Sphinx

About the movie

Egyptologist Erica Baron (Lesley-Anne Down) is researching for a paper on Mernephtah, chief architect to Pharaoh Seti I. She meets with unscrupulous art dealer Abdu-Hamdi (John Gielgud) and witnesses him being threatened by black-market dealer Stephanos Markoulis (John Rhys-Davies). Abdu-Hamdi shows Erica a statue of Seti I that may prove there is a secret burial chamber filled with treasures within Seti's tomb. Erica witnesses Abdu-Hamdi being murdered by unidentified men and is rescued by French journalist Yvon Mageot (Maurice Ronet). He is interested in Erica's research, but his motives remain unclear. Erica then meets Dr. Akmed Khazzan (Frank Langella), who is head of the antiquities division for the government, and is also interested to know what Erica has learned about a secret chamber. He provides her a bodyguard who is promptly murdered, possibly by the same people who murdered Abdu-Hamdi. Despite continued threats from Markoulis and continued hindrance from Mageot, Erica is determined to learn all she can, no matter the risk. She also finds herself falling for Khazzan, which leads her further into ancient mysteries and intrigue.—Patrick Depew