Khartoum

Academy AwardÂ(r) winners* Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier face off in this epic, stirring drama of two men and two empires. Filmed in glorious CineramaÂ(r), with stunning desertbattles staged by the creator of the Ben-Hur chariot race, Khartoum is a "magnificently staged action spectacle [with] outstanding portrayals" (Boxoffice) and breathtaking cinematography. In 1883, British Prime Minister Gladstone (Ralph Richardson) dispatches General Charles Gordon (Heston) to Khartoum, Sudan, where thousands of civilians are threatened by a Muslim fanatic, the Mahdi (Olivier), and his army of followers. Gordon gains the Mahdi's respect but can't prevent the Mahdi's men from laying siege to the city. Now, as history hangs in the balance, Gordon faces the fight of his life defending the ancient city of Khartoum. *Heston: Actor, Ben-Hur (1959). Olivier: Actor, Hamlet (1948); Lifetime Achievement (1978); Outstanding Achievement as Actor, Producer and Director on Henry V (1946)