The Ten Commandments (1956)
7.757 /10
1298 Reviews
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Escaping death, a Hebrew infant is raised in a royal household to become a prince. Upon discovery of his true heritage, Moses embarks on a personal quest to reclaim his destiny as the leader and liberator of the Hebrew people.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Moses
... Rameses
... Nefretiri
... Dathan
... Sephora
User reviews
(The King of Egypt - with his sword drawn - and his Queen, together, converse about killing Moses, servant of the Most High God) ...
Queen Nefretiri: 'Bring it back to me, stained with his blood!'
Pharoah Rameses: 'I will... to mingle with your own!'
Inspired by the Book of Exodus, this Cecil B. DeMille-directed, Academy Award-winning biblical epic, the seventh most successful film of all-time, needs no further analysis.
Among the undisputed, where exceptionally classic one-liners are concerned, The Ten Commandments is a timeless generational masterpiece, and a National Film Registry-honored landmark of the Hollywood cinema industry ... Period.
Five out of five glittering stars.
Director:
Writer:
Jesse Lasky Jr. (Screenplay)
J.H. Ingraham (Novel)
A.E. Southon (Novel)
Dorothy Clarke Wilson (Novel)
Æneas MacKenzie (Screenplay)
Jack Gariss (Screenplay)
Fredric M. Frank (Screenplay)
Release Date:
1956-10-05
Run Time:
220 min
MMPA Rating:
G
Reviews of
The Ten Commandments
(The King of Egypt - with his sword drawn - and his Queen, together, converse about killing Moses, servant of the Most High God) ...
Queen Nefretiri: 'Bring it back to me, stained with his blood!'
Pharoah Rameses: 'I will... to mingle with your own!'
Inspired by the Book of Exodus, this Cecil B. DeMille-directed, Academy Award-winning biblical epic, the seventh most successful film of all-time, needs no further analysis.
Among the undisputed, where exceptionally classic one-liners are concerned, The Ten Commandments is a timeless generational masterpiece, and a National Film Registry-honored landmark of the Hollywood cinema industry ... Period.
Five out of five glittering stars.
His God "is" God!
The Ten Commandments is at the top end of Hollywood historical epics. It was to be Cecil B. DeMille's last ever directing assignment and he bows out with a gargantuan epic that to this day stands as a testament to his brilliant talent as one of the masters of epic film making.
The story cribs from a number of biblical sources, some of which are hokum and not to be taken as a religio lesson, but basically it tells the tale of Moses (Charlton Heston) and how he came to lead the Israelites to their exodus from Egypt - culminating in his delivering of God's own Ten Commandments to the people.
No expense is spared, with a top line ensemble cast being joined by over 25,000 extras. The wide-screen special effects work dazzles the eyes, the direction of ginormous crowd sequences impressive, and an ebullient spectacle is never far away in what is a picture running at three hours thirty minutes (add ten for the glory of an intermission).
It would have been easy for the cast to get lost amongst such a large scale production, but the principals shine bright and make telling characteristic marks. Heston was born for the Moses role, Yul Brynner absolutely excels as Moses' silky and sulky nemesis - Rameses, Anne Baxter gives Nefretiri a beauteous and villainous twin arc, which in turn is counterpointed by Yvonne De Carlo's sultry yet homely Sephora (wife of Moses).
Elsewhere we get Debra Paget filling out a trio of gorgeous lady stars, where as Lilia she does determined and heartfelt oomph as a woman yearning to be freed from male dominance. Edward G. Robinson (Dathan) and Vincent Price (Baka) camp it up and have a good time, while Cedric Hardwicke (Sethi) turns in a heartfelt old Pharaoh and John Derek as Joshua, Moses' underling, does surprisingly well given the enormity of the character trajectory.
As the music (Elmer Bernstein) swirls and thunders we are treated to Loyal Griggs' colour photography that pings out the screen and brings to life expert costuming. John Fulton's special effects work won him the Academy Award, and even though a couple look creaky these days, they all still today hold great entertaining spectacle worth. While the sheer gusto of the performances overcomes some less than stellar dialogue.
