''The Queen of Sheba'' ( it, La regina di Saba) is a 1952 Italian adventure film directed by

Pietro Francisci Pietro Francisci (9 September 1906 – 1977) was an Italian film director, best remembered for the film ''Hercules'' (1958) which inspired the sword and sandal boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Born in Rome, his career took a distinct tur ...

.A. Albertazzi. "La regina di Saba". ''Intermezzo'' (22). 15 December 1952.

Plot

King Solomon (

Gino Cervi Luigi Cervi (3 May 1901 – 3 January 1974), better known as Gino Cervi (), was an Italian actor. He was best known for portraying Peppone in a series of comedies based on the character ''Don Camillo'' (1952-1965), and police detective Jules ...

) sends his son, Prince Rehoboam ( Gino Leurini) on a spy mission to

Sheba Sheba (; he, ''Šəḇāʾ''; ar, سبأ ''Sabaʾ''; Ge'ez: ሳባ ''Saba'') is a kingdom mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the Quran. Sheba features in Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions, particularly the Ethiopian Orth ...

where he falls in love with the beautiful Queen ( Leonora Ruffo). He tries to prevent a war between their two countries, but after the Queen finds out that her lover is a spy, she leads her army in an assault against

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. The siege is a failure and ends with the Queen and Prince reuniting with the blessing of both King Solomon and Sheba's advisors.

Cast

* Leonora Ruffo as Balkis, Queen of Sheba *

as King Solomon of Jerusalem * Marina Berti as Zamira, Betrothed of Rehoboam * Gino Leurini as Prince Rehoboam of Jerusalem *

Franco Silva Franco Silva (18 February 1920 – 10 November 1995) was an Italian actor. Born in Genoa as Francesco Vistarini, Silva moved in Rome to attend the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, from which he graduated in 1938; the following year he made ...

as Kabaal, Commander of Sheban Army *

Mario Ferrari Mario Ferrari (September 3, 1894 – June 28, 1974) was an Italian film actor. After making his debut in 1920, Ferrari became a mainstay of Italian cinema during the Fascist era appearing in a mixture of leading and supporting roles. He pla ...

as Chaldis, High Priest of Sheba *

Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical '' Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''The Picture of Dorian G ...

as Ati * Umberto Silvestri as Isachar, Companion of Rehoboam *

Isa Pola Isa Pola (19 December 1909 – 17 December 1984) was an Italian stage and film actress. Born Maria Luisa Betti di Montesano, she appeared in more than 30 films during her career. An early screen role was the female lead in ''Steel'' (1933), a ...

as Tabui * Nyta Dover as Kinnor *

Franca Tamantini Franca Tamantini (24 August 1931 – 11 August 2014) was an Italian film, television and stage actress. Life and career Born in Rome, since young age Tamantini studied piano, singing and classical dance at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. In 19 ...

as False mother *

Fulvia Mammi Fulvia Mammi (25 May 1927 – 4 June 2006) was an Italian actress and voice actress. Life and career Born in Rome, Mammi attended the Silvio D'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Art and made her theatrical debut in ''Peccato che sia una sgua ...

as True mother * Achille Majeroni as Blind merchant *

Aldo Fiorelli Aldo Fiorelli (1915–1983) was an Italian actor who appeared in around thirty films between 1938 and 1960. One of his final roles was Argos, the Shipbuilder in the 1958 film ''Hercules''Hughes p.2 and its 1959 sequel ''Hercules Unchained ''He ...

as Abner *

Pietro Tordi Pietro Tordi (12 July 1906 – 14 December 1990) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1942 and 1988. He was born in Florence, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Doctor Antonio'' (1937) - L'altro conspiratore * '' Don C ...

as Onabar *

Mimmo Palmara Domenico "Mimmo" Palmara (25 July 1928 – 10 June 2016) was an Italian actor. Biography Born in Cagliari, Palmara made his film debut in 1952 as a character actor in drama films by eminent directors such as Luchino Visconti, Mario Monicelli and ...

Ugo Sasso Ugo Sasso, born Domenico Pasquale Giuseppe Sasso (23 March 1910 - 21 July 1981), was an Italian film and television actor. Life and career Born in Turin, in the early 1930s Sasso moved to Rome to attend the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografi ...

* Afro Poli *

Cesare Fantoni Cesare Fantoni (1 January 1905 – 15 January 1963) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Biography Born in Bologna, Fantoni began his acting career in Luchino Visconti’s stage proses until making his first on-screen appearance in 1937. ...

References

External links

* 1952 films 1950s adventure drama films Films scored by Nino Rota Films directed by Pietro Francisci Films about Solomon Films set in the 10th century BC Films set in Jerusalem Religious epic films Peplum films Sword and sandal films Solomon 1952 drama films Italian adventure drama films Italian black-and-white films Films set in ancient Israel 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-film-stub