Solomon and Sheba

film by Vidor [1959]

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July 22, 2026

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The film Solomon and Sheba (1959) is a biblical epic directed by King Vidor. It stars Yul Brynner as King Solomon and Gina Lollobrigida as the Queen of Sheba. The Queen of Sheba is famously known for her visit to Solomon to witness his wisdom, a story found in the Bible, Qur'an, and other extra-scriptural traditions. The film was released in the same year as the epic Ben-Hur. King Vidor was a highly creative American film director known for his work in the 1920s and 1930s, with notable films like The Big Parade and The Crowd. Solomon and Sheba was one of his later works before his retirement from directing.12

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King Vidor
Later films
Vidor’s last feature was Solomon and Sheba (1959), an entry in the biblical-epic genre that was then popular. Tyrone Power died of a heart attack during filming and was replaced by Yul Brynner, who refilmed the extant footage. The result was quite acceptable, but the film was overshadowed by…
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Vidor’s last feature was Solomon and Sheba (1959), an entry in the biblical-epic genre that was then popular. Tyrone Power died of a heart attack during filming and was replaced by Yul Brynner, who refilmed the extant footage. The result was quite acceptable, but the film was overshadowed by…
Read More

Gina Lollobrigida
…Yul Brynner in King Vidor’s Solomon and Sheba (1959). In 1961 Lollobrigida appeared with Rock Hudson in the romantic comedy Come September. She later earned praise for her performance in the comedy Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968).
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…Yul Brynner in King Vidor’s Solomon and Sheba (1959). In 1961 Lollobrigida appeared with Rock Hudson in the romantic comedy Come September. She later earned praise for her performance in the comedy Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968).
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