he looks and walks very much like the king of Siam, except that he doesn't wear a gold earring and never utters, "Is a puzzlement!")

The true star of the film, however, is George Chakiris, who--despite his Greek name--is a Puerto Rican. I know that's true because he wears exactly the same hair style in this film that he had in WEST SIDE STORY, made two years earlier. (He must have used industrial strength hair spray: Not only did his hairdo survive intact from WSS, in KINGS OF THE SUN it is unscathed through a several-week-long ocean voyage in an open boat.)

Speaking of hair styles, check out the 'do on Richard Basehart. Apart from its gray color, it looks like something Little Richard might have cooked up in one of his wilder moments.

Getting back to genres ... this film also has aspects of the '50s biblical epic--the kind of film in which the good guys renounce killing, appeal to a gentler god, make heroic sacrifices, and end up converting the bad guys to their new religion. KINGS OF THE SUN has all of that, except that the new religion ain't Christianity, it's something along the lines of Reformed Mayan Water God Worship. Now to the story.

As chief of a section of Yucatan's Maya people at an unspecified but apparently remote time in the past, Chakiris has a falling out with a more powerful chief and has to flee from Yucatan with his followers in boats. They head west, across the Caribbean, and--after several near mutinies--finally reach land bordering the Gulf of Mexico (apparently in Texas, judging by the maps that flash across the screen).

There the grateful refugees begin building a village, complete with substantial adobe-brick houses, advanced crafts such as weaving and looms and glazed pottery, and even a small-sized Maya pyramid. The amount of work they accomplish in a short time is phenomenal--especially considering that they get most of the work done before they think about such prosaic matters as planting crops or securing a freshwater supply. And where the find all their building materials and craft supplies so quickly is a mystery, as there's little evidence that they ever go far from camp.

Meanwhile, Yul Brynner (adorned only in loincloth and body oil) is patrolling along the coast, where he finds the newcomers' strange, giant boats. He figures people who brought the boats must be in the vicinity, so he goes back to his tribe (by the way, since when did Gulf Coast Indians live in tepees and hunt buffalo?) to report his findings. He then goes back to find the boat people (if I had been chief, I would have delegated that job to several teams of scouts). This is a nice bit, incidentally, as it takes Brynner at least a week to find the new Maya village, even though the immigrants erected the place near where they landed their boats, and their pyramid can be seen from five miles away. So much for Indian scouting prowess. (But then, Brynner was Siamese, not Indian.)

When Brynner finally meets some of the Maya, he naturally comes face to face with King George himself. They duke it out: Brynner with something like a tomahawk, I think, and Chakiris with a metal sword. (Huh? Since when did the Maya have metal swords?) Chakiris, with help, finally prevails. Brynner is captured and taken back to the Maya village, where he is imprisoned in a room (complete with barred windows!) that looks big and comfortable enough to rate as a three-star hotel room (in Texas, at least).

What follows is pretty predictable. Brynner eventually learns that he is being kept alive only to serve as a human sacrifice atop the new pyramid. Chakiris wants to end human sacrifices and proclaims Brynner free to go at the moment he is to be sacrificed. (Of course, the fact that Brynner looked capable of tossing everyone else off the top of the pyramid may have influenced Chakiris's decision.) Brynner rejoins his people, who suddenly appear, poised to attack the village. He talks his people out of waging war, and he and Chakiris pledge peace and friendship.

The film then gets a bit warm and fuzzy and everyone discovers that it's possible for the buffalo man and farmer to be friends. Happily, some dramatic tension is restored, due to Brynner and Chakiris's rivalry over the film's only major babe, and it looks like there will be a war after all. Doesn't happen, though. The reason? King George's old Maya nemesis shows up in an armada (though how the hell they could have found Chakiris's people across the Caribbean is one of the film's many mysteries). Now there really is a war, but Brynner's people come to King George's aid and beat the bejeezus out of the invaders' forces.

SPOILER!

I hope it won't ruin the film for you if I reveal that Brynner is mortally wounded while fighting to protect Chakiris. After the battle ends, he's carried to the top of the pyramid for a dramatic death scene, which gives him a chance to tell Chakiris to marry the babe. Good ole Yul! Although he suffers a nasty wound that would leave even Hulk Hogan gasping for breath, he still delivers his lines in a commanding baritone, right up to the moment he checks out.

clever premise for plot, Yul Brynner is superb

[brucejr · 9/10 · 31 January 2001]

This would be just an average studio movie but for a clever premise (Mayans flee across the Gulf of Mexico to establish a community in North America) and Yul Brynner's stunning screen presence. Brynner portrays a noble Indian chief as only he could do with tremendous screen presence and boundless charisma. When I first saw the movie, I loved the climactic battle scene but now I relish the human drama in Yul Brynner's character most. One of his best performances!

A solid 6

[dukeb0y · 6/10 · 27 September 2022]

Yes the acting is so so. But it was filmed on location in Mexico with literally a thousand extras. There are three groups that are fighting. And Yul Brenner I must say, this is one of his best roles. He could really play the part of an Indian leader. It's worth a watch.

The basic plot is this. Two tribes are fighting in Mexico, one loses goes in ships to a new land. However the new land has a Indian tribe.

So they eventually make peace. But then some of the original Mayans, come back to fight another battle. It's really a good study of the cultures. Of course, it has a 1960s feel to it of an epic and that's okay.

It figures

[whitesheik · 2/10 · 13 April 2008]

I knew if I came here I would see 90% rave "reviews" mostly by people who saw this when they were ten and impressionable. So, I understand the nostalgia factor, but not the fact that they are still saying it's brilliant. It's so not brilliant - it's bloody bad. The critics knew it, the public knew it, and all the little boys and girls who, for whatever reason, hold a fond place for this isn't going to change the fact that it's bad. I saw this at a sneak preview several months before its release. By mid-way, over sixty percent of the audience had walked out. I stuck it out (I think I was around fifteen at the time), but only barely and only because I wanted to stay and see the main feature afterward. Even at that young age I knew it was a stinker - and I loved Brynner and even Chakiris.

So, I think it's time to call a spade a spade - bad movie, fondly remembered for all the wrong reasons by people who can't wait to come here and post that they loved it as a kid and why isn't it on DVD. It is on DVD now - and I just finished watching it for the first time since the sneak preview - and it has not only not aged well, it's worse than it was then. There are times when you just come here really hoping to read some interesting comments and you just end up scratching your head in amazement. This is one of those times.

Bottom line - really bad.