Keresh (Esther and the King)

Keresh (Rosalba Neri) is a secondary antagonist in the 1960 Biblical film “Esther and the King”.
King Ahasuerus (Richard Egan) of Persia who after returning from a long war discovers that his wife, Queen Vashti (Daniele Rocca) has been unfaithful to him with members of his court. This includes that of his supposedly trusted chief advisor Haman (Sergio Fantoni). In addition, Vashti did a provocative dance in which she stripped down topless in front of a banquet and then spit at his feet when he disapproved. As a result, Ahasuerus was advised by Haman and his other advisors that he needed to find a new wife. Haman had his henchman Gisco (Italo Tancredi) smother Vashti to death with a pillow while she was sleeping.
Haman was very ambitious and wanted to take over the throne for himself. He plotted the overthrow with Klyrathes (Renato Baldini), the Captain of the Guard. Haman was put in charge of finding a new wife for Ahasuerus. He had in mind a ringer in the form of Keresh that he planned to be chosen as the new queen. Keresh was Haman’s own mistress, and Klyrathes pointed out that a bride of a king must be a virgin. Haman argued that “If a perfume of a rose is pleasing, nobody’s going to ask who crushed the petals”. He planned to use Keresh in his plan to obtain the throne for himself. Keresh was equally ambitious herself.
A decree was put out from all over his kingdom to find a maiden. Despite being a Jew, Esther (Joan Collins) was chosen as one to compete with the rest of the women in the harem. 
When Esther wore a plain white gown, Hegai (Walter Williams), the eunuch in charge of the harem, complimented her on it being a sign of simplicity and modesty. As a result, he offered her a gift of a golden cloak, to which Keresh was very jealous. However, Esther was embarrassed to be favored by the gift. Keresh immediately spoke up and said she would accept it. Esther immediately chimed in that Hegai should give it to her. However, Hegai scoled Keresh and reminded her to speak only when spoken to. Keresh told Hegai to “take care eunuch, I have mighty friends”. Hegai fired back, “In the brothels of the street of the soldiers no doubt”. 
Haman who was spying from another room, called Keresh a viper, saying that her poison tongue endangers him. Keresh told him that she feared Esther more than all the others. Haman assured her that she would not be in the way as long as she did what he told her. He then said that the maidens must pass through the harems antechamber that night to be presented to the king at the throne. There is a small door that contains the slaves and he told her to draw the bolt to lock them in there.
Haman then instructed his henchman, Gisco to kill Esther before she was presented to the king. He pointed out her wearing the golden cloak and told him he would recognize her by this piece of clothing.
Just before her time to be presented, Keresh stole the golden cloak from Esther and ran into the hallway toward the meeting place with King Ahasuerus. Hegai yelled out to her, “Vanity, avarice, that cloak would not hide your wickedness. Gisco noticed only the golden cloak and grabbed her from behind as she made her way down the corridor. He took her into an adjoining hallway. Despite putting up a fight, Keresh was strangled to death. 
Hegai came back later to tell Esther not to “grieve that you lost the splendor of the golden robe. Nothing can prevail against the king’s distrust of the female’s ambition. What a squandering of beauty. 
As a result, Esther was chosen as the new queen. When Haman asked Ahasuerus what the name of the new queen was, he was shocked to not hear that of Keresh. He beat Gisco with a whip calling him an idiot for killing his concubine.
==Trivia==
*Rosalba Neri appeared as Demeter, Queen of Micenas in the 1963 Peplum film, "Conquest of Mycene".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as Nais in the 1964 Peplum sword and sandal film, "The Lion of Thebes".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as henchwoman Pauline in the 1966 Italian-German Eurospy film, "The Spy With Ten Faces".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as Samantha Felton in the 1966 film, "Johnny Yuma".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as Silvana in the 1967 Eurospy film "Electra One".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as Yaka in the 1967 Eurospy film "Lucky, the Inscrutable", which was originally entitled, "Lucky, el intrepido".
* Rosalba Neri appeared as Margot in the 1967 Eurospy film "L'uomo Del Colpo Perfetto".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as Paola in the 1969 film, "The Seducers" which is also known as "Top Sensation".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as Tania Frankenstein in the 1971 Italian horror film, "Lady Frankenstein".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as the villainess Countess Dolingen de Vries in the 1973 Italian horror film, "The Devil's Wedding Night".
*Rosalba Neri appeared as the villainess Cornelia in the 1974 movie "The Arena".
*Rosalba Neri also used the stage name Sara Bay in several of these movies.
==Gallery==
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Category:1960s
Category:Bare Stomach
Category:Beehive Hairstyle
Category:Brunette
Category:Cape
Category:Choker Necklace
Category:Conspirator
Category:Femme Fatale
Category:Jealous
Category:Live Action Villainess
Category:Long Skirts & Dresses
Category:Man Kills Villainess
Category:Nail Polish
Category:Thief
Category:Villain's Lover
Category:Fate: Deceased
Category:Demise: Strangled