The 1946 film "Duel in the Sun", uses the famous Egyptian Magic Coin as a medallion which a preacher gives to a young girl. The film stars Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Gregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, and Walter Huston. The film was produced by the same company which produced the 1939 film "Gone with the Wind." "Duel in the Sun" was sometimes described as the "Gone with the Wind" of Westerns. The film was also described as "Lust in the Dust" due to the final scene in the film. A local preacher known as the "Sin Killer" gives the beautiful sexy Pearl (Jennifer Jones) the Egyptian Magic Coin as a medal which will protect her from "sin" and help her to be a "good girl." It doesn't work. Life Magazine ran an article on the promotion for the film and printed a letter about the medallion. For details visit here.
The radio program "The Romance of Helen Trent" mentioned the film and the medallion resulting in copies of the medallion being made and given out by one of the program's sponsors. For details visit here.

The film begins with "Squaw's Head Rock."

A voice tells the legend of Squaw's Head Rock:

At a saloon near the Texas-Mexico border a woman dances.

The dancer is the mother of Pearl Chavez, a beautiful "half-breed" (Mexican-Indian) girl. Pearl's father kills her mother and is then executed. He arranges for Pearl to live with his old girlfriend Laura Belle, who lives with her husband Senator Jackson McCanles and their two sons Jesse and Lewton on their large Texas ranch named "Spanish Bit." Pearl arrives at the nearby town of Paradise Flats, "The Paris of the Pecos", and is met by Jesse McCanles, the older son.

Jesse drives Pearl to the ranch.

The sign reads:

Pearl is taken to meet the patriarch McCanles family, Senator Jackson McCanles, and his wife Laura Belle.

Laura Belle welcomes Pearl but McCanles calls her a "half breed" and "Pocahontas." The Senator is confined to a wheel chair due to a long ago accident. Pearl tells Laura Belle that she wants to be a "good girl", unlike her mother. Jesse shows a slight interest in Pearl. The remaining member of the family, Lewton 'Lewt' McCanles then arrives and introduces himself.

He indicates that he would like to know Pearl better, lots better. A railroad is being built in the area and the Texas state government is allowing it to cross the McCanles ranch, something that McCanles is not happy with.

Jesse has a law degree from a university and argues with his father about resisting the railroad. Laura Belle notes how attractive Pearl is and invites Jubal Crabbe, a preacher known as the "Sin Killer" to talk to her.

The Sin Killer tells Pearl that she is in danger of temptation and hellfire.

O Lord, look upon this, thy creature. Rise, girl.

Note: "shrived" is an old term meaning for a priest to hear a confession

The medal is an Egyptian Magic Coin with a picture of the Pharaoh on one side and the Sphinx and Pyramids on the other. The medal is shown with views of both sides.

The film medal with the obverse and reverse edited together.

An Egyptian Magic Coin:

Silvered bronze, 32 mm, 9.90 gm
Obverse: Pharaoh seated on throne with hieroglyphs to the left and right
Reverse: Sphinx with four pyramids and sunburst behind them and with hieroglyphs below

There are many types of Egyptian Magic Coins but the one above appears to match the one in the film. The reverse of the one above is slightly rotated from horizontal as is the one in the film. These items were originally produced in the early 1900's as watch fobs by the Sears company. Later they were produced separately and come with variations in design and with and without loops. The "Egyptian Revival" following the discovery of the Tutankhamen or "King Tut" tomb in 1922 saw the production of many Egyptian themed items.

For more information on these items, please visit: The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin

The Sin Killer continues his talk to Pearl.

McCanles receives word that the railroad construction crew is at the ranch border.

McCanles orders the cowboy to signal to the ranch employees to gather and bring their guns.

After great effort, the Senator McCanles is put on a horse and taken to the ranch boundary, joined by Jesse but not Lewt who is out of the area. The cowboys line up along the ranch fence to confront the railroad crew. Jesse crosses the fence and joins Lem Smoot, a lawyer working for the railroad, and Mr. Langford, the head of the railroad. A US Army cavalry troop arrives to support the railroad.

