Diplomats, soldiers and other representatives of a dozen nations fend off the siege of the International Compound in Peking during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. The disparate interests unite for survival despite competing factions, overwhelming odds, delayed relief and tacit support of the Boxers by the Empress of China and her generals.

Charlton Heston
as Maj. Matt Lewis

Ava Gardner
as Baroness Natalie Ivanoff

David Niven
as Sir Arthur Robertson

Flora Robson
as Dowager Empress Tzu-Hsi

John Ireland
as Sgt. Harry

Harry Andrews
as Father de Bearn

Leo Genn
as Gen. Jung-Lu

Robert Helpmann
as Prince Tuan

Kurt Kasznar
as Baron Sergei Ivanoff

Philippe Leroy
as Julliard
CinemaSerf
It is tempting just to look upon this as an imperialist (Western, not Chinese) costume drama with fireworks. I think, however, it does merit a little more credit than that. Samuel Bronston pulls together quite a cast as Hollywood (via Madrid and Valencia) gives us it's version of the failed/foiled B...