BrianRxm Coins in Movies 178/377
Legend of the Lost (1957)
Ancient Roman City of Leptis Magna and Emperor Septimius Severus
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The 1957 film "Legend of the Lost" was partly filmed on location in the ancient Roman city of Leptis Magna, located in modern Libya, east of Tripoli.
 
There are no coins shown but Leptis Magna was the birthplace of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, whose long reign produced many coins.
 
The film stars John Wayne as Joe January, a local adventurer, Sophia Loren as Dita, a town girl, and Rossano Brazzi as Paul Bonnard, an amateur archaeologist who is looking for ruins that his father had found.
 
Paul Bonnard arrives in Timbuktu in search of a guide to escort him into the Sahara desert. His father spent years looking for a "lost city" and Paul has his father's diary. The policeman Prefect Dukas introduces him to Joe January, an American who knows the area. Paul hires Joe as a guide. Paul also meets Dita, a woman who introduces herself by stealing his watch. He then gives her the watch and makes a friend.
 
Paul and Joe head into the desert on mules, and later Dita appears at their campground. After some time, they find water and the "lost city", where they find the skeletons of Paul's father and two others. They also find some treasure. Paul and Joe get into a fight over Dita, and Paul rides off with their horses. Joe and Dita have to hike out, and nearly out of water, find Paul collapsed in the desert. Paul tries to kill Joe, but Dita shoots him. About to die, Joe and Dita are rescued by the Libyan cavalry.
 
Legend of the Lost
1. Title
Although it is not mentioned in the film, Leptis Magna was the birthplace of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, who was born there in AD 145 and was emperor from AD 193 to 211.
 
A coin of Septimius Severus, minted in AD 200:
 
Rome Septimius denarius Victory
2. Septimius Severus denarius - Victory Parthia
Obverse:
Laureate head right
SEVERVS AVG PART MAX
 
Reverse:
Victory flying left holding open wreath in both hands over round shield set on low base.
PM TRP VIII COS II PP
 
Legend of the Lost
3. Timbuktu
 
Legend of the Lost
4. Paul arrives
He meets Prefect Dukas, the local police official.
 
Legend of the Lost
5. Dita
Dita, having stolen Paul's watch, awaits the arrival of the police.
 
Legend of the Lost
6. Hat
In the town jail, a familiar looking hat.
 
Legend of the Lost
7. Joe
No, not him, but well-known, anyway.
 
Legend of the Lost
8. Meet
The three meet and the two men discuss the trip. Dita wants to go along.
 
Legend of the Lost
9. Timbuktu
The city of Timbuktu.
 
Legend of the Lost
10. Meet
 
Legend of the Lost
11. Mules
Loading the mules for the trip.
 
Legend of the Lost
12. No women wanted
Dita wants to go along.
 
Legend of the Lost
13. Heading out
 
Legend of the Lost
14. Riders
Riding across the desert.
 
Legend of the Lost
15. Dita arrives
Dita has joined a caravan which drops her off.
 
Legend of the Lost
16. Money
Joe wants to send Dita back to town, but Paul now wants her along and pays Joe more money.
 
Legend of the Lost
17. Riders
 
Legend of the Lost
18. Survey
Joe uses a surveying device to find his way.
 
Legend of the Lost
19. Climbing up the rocks
 
Legend of the Lost
20. Dita has her "Indiana Jones" moment
 
Legend of the Lost
21. Dita finds something on her
 
Legend of the Lost
22. Paul and Dita
 
Legend of the Lost
23. Tauregs
 
Legend of the Lost
24. Bath
 
Legend of the Lost
25. Joe and Dita
 
Legend of the Lost
26. Camp
 
Legend of the Lost
27. Sunset
 
Legend of the Lost
28. Argument
The men start arguing about things.
 
Legend of the Lost
29. Water
Lots of it here, apparently.
 
Legend of the Lost
30. Water
 
Legend of the Lost
31. The two see something
 
Legend of the Lost
32. Ancient Roman city
It's the "lost city."
 
Legend of the Lost
33. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
34. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
35. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
36. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
37. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
38. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
39. Ancient Roman city Trajan
 
Legend of the Lost
40. Ancient Roman city Theatre
 
Legend of the Lost
41. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
42. Ancient Roman city horse
 
Legend of the Lost
43. Skeletons
 
Legend of the Lost
44. Skeleton note
Joe reads a note found with the skeletons.
 
Legend of the Lost
45. Comfort
 
Legend of the Lost
46. Drink
What a place for a drink.
 
Legend of the Lost
47. Burial
 
Legend of the Lost
48. Bats
 
Legend of the Lost
49. Door
They find the Iron Door which leads to treasure.
 
Legend of the Lost
50. Treasure room
 
Legend of the Lost
51. Diary
Joe reads from Paul's father's diary.
 
Legend of the Lost
52. Jewels
They manage to find some jewelry.
 
Legend of the Lost
53. Ancient Roman city
 
Legend of the Lost
54. Horses gone
Paul has taken the horses during the night.
 
Legend of the Lost
55. Water
Joe and Dita, having walked out, find the water oasis they stopped at on the way in.
 
Legend of the Lost
56. Trek
Joe and Dita trekking across the desert.
 
Legend of the Lost
57. Joe and Dita
 
Legend of the Lost
58. Paul on the ground
Joe and Dita find Paul collapsed.
 
He later revives, pulls a knife, and Dita is forced to shoot him.
 
Legend of the Lost
59. Joe, Dita, and a blanket await the end
 
Legend of the Lost
60. Cavalry
The cavalry arrives just in time.
 
Legend of the Lost
61. The End
Cast, Directors, Writers:
 
John Wayne as Joe January
Sophia Loren as Dita
Rossano Brazzi as Paul Bonnard
Kurt Kasznar as Prefect Dukas
 
Director: Henry Hathaway
Writers: Ben Hecht, Robert Presnell Jr.
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