Senator McCanles, a Union war veteran, orders his men to withdraw as he will not "fire on the flag." Back at the ranch, Pearl is wearing her medal and is bored with ranch life.

Lewt arrives and immediately charms Pearl.

Jesse visits Pearl's room and finds the pair together.

Jesse tells her that he is disappointed with her, causing her to actively want Lewt.

Lewt takes Pearl to the local swimming hole for some (implied) nude swimming. Later they start fooling around and Pearl lets him know: "If I'm not good enough to marry I'm not good enough to kiss." Lewt notices Pearl's medal and asks her what it is. She tells him.

Lewt then tells her:

Lewt removes the medal and throws it in the pond.

Lewt begins a campaign of sabotaging the railroad and derails a train.

As he rides away, Lewt sings "I'm working on the railroad." Pearl meets Sam Pierce, a long-time ranch employee who asks her to marry him. She agrees but Lewt guns an unarmed Sam down and kills him. Lewt is now a wanted man with a $2,000 reward for his capture. Jesse, banished from the ranch for helping the railroad, learns that his mother is dying and returns to the ranch, but finds her dead. McCanles is less angry and more unhappy with his wife dying and his other son being an outlaw. Jesse is now engaged to Helen Langford, the daughter of the railroad owner and she has accompanied him. Lewt sends a man with a message to Jesse to meet him.

Lewt shoots an unarmed Jesse and rides away. Jesse survives the shooting but he, Helen, and Pearl know that Lewt will be back to kill him. Helen meets Pearl and asks her for her help.

Lewt sends a cowboy with a message asking Pearl to meet him at Squaw's Head Rock before he goes to Mexico. She brings a rifle with her.

The mission is actually the San José Tumacácori Spanish Mission in Arizona, built in 1691.

Pearl fires two shots as a signal, sees Lewt, and shoots him. She then climbs up to the rock to finish the job.

Lewt shoots Pearl and now both are wounded, but they still have an attraction for each other.

The two crawl to each other and embrace.

Jennifer Jones as Pearl Chavez
Joseph Cotten as Jesse McCanles
Gregory Peck as Lewton 'Lewt' McCanles
Lionel Barrymore as Senator Jackson McCanles
Walter Huston as Jubal Crabbe, The Sin Killer
Director: King Vidor
Writers: David O. Selznick, Oliver H.P. Garrett, Niven Busch (novel)

"Duel in the Sun" was released to theatres early in 1947. The release was preceded by a massive $2,000,000 publicity campaign. Life magazine's February 10, 1947 issue had an article on the publicity campaign along with a photograph of actress Ruth Roman surrounded by promotional items.

The film was a tremendous box office success partially due to the publicity campaign and attempts by various groups to censor or block the film due to it's story.

The Life magazine article resulted in a letter sent to the magazine and published in the March 3, 1947 issue which mentioned the medal that Jennifer Jones wore in the film.

It is possible that Egyptian Magic Coins were manufactured to help publicize the film but no documentation is available as these items were privately made.

"The Romance of Helen Trent" was an American radio program or "radio soap opera" which ran weekdays from 1933 to 1960. It told the story of the always 35-year old heroine and her continuing attempts to find the right man. One slogan used was "Can love come to a woman over 35?" The show's daily opening:

In 1948 one of the sponsors, Kolynos toothpaste and tooth powder, produced an Egyptian styled medallion which was sold or given to the program's listeners. The medallion was based on the Egyptian Magic Coin medallion which actress Jennifer Jones wore in the film.

Silvered brass, 32 mm, 11.04 gm
Obverse: Cartoonish figure of Egyptian Pharaoh with hieroglyphs
Reverse: Cartoonish figure of Egyptian Sphinx and pyramids with hieroglyphs

Life magazine photographer Herbert Gehr photographed the Helen Trent medallion necklace in January of 1948.