Indische Grabmal, Das (1959)

Director:

Fritz Lang

Writers:

Werner Jörg Lüddecke (writer)
Thea von Harbou (novel)

Release Date:

October 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Tagline:

Der deutsche Millionen-Film!

Plot:

Harald Berger and his Indian lover, the temple dancer Seetha, desperately flee from the shikaris (cavalry) of Eschanapur's maharajah Chandra...

Plot Keywords:

Dance | Dance Number | Parade | Crocodile | Elephant

Cast

Debra Paget	...	Seetha
Paul Hubschmid	...	Harald Berger / Henri Mercier in French Version
Walter Reyer	...	Chandra
Claus Holm	...	Dr. Walter Rhode
Valéry Inkijinoff	...	Yama
Sabine Bethmann	...	Irene Rhode
Angela Portaluri	...	A peasant
René Deltgen	...	Prince Ramigani
Guido Celano	...	Gen. Dagh
Jochen Brockmann	...	Padhu
Richard Lauffen	...	Browana
Jochen Blume	...	Asagara
Helmut Hildebrand	...	Ramigani's servant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor Francen	...	The Penitent
Panos Papadopulos	...	Gen. Dagh's messenger

Also Known As:

Sepolcro indiano, Il (Italy)
The Indian Tomb
Tombeau hindou, Le (France)

Runtime:

Germany:102 min | Spain:97 min

Country:

West Germany | France | Italy

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

CCC-Atelier, Spandau, Berlin, Germany

Company:

Central Cinema Company Film (CCC)

Movie Connections:

Edited into Journey to the Lost City (1959)

This deserves ANOTHER remake!

I just watched this on DVD--I wasn't aware of two important factors when I did. One, that this was a remake of a 1938 film, and two that it was actually the last part of a typical Lang epic-length film! I wonder how both films were ever condensed into a mere ninety minutes for domestic release? What an extraordinary feat in itself!

I can see the influence on Speilburg and Luca quite clearly. This does have numerous external similarities to TEMPLE OF DOOM, as well as several motifs common to other Lang films.

There are some amusing blunders. The Priest talks about Allah, then a few scenes later, cautions that THE GODS will be displeased. Islam is monothestic!

There was a line uttered by the Priest: "There will be darkness over Eschanpur." That would have been a most intriguing title, nothing so bland as THE Indian TOMB, and would have also linked TIGERS OF ESCHANAPUR to this film. Both were released in that one 90 minute Americanized version, JOURNEY TO THE LOST CITY. As far as I could tell from this half, the city was far from "lost"! The Maharajah is proclaimed as RAJ of this state and that, master of the realms of Yadda-Yadda, and so on. I got out my map of India and was easily able to locate the areas he mentioned.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and recommend it highly, especially to those who love a good rollicking adventure. I intend to secure the rights and bring this to the screen, before all the tigers are extinct.