Solomon and Sheba

Infobox Film
name = Solomon and Sheba


caption = Lobby card
director = King Vidor
producer = Ted Richmond
Tyrone Power
writer = Anthony Veiller
Paul Dudley
George Bruce,
Crane Wilbur (story)
starring = Yul Brynner
Gina Lollobrigida
George Sanders
Marisa Pavan
music = Malcolm Arnold
Mario Nascimbene
cinematography =Freddie Young
editing = Otto Ludwig
distributor = United Artists
released = flagicon|USA 24 December 1959
runtime = 139 min
country = USA
awards =
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0053290

"Solomon and Sheba" is a 1959 Biblical epic film made by Edward Small Productions and distributed by United Artists. The film stars Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders and Marisa Pavan, with David Farrar, Harry Andrews, Jack Gwillim, Laurence Naismith, William Devlin, Jean Anderson and Finlay Currie. It was directed by King Vidor and produced by Ted Richmond and Tyrone Power from a screenplay by Anthony Veiller, Paul Dudley and George Bruce, based on a story by Crane Wilbur. The music score was by Mario Nascimbene and Malcolm Arnold, the cinematography by Freddie Young. The film was shot in Technirama.

During filming in Madrid, Spain, the original star of the film, Tyrone Power, died of a heart attack after a grueling dueling scene with George Sanders. (The two had also filmed a sword fight in the 1942 film "The Black Swan".) Yul Brynner took over the role, though Power can still be seen in long shots. The film is probably most noted for an orgy scene featuring Sheba (Lollobrigida) (see the lobby card below) which was extremely licentious for Hollywood motion pictures of that era.

Production

The film was shot in Madrid and Valdespartera, Zaragoza, Spain. It was the last film directed by Hollywood veteran King Vidor.