Eddie Pensier writes:

A gorgeous-looking Lawrence of Arabia wannabe, directed by Basil Dearden, about the defense of Khartoum by General Charles Gordon (Charlton Heston) against the forces of the “Mahdi” Muhammed Ahmed (Laurence Olivier). Khartoum features loads of wide desert vistas, stirring battle scenes, swelling music, and an unfashionably nostalgic attitude toward colonialism. Heston is restrained, dignified and fierce, and sports a surprisingly not-awful British accent as Gordon. Olivier overacts in the most delightful way as the Mahdi, enunciating his lines as he digests the surrounding scenery. He certainly looks no less ridiculous in brownface than Alec Guinness did in Lawrence, and his grand old-school presence is a welcome antidote to most present-day actors who subscribe to the less-is-more school.

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• Khartoum could definitely be considered for Fabrizio’s manly movie list.