Russian-born film and stage actor Yul Brynner was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut of Siam in the musical, 'The King and I.' He won two 'Tony Awards' and an 'Academy Award' for the film adaptation. It is interesting to note that he played the character 4,625 times on stage. His second film appearance was the film version of 'The King and I' (1956). The film proved a huge success.
He was as much famous for his bald head as for his performances. He maintained the bald look as a personal trademark after displaying the same look for his role in 'The King and I,' in 1951.
In 1956, he starred as Ramesses II in 'The Ten Commandments,' which was directed by Cecil B. DeMille, and played General Bounine in the film, 'Anastasia' (1956), Chris Adams in 'The Magnificent Seven' (1960) and its first sequel, 'Return of the Seven,' and the android, "The Gunslinger," in 'Westworld' (1973) and its sequel, 'Futureworld' (1976).
'The Magnificent Seven' proved unsuccessful in its initial release in the US, but became hugely popular in Europe.
In 1957, he appeared in the MGM production, 'The Brothers Karamazov' (1957), which was a commercial success. The 1958 film, 'The Buccaneer' (1958) was not so successful. In 1959, he appeared in another unsuccessful film, ' The Journey.' Another 1959 film, 'The Sound and the Fury,' also proved unsuccessful. The 1959 film, ' Solomon and Sheba,' however, proved to be a big hit.
He also tried comedy with 'Once More, with Feeling!' (1960) and 'Surprise Package' (1960), both directed by Stanley Donen, but the films didn't do well at the box office. Thereafter, he made a cameo in 'Testament of Orpheus' (1960).
He appeared in ‘Escape from Zahrain’ (1962), and ‘Taras Bulba’ (1962) but both films proved commercial failures. Some of his other unsuccessful films of the period were 'Kings of the Sun' (1963), 'Flight from Ashiya' (1963), 'Invitation to a Gunfighter' (1964), and 'Morituri' (1965).
‘Return of the Seven’ (1966) was his first hit in a number of years. Brynner appeared in a Yugoslav film, 'Battle of Neretva' (1969). Hde reprised his most famous part in the TV series, 'Anna and the King' (1972).
Brynner tasted success after a series of unsuccessful ventures with 'Westworld' (1973). It was followed by 'The Ultimate Warrior' (1975) and 'Futureworld' (1976).
Thereafter, he returned to Broadway in 'Home Sweet Homer,' but the musical proved a disaster. His last film was an Italian action film 'Death Rage' (1976).
Infant Moses, set adrift in Nile to escape slaughter of first-born Hebrew males, is raised by Pharaoh Sethi’s sister and is disliked by Prince Ramses II. After discovering his Hebrew origins, he is banished from Egypt. As his divine mission is revealed, Moses returns to Egypt to liberate enslaved Hebrews and leads them to Mount Sinai where he receives God’s Ten Commandments.
After repeated terrorizing attacks from pillaging bandits led by Calvera, farmers of an oppressed Mexican village hire seven master gunmen to defend their village. The gunslingers train the villagers and help them fight off the goons. The next time, Calvera’s men capture and drive the gunmen away. The seven men decide not to run off, but to return and confront the outlaws.
Academy Awards-winning film follows the widowed Welsh teacher Anna Leonowen who is appointed English tutor for the children of King Mongkut of Siam. Their different outlooks lead to frequent conflicts as King frowns on influence of foreign culture. She convinces the King to host the visiting British delegation in European style and helps make preparation. Despite their differences, eventually Anna earns his respect.
At the innovative high-tech amusement park, ‘Westworld,’ rich patrons pay to experience their fantasies through life-like robots. Two friends, Blaine and Martin, arrive at the park to enjoy wild actions of West with gunslinger robots. But when the park’s computer system develops fault, Blaine and Martin find their vacation turning into nightmare as they are stalked by the indestructible, menacing gunslinger robot.
Based on the 1929 novel of the same name by William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury is a 1959 American drama film which tells us the story of the Compson Family, as they are going through a financial and economic ruin.
High ranking KGB official, Aleksey Teodorovic Vlassov, defects and claims to have a list of double agents embedded in Western Europe, including NATO. During the debriefing, he is questioned by DCI Allan Davies and MI6 representative Philip Boyle who doubt his claims. But as people on the list start mysteriously dying Vlassov’s true intentions are revealed.
Escape from Zahrain is an action adventure film, which tells the story of a group of revolutionary college students who rescue a captured guerrilla fighter after his execution is order by the leader of the country. After the rescue, they attempt to get him to a safe location outside the country.
A group of sadistic pirates take over an isolated lighthouse on a rocky island, overpowering its small crew, and turn off the light with the aim of salvaging the wrecked ships. However, one of the lighthouse crew, Will Denton, manages to escape and teams with an Italian wreck survivor in an attempt to stop the wreckers.
Adapted from Jean Giraudoux’s 1945 play La Folle de Chaillot, the movie follows Countess Aurelia and her three friends as they learn about a big conspiracy to drill oil from beneath the streets of Paris. The women decide to take action against the powerful men that include financiers, military men, and a religious opportunist by putting them on trial for crime against society.
In order to protest against British oppression and tyranny, a tribal leader becomes a bandit. The policeman assigned to the case is quite impressed by his integrity and ingenuity, and is determined to arrest him alive, rather than dead, as his superiors might wish.
An employee working at a futuristic theme park is killed after uncovering its dark secrets. However, before his death, he manages to tip off two reporters named Chuck and Tracy. They try to do an undercover investigation and get to the bottom of the nefarious agenda, which includes human cloning and robotics.
This 1967 spy thriller film revolves around a CIA agent investigating a fatal ‘accident’ that killed his son. Upon realizing that it is not an accident but a murder, he also discovers a big Russian conspiracy.
Due to his criminal activities, a gangster is exiled from the United States, and is sent back to the Greek island which is his place of birth. There, a corrupt local police chief keeps an eye on him. Meanwhile he meets a king and attempts to purchase few jewels for a million dollars. However, when he wires for the money to his associates back in the US, they decide to double cross him.
This television film revolves around Narcotics agents who work for the UN, as they attempt to trace heroin shipments from the Afghanistan-Iran border to the main European distributor.
Catlow is a Western comedy film which revolves around an outlaw who is making his way to Mexico, to pull off a robbery worth $ 2 million. However, his friend Marshall and a ruthless bounty hunter is in pursuit of him.
Set in the 1960s, this film revolves around a flight crew’s mission to rescue the survivors of a shipwreck off the coast of Japan, during a typhoon.
In 1905, a Russian battalion under Capt. Stoloff takes over a Polish town on the Russian border. The Jewish residents, who deal in horse-stealing under Kifke’s leadership, suddenly find their livelihood taken away when the Cossacks requisition all horses for the Russia-Japan war. Naomi, Just back from France, motivates the town to repel, in which Zanvill, who is in love with Naomi, supports her.
Yul Brynner Awards
| The King and I | Best Actor in a Leading Role | 1957 |