Lavish yet vulgar, hokey yet magnificent, this maty not be the greatest historical epic ever made, but it booms loud and proud and is an utter joy for like minded fans of the genre's output. 9/10
Cast & Crew of
The Ten Commandments
Cast
... Moses
... Rameses
... Nefretiri
... Dathan
... Sephora
... Lilia
... Joshua
... Sethi
... Bithiah
... Yochabel
... Memnet
... Baka
... Aaron
... Miriam
... Jannes
... Abiram
... Pentaur
... Jethro
... Mered
... Hur Ben Caleb
... Amminadab
... Elisheba
... Jethro's Daughter
... Jethro's Daughter
... Jethro's Daughter
... Jethro's Daughter
... Jethro's Daughter
... Jethro's Daughter
... Rameses' Charioteer
... The Infant Moses
... The Blind One
... Simon
... Rameses I
... Eleazar
... King of Ethiopia
... Gershom
... Rameses' Son
... Korah
... Korah's Wife
... Princess Tharbis
... (as Rushti Abaza)
... Slave Woman / Hebrew at Golden Calf / Hebrew at Rameses' Gate
... High Ranking Officer / Taskmaster / Slave / Officer
... Sheik of Hazerath
... Little Miriam
... Taskmaster
... Taskmaster / Red-Bearded Slave
... Guardian of the Prince / Court Woman / Hebrew at Dathan's Tent / Hebrew at Crag and Corridor / Mother
... Commander of the Hosts
... Eleazar as an Adult
... Little Boy in Exodus (as Robert Clark)
... Whip-Scarred Brick-Carrier / Hebrew at Dathan's Tent
... Amalekite Herder (as Touch Connors)
... Sheik of Sinai
... Woman of the Court
... Corporal
... Slave Woman / Hebrew at Crag and Corridor
... The Blind One's Granddaughter
... Trojan Ambassador (uncredited)
... Slave
... Court Lady in Pool
... Court Lady / Hebrew at Crag and Corridor / Hebrew at Dathan's Tent / Wife of Overseer
... Old Hebrew at Moses' House / Hebrew Toward Corridor
... Pretty Slave Girl
... Foreman
... Hebrew at Crag and Corridor / Slave
... Chief Driver
... Tuya
... Hebrew at Golden Calf / Nobleman
... Architect's Assistant
... Architect's Assistant
... Hebrew Woman / Slave Woman
... Hebrew at Crag and Corridor / Slave / Hebrew at Dathan's Tent
... Sheik of Rephidim
... Taskmaster / Hebrew at Golden Calf
... Fan Bearer
... Hebrew at Golden Calf / Courtier / Slave / Hebrew at Dathan's Tent / Hebrew at Crag and Corridor / Overseer
... Slave (uncredited)
... Slave / Hebrew at Golden Calf
... Lugal
... Sardinian Captain
... Hebrew at Golden Calf / Young Woman / Hebrew in Exodus
... Wazir
... Slave / Hebrew at Crag and Corridor / Hebrew at Golden Calf
... Old Hebrew at Moses' House
... Slave
... Lady from Edon / Priestess / Hebrew at Golden Calf
... Taskmaster
... Slave
... Slave Child
... Court Lady / Slave
... Grease Woman
... Court Lady in Pool
... Spearman / Hebrew at Golden Calf
... Hebrew at Crag and Corridor (uncredited)
... Narrator
... Chariot Driver
Crew
... Assistant Director
... Costume Design
... Art Direction
... Music
... Set Decoration
... Set Decoration
... Makeup Supervisor
... Sound Recordist
... Director
... Producer
... Sound Recordist
... Art Direction
... Director of Photography
... Screenplay
... Costume Design
... Assistant Director
... Additional Photography
... Hairstylist
... Assistant Director
... Novel
... Novel
... Novel
... Screenplay
... Screenplay
... Associate Producer
... Editor
... Art Direction
... Special Effects
... Production Manager
... Screenplay
... Additional Photography
... Additional Photography
... Assistant Director
... Production Manager
... Stunts
... Choreographer
... Special Effects
... Choreographer
... Property Master
... Makeup Artist
... Recording Supervision
... Makeup Artist
... Assistant Director
... Special Effects
... Other
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Construction Coordinator
... Property Master
... Other
... Other
... Costume Design
... Costume Design
... Costume Design
... Researcher
... Researcher
... Assistant Director
... Production Manager
... Matte Painter
... Grip
... Assistant Camera
... Makeup Artist
... Key Grip
... Production Secretary
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Hairstylist
... Sound Effects Designer
... Hairstylist
... Still Photographer
Videos & Photos of
The Ten Commandments
Videos (2)
Paramount Movies Trailer
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