Maciste nella Valle dei Re [Son of Samson] **(1960, Mark Forest, Chelo Alonso, Vira Silenti, Angelo Zanolli, Federica Ranchi, Carlo Tamberlani) – Classic Movie Review 13,989

Mark Forest stars as muscleman Maciste in the 1960 Italian peplum film Maciste nella Valle dei Re [Son of Samson], set during the Persian rule over Egypt (525-480 BC).

Mark Forest stars as muscleman Maciste in director Carlo Campogalliani’s 1960 Italian peplum film Maciste nella Valle dei Re, set during the Persian rule over Egypt (525-480 BC).

The film was released in the US as Son of Samson, though in the film Maciste has no relation to Samson.

Angelo Zanolli plays the young Egyptian prince Kenamon, who is saved by muscleman Maciste (Mark Forest). He gets even more lucky, sees a beautiful girl called Nofret (Federica Ranchi), and falls in love with her.

Queen Smedes (Cuban actress Chelo Alonso), beautiful but cunning wife of his father Pharaoh Amirteo I (Angelo Zanolli). kills him before he can raise an army against the Persians. Kenamon becomes Pharaoh but is drugged by Smedes, and loses his will-power. Nofret is about to be sold as a slave and Maciste becomes the leader of the people’s revolt.

After the success of Hercules, producer Ermanno Donati thought of the idea of resurrecting the character of Maciste who first appeared in Cabiria (1914) for new audiences. He and his brother Piero Donati first shot the film Maciste nella Valle dei Re, followed by Riccardo Freda’s film Maciste alla corte del Gran Khan with Gordon Scott as Maciste (or Samson in the American version Samson and the Seven Miracles of the World).

Cast: Mark Forest as Maciste, Chelo Alonso as Queen Smedes, Vira Silenti as Tekaet, Angelo Zanolli as Pharaoh Kenamun, Federica Ranchi as Nofret, Carlo Tamberlani as Pharaoh Armiteo I, Nino Musco as Senneka, Zvonimir Rogoz as Grand Visir, Ignazio Dolce as Tradesman,

Chelo Alonso starred with Steve Reeves in Goliath and the Barbarians (1959) and Morgan the Pirate  [Morgan il pirata] (1960).

© Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,989

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