Interesting quasi-historical period romantic drama surrounding the building of the Suez Canal in 1859-69,utilizing primarily French capital and expertise and Egyptian labor, much of it essentially slave labor in the early years. Although the run time is listed as 98 or 104 min., the copy I saw was only 74 min., missing about 25min. I'm not sure which sections were deleted, but the beginning and last part were there.Most of the main characters are uncommonly handsome or beautiful. This includes Tyrone Power, playing Ferdinand de Lesseps, a real person, who played an important part in building the Canal. Beautiful Loretta Young played Countess Eugenie de Montijo: who wanted to make up her mind whether she wanted to marry Ty or Napoleon III: soon to be emperor. She turns down Ty when he asks for her hand, keeping the Napoleon(Leon Ames) option open. Napoleon sent Ty to Egypt as a diplomat, his father being the chief consular there. He hoped this would put a damper on his romance with Loretta, which it did. Meanwhile, Ty soon discovered a new French beauty in Egypt: Annabella, as Toni. Her French accent was still rather thick at this time, but she provided quite a contrast to Loretta's character, who preferred the trappings of court life: lavish wardrobes, grand parties with dancing and such. Annabella's Toni was a tomboy, who preferred outdoor sports, including nude swimming, as Ty discovered. Apparently, she was sufficiently provided so that she could be carefree. WARNING: SPOILER ALERT.As things turned out, Ty's romantic relationship with both would not last. Loretta's character married Napoleon, while Annabella drowned in a horrible watery sandstorm, where the canal was being built.(Of course, in real life, Ty and Annabella would soon marry). When Ty returned to Paris, having completed the project, there was an emotional reunion with Loretta, as she congratulated him. The actual emperor's wife went to Egypt to formally dedicate the canal.Napoleon initially refused to back the canal project, but later changed his mind, allowing construction to begin. Ty also had to court the viceroy of Egypt, Sa'id(not Said!) for his approval of the project. He was nearly independent of the authority of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, which technically included Egypt. Enjoy either the abbreviated version or the full version, presently at YouTube

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.

The undertaking of the construction of the great canal at Suez was monumental. Sadly, "Suez" was not. Despite the grand beginnings (featuring a breathtaking ball gown with Loretta Young inside it) the film failed to deliver. Predictable in most every way, from the scene with the Indian sand reader to the stormy scenes between Powers and Annabelle. Good special effects. No plot continuity.

There could never be a product like this turned out today. The people are just not out there - at least not in the picture business.Zanuck expressed the opinion that Annabella was the only one of Power's wives good enough for Power. Zanuck was never one to always hit it exactly right on the head but he got it right with this one. Watch these two in this - it's a union of giants!Loretta Young !!!! Just plainly the most beautiful woman who ever lived. If Eugenie was one tenth this beautiful she deserved to wear a crown and live a hundred years, as the fortune teller predicted, and as Eugenie in fact did. Even Power's co-stars Madeleine Carroll in LLOYDS OF LONDON and Gene Tierney/Frances Farmer in SON OF FURY, ravishing as they all were, were not Young's equal.Victoria was badmouthed as too prim and proper but according to Zanuck she must have walked out on a few wires or otherwise there would have been some holdups on both the Suez Canal and the telephone (see ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL).There are so many elements in this that represent the very pinnacle of moviemaking that it would be gilding the lily to begin to enumerate them. We can but savor this thankfully as a flawless treasure; an example of the American commercial movie as an art form in the consummate sense.