In the 1963 film *55 Days at Peking*, tension is primarily built through the intersection of desperate military survival, volatile diplomatic standoffs, and the clash of cultures. The following scenes are widely considered the most intense due to their high stakes and cinematic execution.
### 1. The Firing of "Old Betsy" (The International Gun)
This scene is a peak moment of "jury-rigged" desperation.
* **What Preceded It:** The Boxer forces have successfully scaled the Tartar Wall and are positioned to fire directly down into the legation compound "like fish in a barrel." The defenders are critically low on standard ammunition and have no heavy artillery to clear the wall.
* **The Moment of Tension:** Major Lewis (Charlton Heston) and a French priest oversee the assembly of a makeshift cannon nicknamed "Old Betsy." The tension is twofold: first, the physical construction (an old German barrel, an Italian carriage, French wheels, and Russian shells that don’t quite fit), and second, the suspense of whether the unstable weapon will explode and kill its own crew.
* **Why It Is Tense:** The film uses close-ups of the crew "ramming" the improvised charge while Boxer fire rains down on them. The dialogue—noting that the man firing it is "fool enough to say he’ll fire it"—underscores the suicidal nature of the act. The payoff is a loud, chaotic blast that successfully clears the wall, providing a momentary but violent reprieve.
### 2. The Sewer Raid and Arsenal Explosion
This sequence is the film’s most traditional "ticking clock" action scene.
* **What Preceded It:** The siege has dragged on, and the defenders realize they cannot survive much longer against the Chinese artillery bombardment. Sir Arthur (David Niven) suggests a high-risk mission to strike at the source of the enemy’s power: their main ammunition dump.
* **The Moment of Tension:** Major Lewis leads a small group through the city’s claustrophobic, filth-ridden sewers to reach the arsenal. The tension is built through silence and the constant threat of discovery in a confined space. When they reach the dump, they must plant explosives while avoiding the guards above. The scene culminates in a massive, screen-shaking explosion that lights up the Peking night.
* **Why It Is Tense:** It represents the ultimate "all-or-nothing" gamble. If Lewis and his men are caught, the legation loses its best soldiers; if they fail to destroy the dump, the compound will be leveled by morning.
### 3. The Assassination of Baron von Ketteler
This scene serves as the "point of no return" that transitions the film from political intrigue into total war.
* **What Preceded It:** Tension in the city has reached a boiling point. The German Minister, Baron von Ketteler, is warned that the streets are no longer safe for foreigners, but he insists on maintaining his diplomatic dignity by traveling to the Chinese Foreign Ministry (*Zongli Yamen*) to demand an end to the violence.
* **The Moment of Tension:** As von Ketteler travels through a crowded, silent street, the atmosphere is thick with unspoken hostility. He is suddenly intercepted by a Chinese army patrol. After a brief, sharp exchange, he is shot dead in the street.
* **Why It Is Tense:** The scene is characterized by a "calm before the storm." The lack of music and the visual of a lone European official surrounded by a sea of hostile faces creates a feeling of inevitable doom. This event serves as the catalyst for the Empress Dowager to formally side with the Boxers.
### 4. The Diplomatic Standoff: The "Prostrate Cow" Scene
This is the film’s most famous verbal confrontation, occurring between Sir Arthur Robertson and Empress Dowager Cixi (Flora Robson).
* **What Preceded It:** The Empress has invited the foreign ministers to the palace to "advise" them to leave Peking within 24 hours. This is a thinly veiled threat of massacre.
* **The Moment of Tension:** Sir Arthur refuses to be intimidated. In a famous exchange, the Empress describes China as a "prostrate cow" that the Western powers are "butchering for her meat." Sir Arthur counters with a warning that the "councils of violence" will lead to the blood of millions being shed.
* **Why It Is Tense:** It is a battle of wills played out in a hyper-formal setting. The tension comes from the subtext: both characters know that if this conversation fails, thousands of people will die. Niven’s "stiff upper lip" composure against Robson’s icy, regal authority makes it a masterclass in psychological tension.
### 5. The Recognition of the Relief Force
The film’s climax relies on auditory tension to signal the end of the 55-day ordeal.
* **What Preceded It:** The defenders are down to their last few rounds of ammunition. The compound is being overrun, and Major Lewis and Sir Arthur are preparing for a final stand.
* **The Moment of Tension:** At the crack of dawn, the sound of heavy artillery is heard in the distance. The characters freeze, listening intently. A soldier asks, "How many days did we hold out?" and the response is "55."
* **Why It Is Tense:** The tension lies in the ambiguity of the sound. For a few agonizing moments, the characters (and the audience) don't know if the incoming fire is a new Chinese offensive or the Eight-Nation Alliance. When Lewis realizes the guns are "not Chinese," the tension breaks into a cathartic victory sequence.