not as good as all the hype

just watch it!

i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Probably one of the least accurate historical dramas done by the old Hollywood Studio System is Suez with Tyrone Power cast as Ferdinand DeLesseps, the builder of the Suez Canal. Any resemblance to the facts involving the canal and its construction are purely coincidental, in fact both English and French history gets badly skewered in Suez.Ferdinand DeLesseps should only have been as dashing and as handsome as Tyrone Power, he probably wishes he was. He was never involved in any romantic way with the Empress Eugene of France played by Loretta Young. As for the character that Annabella who was Mrs. Tyrone Power at the time plays, we've sure got no basis in fact for what she does to save Power and the canal itself. Take my word it's quite the sacrifice.The film has DeLesseps taking over the assignment his father had as consul general for France to Egypt. While there DeLesseps conceives the idea of rebuilding the ancient canal over the isthmus of Suez. And as the film's story unfolds he sacrifices everything to get it. Of course it's all fiction. The name of Benjamin Disraeli is as linked in history to the Suez Canal as DeLesseps. But how he got involved is also complete fiction. It took place after the canal was complete and while quite a coup for the British at the time, it was hardly anything heroic. Miles Mander plays Disraeli without quite the same flair as George Arliss did nor even Ian McShane in the acclaimed BBC series in the Seventies.But if you like historical romance than Suez is definitely the film for you.

This is a very solid 20th Century Fox/Tyrone Power epic film. While not the best Power ever did, it is still very good and worth seeing. Plus, it gives people a chance to see the real-life Mrs. Power, actress Annabella. Rarely do you get a chance to see actors starring with their wives. The film score, sets, direction and script are all very good--though perhaps a little too much emphasis is placed on romance. Oh well, perhaps that's what you get for putting your wife in the film (just kidding). After you see this film, you might also then try watching the movie DISRAELI, so you can find out that just a few years after the French almost single-handedly built the canal, the British swooped in and obtained a 50% interest! Now that's cheeky!

Tyrone Power plays the beleaguered Ferdinand de Lesseps in this big-budget retelling of the building of the Suez canal, appropriately called "Suez." Power, a huge star, was so often involved in these big budget films, truly the "Airport"-type movies of their day, that the poor man ended up taking part in the Chicago fire, the Suez sandstorm, and an Indian earthquake! Loretta Young is again his costar, this time as Eugenie, and she is her usual gorgeous self in magnificent gowns. The two made a ravishing couple - and in real life, he once called her on a Saturday night, lamenting that despite their big stardoms, they were dateless on date night, and asked her to a movie in Westwood.The third prong of the love triangle is Annabella, a marvelous actress who became Power's first wife - and they were most definitely the Brangelina of their day! Unfortunately, Zanuck was so furious that his star broke the hearts of millions of women by marrying, that Annabella was blackballed. It's a shame, because on a radio retelling of "Rage of Manhattan" with Power, her fabulous acting is evident. Pity there were not more opportunities for her."Suez" is a little slow-going and nobody ages except for the touch of gray given Power, but the windstorm is magnificent. Power, who was only 23-24 at the time of filming, does a wonderful job, and is certainly up to his dramatic scenes. The later one with Annabella is most touching. The next to final shot of him receiving his award from Eugenie is memorable, as he walks, in a half bow, down the stairs backwards. Finally, the "Queen Christina" type close-up of Power's amazing face must last three minutes, but I could have stared at it for another hour.All in all and despite the fact that it is probably the most historically inaccurate real-life story ever filmed, "Suez" is worth the watch, especially for the effects, done without computer generation and blue screens.

SUEZ is a stodgy romantic drama, a highly fictionalized biographical account of the builder of the Suez canal. It's got some nice costuming (for Loretta Young especially), some decent performances (Tyrone Power does nicely in the leading role and Annabella has a certain exotic charm), and the big storm scene is extremely well done as far as special effects go.Power and Young were both at the height of their physical appeal and their close-ups are as stunning as Miss Young's wardrobe.But it struggles to stay alive through the first few reels and it takes an interminable time for the plot to be resolved. It goes on and on at great length without making any sort of impression as a reasonably faithful biography of the man. The romance between Power, Young and Annabella seems no more than a cardboard romantic triangle such as the kind Hollywood often invented for biographies. (As, for example, in the Bronte biography, DEVOTION).As historical drama, it's flimsy. Only the most faithful fans of Power and Loretta Young (both of whom are attractively photographed for maximum glamor) will really be satisfied with this one. All of the production elements are there, but the end result is not quite what audiences expected.Most satisfying element is the great cast of supporting actors--Henry Stephenson, Joseph Schildkraut, J. Edgar Bromberg, Miles Mander, Nigel Bruce and George Zucco. Only standout flaw in casting is Leon Ames as Napoleon (before he became MGM's favorite father figure in "Little Women" and "Meet Me In St. Louis"). He just seems out of place.The sandstorm is magnificent but comes too late to save the film.