David und Bathseba

Old movie buffs will know why I'd call this one "The Man in the Grey Flannel Robe." Most Bible-based movies are basically schlock- what might call forth smiles and giggles here is how Peck, tries to raise consciousness on a variety of psychological and social issues with the spear carrying Neanderthals all about him. As a Great Romance, it falls flat as unleavened bread. But there is something gripping about this movie. Of all the big Hollywood Bible pictures it most strikingly conveys the ambivalent attitude of the Average American towards belief in the Biblical God. Billy Sunday's thesis is duking it out with H.L. Mencken's antithesis all through the script. Who gets the better of it in the Heavenly Chorus-backed synthesis depends on your point of view. Other than that, D & B boasts a good performances by Peck ( especially in the closing repentance scene) and by Jayne Meadows as his bitter first wife Michol, vivid, moody atmosphere (good idea to set most action at dawn or night), and the rousing rendition of the Twenty-Third Psalm at the end.

I've always believed that David and Bathsheba was a film originally intended for Tyrone Power at 20th Century Fox, although Gregory Peck does give a good account of himself as King David, the monarch with a wandering eye.

A whole lot of biblical subjects get covered in this film, adultery, redemption, sin, punishment and generally what God expects from his followers.

When you're a king, even king in a biblically prophesied kingdom you certainly do have a lot of prerogatives not open to the rest of us. King David has many wives, including one really vicious one in Jayne Meadows who was the daughter of Saul, David's predecessor. But his eyes catch sight of Bathsheba out in her garden one evening. Turns out she's as unhappily married to Uriah the Hittite as David is to quite a few women. Uriah is one of David's army captains. David sends for Bathsheba and him being the King, she comes a runnin' because she's had her eye on him too.

What happens, an affair, a pregnancy, and a carefully arranged death for Uriah in a battle. But an all seeing and knowing Deity has caught all of this and is not only punishing David and Bathsheba, but the entire Kingdom of Israel is being punished with drought, disease, and pestilence.

The sexist law of the day calls for Bathsheba to have a stoning death. David shows weakness in his previous actions, but here he steps up to the plate and asks that the whole thing be put on him. He even lays hands on the Ark of the Covenant which was an instant death as seen in the film.

My interpretation of it is that God admires guts even if you're wrong and he lets up on David and forgives them both. Bathsheba becomes the mother of Solomon and she and David are the ancestors of several successors in the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah until they're both conquered.

Susan Hayward is a fetching Bathsheba caught in a loveless marriage with Uriah played by Kieron Moore. The only thing that gets Moore aroused is a good battle. I liked Kieron Moore's performance as a brave and rather stupid horse's rear.

No one can lay the law down like Raymond Massey. His Nathan the Prophet is in keeping with the John Brown character he played in two films, same intensity.

So when His own law called for death, why did God spare Bathsheba and keep David on the throne. Maybe it was the fact He just didn't want to train a third guy for the job. He'd replaced Saul with David already.

But I think the Christian interpretation might be that this was a hint of the New Testament forthcoming, that one might sin and receive mercy if one asks for it penitently. I'll leave it to the biblical scholars to submit interpretations.

Watch the film and you might come up with an entirely new theory.

From a Swords & sandals film from "50-60 decades the expectations are so clear than it seems nothing new to say. the Biblical movies from the same period are predictable, too. in this case, the things are different. because the axis is the dialogue. because the fight scenes are not the basic ingredient and the love story, well known, is gived in the right way. Gregory Peck gives a real different David and his admirable performance represents the lead motif for see the film who is not exactly a correct adaptation of the book of Samuel, but a precise exploration of vulnerabilities of power, sin and responsability. David of Peck is not the hero or the statue. and the fine manner to present a fascinating portrait of a relation who seems so familiar is one of the great virtues of Henry King.

