Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

TheLittleSongbird Love thriller with a touch of comedy and have a lot of respect for Gregory Peck, Alan Badel, Sophia Loren, Stanley Donen and Henry Mancini. Plus the comparisons to 'Charade', a wonderful film and the very definition of the distinction "The Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made". So 'Arabesque' had a lot going for it.Getting the inevitable and often made comparisons to 'Charade', and any made out to Hitchcock (such as 'North By Northwest') quickly out of the way, 'Charade' is the much better film. Neither is 'Arabesque' in the same league with Hitchcock at his best, like 'North By Northwest' is. Donen has also done better, with 'Charade' being one of them. With that being said, 'Arabesque' to me was a good enjoyable film in its own right, with lots to admire but it is not hard to see why it won't be everybody's cup of tea.'Arabesque' could have been better. As good an actor Peck was, amazing at his best (like his performance for the ages as Atticus Finch in 'To King a Mockingbird'), he is completely out of his depth in this film. 'Roman Holiday' showed that he could handle comedy and romance well, but here he looks continually puzzled and is at his most uncomfortable looking since 'The Parradine Case', lacking the suavity, smoothness and urbane charm needed, things that, as much as it is regrettable that it's being said, Cary Grant would have pulled off perfectly (being the king of that acting style).Story-wise, 'Arabesque' is intriguing and entertaining, but it is also over-convoluted with parts not feeling explored enough. There are too a few nonsensical scenes (like the fainting guard) that seemed to be an indication of parts being written or re-written in a rush. Kieron Moore's dialogue jars a little bit somewhat.However, 'Arabesque' looks a dream, late 60s Technicolor has rarely looked this incredible. Have not seen cinematography this inventive in a long time, while the colours dazzle and the settings and costumes define glamorous to a tee. Henry Mancini's music score is typically luscious and jaunty in Mancini's own unmistakable way. Donen directs at a good pace.The script crackles in wit and sophistication while the story has enough entertainment value, tense suspense and intrigue to stick with it. Thanks to some memorable scenes, especially the incredibly clever opening titles sequence, the shower scene and the truly exciting climax.Excepting Peck, the performances are very good. Sophia Loren has never looked more stunning or been this classy, while Alan Badel is oily menace incarnate. Moore is fun in his role despite some jarring dialogue.Overall, good glamorous fun but with such amazing ingredients and assets it had the makings of a great film. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Christopher Evans This mystery/thriller is from director Stanley Donen. It follows on from the director's previous film, Charade starring Cary Grant. Charade was very much a Hitchcockian thriller which could pass as the work of the 'Master of Suspense' himself. That film totally delivered whereas this one is brilliant entertainment but with a few clunky scenes and a slightly disappointing plot reveal towards the end.Donen directs brilliantly with exciting action scenes, sophisticated scenes of dialogue and BAFTA winning cinematography featuring very stylish and interesting camera work. Viewing this in HD is a treat for the eyes, it looks beautiful. The acting is of a high standard throughout the cast with some good villains and a top class performance from Sophia Loren. Gregory Peck is his usual brilliant self as the Oxford professor dragged into a dangerous game of spies, plots and murder due to his abilities in deciphering hieroglyphics. The part was meant for Cary Grant and Peck is not usually seen in this kind of role where amusing quips are delivered in the midst of danger and romance. A star of his quality takes it in his stride, though, and he is spot on in the role.The mysterious plot goes along well and keeps you really interested but there are scenes which are badly thought through and as the truth behind the mysteries gets revealed towards the end it does not quite make sense to the degree it could. There are a number of things which jar a bit as being too improbable or inadequately explained: A royal guardsman inexplicably collapsing due to a comment from Peck and his fellow guard totally ignoring the incident, people running into and around London Zoo at night with no security barrier or anything to stop them, people using various methods of trying to kill Peck when a simple gunshot would do and the revelation of the hieroglyphic message all seem symptoms of the hastily rewritten screenplay.Scenes in the zoo, a horse race, a cornfield and a viaduct all have that Hitchcockian stamp on them and Donen at this stage seemed to be trying (or being told by film studios?) to become the new 'Hitch'. In Charade he managed to achieve that level. In Arabesque he does a really good job in the entertainment, action, use of great actors and visual style but falls down a bit on plot execution.7.5/10

DKosty123 When James Bond was so successful, a lot of folks went to the London studios are tried to make their own film. This one enlisted a top director, Stanley Roper (kidding), Gregory Peck, Sophia Loren, Christian Dior, and the MGM British Unit of the 1960's.The best features of this film - the cast, the opening and closing credits and the scenery. The worst part is the script. I mean if your going to try and clone James Bond, at least find someone who can write a good script to do so. If your going to fake Hitchcock, well even Hitch knew the writing was super important in his work. Most clever touch in the film - Peck using a wooden ladder to take down the bad guys helicopter. Worst touch, the total insane crazy plot and the way the sequencing was done. It was kind of cool seeing a bad guy blast open a fish tank in an aquarium but that touch could have been done more effectively.Sometimes, imitation of success does not really come off. The cast looks like they have fun, and I envy Peck being able to look at Loren nude and taking a shower in front of him. Could this have been better, yes and 007 did so. Legend has it Peck was supposed to be Cary Grant. I think in 1966 that Peck was the better option. He can even make bad lines sound like they have real authority.

Uriah43 "Professor David Pollock" (Gregory Peck) is an expert on ancient hieroglyphics and while teaching in London is approached by a man named "Maj. Sylvester Pennington Sloane" (John Merivale) to meet with his boss who is a Middle Eastern shipping magnate by the name of "Nejim Beshraavi" (Alan Badel). Essentially, Beshraavi wants Professor Pollock to interpret some ancient Hittite hieroglyphics which were written on a small piece of paper. At first Professor Pollock refuses but when asked personally by Arab Prime Minister "Hassan Jena" (Carl Duering) reconsiders and then accepts Beshraavi invitation to meet him at his house. It's there that he also makes the acquaintance of Beshraavi's mistress, "Yasmin Azir" (Sophia Loren) who then proceeds to get him involved in one extremely dangerous scenario after another. Now rather than reveal any more of this film and risk ruining it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a fairly decent espionage thriller for the most part. I especially liked the performances of both Gregory Peck and the lovely Sophia Loren. Having said that, although I really liked some of the humorous quips tossed around by Gregory Peck, others seemed to really fall flat and weakened the overall effect. In any case, I liked this movie and rate it as slightly above average.