On K List of Movie Reviews
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Kings of the Sun (1963)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
12/16, 12/19
12/16:
Well, I'm against the idea of a white thespian who's brownfaced to play a foreign character.
But based on the strength of Yul Brynner's acting, I'm going to let this one slide. Why a female reviewer
liked Kings of the Sun, she mentioned the following reasons:
1. Yul Brynner.
2. Yul Brynner in a loin cloth.
3. Yul Brynner's body in a dark, rich suntan.
4. Yul Brynner's body glistening with oil.
5. Yul Brynner with his suntan oiled limbs stretched out and tied.
6. Yul Brynner writhing around on a bed of hay.
7. Yul Brynner strutting around like a jaguar.
8. Yul Brynner in several seductive poses.
9. Yul Brynner's deep sexy man voice whispering sweet nothings, even if it's to the goofy blind Ixchel.
I guess the defense has made the case and therefore rests. Hence, it's all about Yul Brynner.
Forget about the rest of the film. The serious intensity in his eyes is unmatched.
Compared to the cast, Yul Brynner is on another level, and nobody, not even Shirley Field, can keep up with him. The way
he played with the shadow inside the jail is brilliant stuff. Here's a fun fact: Marlon Brando learned so much
from him about the use of light and dark during Morituri that he took advantage of them for
Apocalypse Now.
All in all, anytime you think of Kings of the Sun, the only image that should be on your mind is Yul Brynner.
12/16:
Kings of the Sun is more of a film for children than anything else, but it's hard to deny the power
of Yul Brynner's charismatic performance.
Yeah, the brownface of all white actors is embarrassing, to say the least, and the heavy makeup on Yul's face is atrocious.
All I could think of is: why didn't they get real Mexicans instead? The truth is: without star power, Kings of the Sun
wouldn't have been made. Yul Brynner's presence alone makes up for the transgressions. He's positively stirring and thus
elevates Kings of the Sun as a whole. It may be the only Hollywood film about the Mayans which is saying something.
I like the story and the action to turn it into a near epic about the battle of three civilizations with thousands of extras.
Then, there's the question of human sacrifice which was widely practiced by the Mayans in the heyday. Now, it seems to be a
silly thing to do. Instead, the film is about relationships.
The nice part is the sight of Chichén Itzá which is the real thing. It's located in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and is now
among the new Seven Wonders of the World. The list had to be redone because six of the old seven wonders either don't exist or
are made-up.
All in all, Kings of the Sun has to be seen for Yul Brynner.