The film focuses the epic David-life (1010-970 B.C.) , retelling his complicated family relationship (rebellion his son Absalom ) and generally tackling the intricacies of his love story with Bathsheba . He's a very human figure who is recorded in the Bible (Samuel, Books 1 and 2), conqueror Jerusalen and author of the Psalms . It tells from the prophet Samuel (Raymond Massey) appointed him , when after in his kingdom Saul (Francis X Bushman) and his son Jonathan were vanquished by Philistines . When Saul was murdered by a blade slashed himself, David (Peck) claimed his reign by right of his marriage to Saul's daughter(Jane Meadows) . The continued threat and domination of invaders countries forced the Jewish tribes uniting under a strong king : David. He's specially recorded for his acquisition of his favorite spouse , Bathsheba (Susan Hayward), though he had a harem , too . The new wife was accomplished by sending her husband named Uria (Kieron Moore) the Hitita , a warrior serving as mercenary, into way in war. His throne was marred by the habitual dynastic fights between his sons , Absalom (Barnett) killed Ammon and after rebelled and was murdered . There are also developed various events about David-life , such as the arrival in Jerusalen the Ark of the Covenant with supernatural qualities ; David playing harp , in fact , David had entered Saul's household as a sort of musical therapist , the Hebrew politics intrigues and pitting against the Old Testament wrath of the Prophet Nathan and , of course , David- Goliath fighting is seen in flashback , defeating with a throwing wave a ten-foot-tall Philistine giant . Later rebellion Absalon and killing Ammon , succeeded Salomon , son of Bathseba , he inherited the reign at David'death and became himself a major king of Israel , building the famous temple of Salomon where held the Ark . David and Salomon were the two great kings of Israel.

Interesting Biblical story with emotion , rousing battles , an intense drama about love and hatred , being some moments proceeded in slow moving pace . And including the legendary biblical fight between David and Goliath is well featured in the movie by means of flashbacks . The film's story from the Bible was based upon its books of Samuel I and II, Chronicles I and the Psalms of David . Very good acting by main cast , Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward ; Peck stated that the movie was written as an attack on McCarthyism, which he strongly opposed . This Biblical epic contains good set decoration and art direction (Thomas Little , Lyle Weeler, George Davis) but is a little boring and dull with long speeches that it makes stately pace , especially when David is praying in the Tabernacle where is the Ark of Covenant . The movie gets a colorful cinematography and evocative music score by the classic Alfred Newman . The motion picture was professionally directed by Henry King. His direction is well crafted , here he develops a thought-provoking and broody screenplay . He was a expert on compelling Adventure/Western genre . Henry King directed classic Western as ¨ Jesse James(1939)¨, ¨The gunfighter(1950)¨ and ¨The Bravados¨¨ (1958) with Peck again . Koster was specialist on Adventure genre as proved in ¨Untamed¨ , ¨Captain King¨ , ¨Captain of Castilla¨ , ¨Black Swan¨ , ¨Stanley and Livingstone¨ ¨and many others .

Other films about this Biblical king are the following : ¨David and Goliat¨ (1961) by Ferdinando Baldi with Orson Welles as King Saul , Ivo Payer as David and Edward Hilton as Prophet Samuel ; ¨A Story of David¨ (1961) with Jeff Chandler , Basil Sidney and Donald Pleasence , ¨King David¨ (1985) by Bruce Beresford with Richard Gere , Alice Krige , Dennis Quilley , Jean Marc Bar and Edward Woodward . And ¨The Story of David¨ (1976) (TV) by David Lowell Rich with Timothy Bottoms , Anthony Quayle , ¨David¨ (1997) TV by Robert Markowitz with Nathaniel Parker as David , Jonathan Pryce as Saul , Leonard Nimoy as Samuel , Sheryl Lee as Bathsheba and Ben Daniels as Jonathan

I am quite surprised at the quite low rating for David and Bathsheba. True, it does get rather ponderous in its pace and some scenes go on for too long, but for me actually it is quite an interesting film. The film does look great, the photography is colourful and just lovely, while the sets and costumes are surprisingly evocative. As is Alfred Newman's score, which is also very beautiful and stirring.

I also thought Henry King did a credible job directing the film, and the script is quite literate and thoughtful. The story is interesting on the whole, some scenes as I've said do drag and don't serve as much purpose to the story as much as it would have liked, but the famous fight with Goliath flashback is cleverly staged and the last fifteen minutes moved me. The acting is fine, Gregory Peck oozes with nobility here and I am still trying to get over how handsome he looks. Susan Hayward is both ravishing and sensitive, while Raymond Massey is excellent as the prophet Nathan.

All in all, not a perfect film, but interesting. 8/10 Bethany Cox