One quote sums it all up: "You can't fail when you've got great material." - Rev. Timothy Lovejoy, The Simpsons
Best quote: "The evil that men should turn their brothers into beasts of burden, to be stripped of spirit and hope and strength, only because they are of another race, another creed... if there is a God, he did not mean this to be so."
- Moses
It's the greatest story of our time. It was the greatest enslavement in recorded history. Thousands of Hebrew slaves forced by whip to build cities for the Pharaohs of Egypt.
But along came a baby one day, found by Bithiah (Nina Foch) among the reeds of the river Nile. He was named Moses.
Found to be a Hebrew babe by the cloth in his basket, Bithiah forces Memnet (her servant) to keep a solomn oath to carry the secret of Moses to their graves.
Moses (Charleton Heston) grew up in court of the great Pharaoh Sethi (Sir. Cedric Hardwicke), next to Sethi's own son, Rameses (Yul Brynner). Moses became a great worrior, bringing back wealth from Ethiopia, conquring cities for the Pharaoh... and gaining his respect and trust.
Rameses, however, became jealous, and fought to gain the throan of Egypt from his father. The Pharaoh would sooner have Moses become Pharaoh, but it was still a difficult decision to make... who would get the throan and who would get Nefratiri (Anne Baxter), his daughter.
Bithiah is approached by Memnet one day... she is told that the secret of Moses birth will be revealed. Memnet, in short order, is killed.
Moses soon learns of his heritage, and comdems himself to live among the Hebrews as a slave himself.
He is captured by Rameses and is brought before the Pharaoh to answer to charges of treason. "No son could have more love for you than I," Moses claims. But he is still Hebrew, and must therfore live as a Hewbrew.
Set adrift in the great desert to die, by Rameses with little in rations, Moses listens to the new Pharaoh's final words: "Here is your king's scepter, and here is your kingdom," Rameses states, "with the scorpion, the cobra, and the lizard for subjects. Free them if you will. Leave the slaves to me." Moses travels to Mount Sainai, only to find comfort in a kindly old man and his seven daughters. One of them, Lilia (Debra Paget), he marries.
They eventually have a son, and live comfaortably at the foot of Mount Sainai. One day Joshua, an old friend of Moses, who has escaped the Egyptians, comes to bring Moses home. Joshua tells him that he is the one to lead the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt.
Moses does not know what he should do, so he climbs Mount Sainai, to confront GOD, to find out what his fate is to be. Moses must realize that he is the choosen one, the savior of the Hebrews.
Cecil B. DeMille is one of, if not thee greatest director / producer in motion picture history. His last - and greatest - work is none other than this very film ... The Ten Commandments. It is an extraordinary masterpiece that has a timeless quality to it. It will never go out of style; so long as there is religion in the world this film will live on.
I absolutly love this film. I watch it every Easter Saturday, no matter what.
My favorite scene is the parting of the Red sea. A spectacular scene, which still leaves me in awe. How hard was this scene to film? How could it have been done in 1954 or 1955?
To me, Cecil B. DeMille is a cinematic genius. His amazing adaption of his own film blew away any other film that year, but failed to be recognized for what it was... the best picture of the year. Even DeMille himself didn't earn a nomination for direction, a snub felt to this day.
Plot:
One quote sums it all up: "You can't fail when you've got great material." - Rev. Timothy Lovejoy, The Simpsons
Visual Effects:
State of the art visual and special effects highlight The Ten Commandments. They may look cheesy by today's standards, but back then there was nothing better.
The Cinematogrpahy, camera angles, camera postions, etc. are all edited together to form a visual experiance unlike any other. As a motion picture epic, nothing can compare, save maybe the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Sound:
There is nothing more important to a film than its score. Music sets the mood, and that is no more true here.
There is a wonderfully subtle score here which is highlighted by main portions of the score.
Character Development:
Character devlopment is the whole point of the movie!
Atmosphere:
Realism:
Granted, this is a "hollywoodized" movie. No question about it. However, Cecil B. DeMille took most of the plot of the movie from old scriptures, tomes, testaments, tales and tellings of religious clerics and historical figures. No one can be certain what exactly happened 2,000+ years ago, but we know that it did happen. So whatever liberties DeMille took with the story of Moses can be forgiven.
Warren�s Rating:
Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
*Around the World in Eighty Days; Friendly Persuasion; Giant; The King and I
10/10 Is the movie worth your time to watch?
11-04-04
