''Slaves of Babylon'' is a 1953 American

adventure film The adventure film is a broad genre of film. Some early genre studies found it no different than the Western film or argued that adventure could encompass all Hollywood genres. Commonality was found among historians Brian Taves and Ian Cameron in ...

directed by

William Castle William Castle (born William Schloss Jr.; April 24, 1914 – May 31, 1977) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is known for the horror film, horror and thriller film, thriller B movie, B-movies he directed durin ...

and starring

Richard Conte Nicholas Peter Conte (March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975), known professionally as Richard Conte, was an American actor. He was known for his starring roles in films noir and crime dramas during the 1940s and 1950s, including '' Call Northside ...

and Linda Christian

called it a "low budget extravaganza".

Plot

In 586 BC the city of

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

was destroyed by the armies of king

Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar II, also Nebuchadrezzar II, meaning "Nabu, watch over my heir", was the second king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from the death of his father Nabopolassar in 605 BC to his own death in 562 BC. Often titled Nebuchadnezzar ...

and its people were brought captive into Babylon. After decades of subjugation by their Babylonian masters the Jews are crying out for a saviour. The prophet Daniel dispatches Nahum, one of his faithful servants, to search the faraway empire of

Media Media may refer to: Communication * Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Interactive media, media that is inter ...

for a young shepherd named Cyrus, who unknowingly is destined to become

Cyrus Cyrus () is a Persian-language masculine given name. It is historically best known as the name of several List of monarchs of Iran, Persian kings, most notably including Cyrus the Great, who founded the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BC. It remains wid ...

, king of the Persians, who holds the key to the freedom of the Jewish people.

Cast

as Nahum * Linda Christian as

Panthea ''Panthea'' is a genus of the owlet moth family, Noctuidae. The word ''Panthea'' is from Greek, meaning "all of gods" .''Panthea''

* Maurice Schwartz as Daniel * Terence Kilburn as
Cyrus Cyrus () is a Persian-language masculine given name. It is historically best known as the name of several List of monarchs of Iran, Persian kings, most notably including Cyrus the Great, who founded the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BC. It remains wid ...
* Michael Ansara as Belshazzar * Leslie Bradley as
Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar II, also Nebuchadrezzar II, meaning "Nabu, watch over my heir", was the second king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from the death of his father Nabopolassar in 605 BC to his own death in 562 BC. Often titled Nebuchadnezzar ...
* Ruth Storey as Rachel * John Crawford as General Avil * Ric Roman as Arrioch * Robert Griffin as King Astyages * Beatrice Maude as Cyrus' Foster Mother *
Wheaton Chambers James Wheaton Chambers (October 13, 1887 – January 31, 1958) was an American actor during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He appeared in more than 200 films and television series during his career. Early years Chambers was born on October 13 ...
as Cyrus' Foster Father * Paul Purcell as Overseer *
Julie Newmar Julie Newmar (born Julia Chalene Newmeyer; August 16, 1933) is an American actress, dancer, and singer known for a variety of stage, screen, and television roles. She is also a writer, lingerie designer, and real estate Business magnate, mogul. ...
as Dancer-Assassin (as Julie Newmeyer)

Production
The film was announced by Katzman in November 1951. It was part of an eight-film slate he was making at Columbia, others including ''Prince of Pirates'' with Paul Henreid, '' Serpent of the Nile'', ''Cairo to Suez'', ''Jack McCall, Desperado'', ''The Pathfinder'', ''Siren of Bagdad'' and ''Flame of Calcutta''. In January 1952 the film was formally put on the schedule. It was part of the early 50s boom in Biblical era pictures. In May Kaztman said the film would start in November. In July Richard Conte was announced as Nahum. In October 1952 it was announced Richard Conte's wife Ruth would make her film debut in the movie under the name "Ruth Storey" and that Linda Christian would also appear. The same month Katzman said William Castle would direct following '' Conquest of Cochise''.

References

External links
* * {{Sam Katzman 1953 films 1953 adventure films American adventure films Cultural depictions of Belshazzar Cultural depictions of Cyrus the Great Films directed by William Castle Films set in Babylon Columbia Pictures films Films set in the 6th century BC 1950s English-language films 1950s American films Films produced by Sam Katzman English-language adventure films