well.. with chmod 777 permissions.. it HAS everything - including execute (the 7 marks execute rights). so already - the php file has execute permissions...
so if like you say - the file should have 644 - then effectively - there are no execute rights on the owner, group or the world...
744 - owner has execute rights.. - world and group - has r/w
so my original permissions for the file was to have everyon - world, owner and groups - to have execute - and this made the effect chmod to 755 - which is what i've had all along.
