Zarak (1956) – Nostalgia Central

The product of British production company Warwick Films (set up by Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli to offer a European lifeline to fading Hollywood stars), Zarak was set on the mountainous North West Frontier between British India and Afghanistan, circa 1860.

Zarak Khan (Victor Mature) is caught canoodling with Salma (Anita Ekberg), the youngest wife of his hateful and offensive father, Haji Khan (Frederick Valk).

Outraged, his father orders Zarak to be flogged to death but spares his life at the urging of an elderly Mullah (Finlay Currie).

And so Zarak leaves his village and becomes a notorious outlaw, leading the Afghans in a rebellion against the British.

This prompts the British authorities to assign political officer Major Ingram (Michael Wilding) of the Bengal Lancers to capture him (and persuade the locals of the benefits of British rule).

Zarak and Ingram have several violent encounters, developing a grudging respect for each other. When Ingram is captured by Ahmad (Peter Illing), one of Zarak’s rivals, Zarak risks his life to save the British officer.

Much of the dialogue is ridiculous, and the sight of white actors and actresses “browned up” hasn’t aged well, but the battle sequences are fiery and brutal, and Swedish beauty Anita Ekberg never looked more glamorous, especially when performing a sultry, erotic dance, which had censors reaching for their scissors.

The scene was deleted in New Zealand and drastically pruned in the United States.

British singer Yana (real name, Pamela Guard) performs her hit single Climb Up The Wall.

The film was shot at Elstree Studios, with location filming taking place in Spanish Morocco and Burma (now Myanmar). Victor Mature’s stunt double, Jack Keely, was killed in a horse-riding stunt while making this film.

Zarak Khan
Victor Mature
Maj. Michael Ingram
Michael Wilding
Salma
Anita Ekberg
Biri
Bonar Colleano
Cathy Ingram
Eunice Gayson
Mullah
Finlay Currie
Ahmad
Peter Illing
Hassu the one-eyed
Bernard Miles
Kasim
Eddie Byrne
Moor Larkin
Patrick McGoohan
Haji Khan
Frederick Valk
Maj. Atherton
André Morell
Sgt. Higgins
Harold Goodwin
Akbar
Alec Mango
Youssuff
Oscar Quitak
Chief Jailer
George Margo
Flower Seller
Arnold Marlé
Johnson
Conrad Phillips
Singer
Yana (Pamela Guard)

Director
Terence Young