द टेन कमांडमेंट्स

Nobody ever wants to see a movie more than once because the quality and charm of the movies of today are just not enough to coax you to. But every once in a while there comes a movie which, firstly never lets you take your eyes off the screen for the full length of its feature and secondly,makes you want to watch it over and over again without boring you. Not only that, the more times you watch it, you feel that you missed something the last time. Cecil B. DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is that kind of a movie. There have been many movies made on the topic of this Hebrew born prince of Egypt, but none compare to the way in which it has been portrayed in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. There are a number of reasons for that:

1. When casting the role of Moses, Charlton Heston was chosen above all others including Bert Lancaster, not because of his knowledge of the Bible, but of his striking Physical resemblance to Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses especially the facial structure not to mention the stout build of a prince.

2. The sets for the film were specially designed and the splendour of ancient Egypt in all its glory was recreated especially for this movie.

3. The role of Rameses II was given to Yul Brynner after DeMille observed his magnificent performance as the King of Siam in Rodgers & Hammerstein's THE KING AND I, confirming that he is well suited for a stubburn and malificent heir to the Egyptian throne.

It was not only Heston as Moses who made this movie a success, but all the elements that came together, the cast of thousands, the special effects,the costumes, the sets and most of all the simply unbelievable "parting of the red sea".

It is a wonder why this movie only received one oscar; that of the Special effects, yet I think it deserved alot more. It did not even strike at the box office. Even then it never fails to enchant millions, no matter what religion they follow. Movies like THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and it success in the hearts of millions, shows quite clearly that a movie, in order to be loved by millions the world over, does not necessarily have to strike gold at the box office.

To watch this film, you don't have to believe in God, but if you believe in good triumphing over evil and freedom from slavery of foreign masters, then this is the movie for you.

We are facing one of the most consecrated biblical epics ever made and the magnum opus of Cecil B. DeMille. The story is well known, most people know the Bible even without having read it. Concerning the work of the cast, it's great even if we consider that they're overly theatrical and lack here some veracity and naturalness, essential to play in cinema. Charlton Heston is the great actor of the film, in the role of Moses. Yul Brynner was also excellent as Pharaoh Ramses, as Anne Baxter in the role of Nefretiri. Edward G. Robinson surprises in the role of the hypocrite Dathan. But what makes this film particularly intense is the beauty it has. The setting is one of the biggest that Hollywood has ever made, with thousands of extras with carefully detailed period costumes. Everything was thought to the detail and we love all this visual show. Of course, historical accuracy has been left in the background. DeMille had his school on Broadway and might not attach much importance to the historical details but knew how to make a great show. The visual and special effects are quite realistic, the state of the art of cinema of this time, and still can seem credible today, more than fifty years after it's premiere. The soundtrack of Elmer Bernstein is strident, betting heavily on metals and percussion, in a clearly symphonic style that was thought to make everything even more grandiose. In short: it's a consecrated epic that many people still watch, almost religiously, at Easter (in Portugal it's normal to be broadcast on TV in this period, year after year). The big problem of this film is the very theatrical dialogue and acting. It looks like theater. But we can forgive this fault because it's more or less overshadowed by the visual and sound show.

Every time it played at our local cinemas I went to see it and sat through it at least twice. I cannot remember how many times I have seen this wonderful movie. I first saw it when I was about 11 and marvelled at it as a spectacle. I wept when Heston wept and rejoiced when he did. As I grew older I came to love Brynner's fantastic performance and lust after Anne Baxter (only better in All About Eve). Cedric Hardwicke, Edward G. and Debra Paget (Hubba Hubba)all impressed me. I was sorry Vincent Price was killed so early - what a great villain. It still demands my attention when it appears on TV. I swear I have seen it enough, but if I catch a glimpse then I have to see it again!! I find it unbelievable that it won almost nothing at the Oscars. At least best Actor for Brynner and best supporting actor for Edward G.!! No costume design? No set design? No Music? A travesty!! See this if you have not already - you are in for a treat- it still stands up. Long but absorbing.

The parting of the red sea! The confrontation at Mount Sinai! This movie is full of spectacular scenes and images! De Mille truly was a great filmmaker. His powerful imagination is evident in the Ten Commandments. This is his masterpiece. It carries you along on an epic adventure that is as big as the old testament. It captures the ancient, epic feel of the original Bible story. It has several stunning performances that could have easily been cheesy and fake, but are convincing and fascinating. Some say that the dialog is campy. I don't think so. I've seen this movie many times and have never thought so. It's nothing like the terrible dialog in Plan 9 From Outer Space from the same decade. The romance may be a cliché now, but it was quite original when it first came out and is still interesting. I personally don't like romance, so the fact that I wasn't bothered by this one is really saying something. This marvelous story is wonderfully told by De Mille and I would strongly recommend it.

So let it be written - so let it be done! This is an all-time classic, which probably deserves more attention that it has got. Yes, it's hammy sometimes, cheezy too, but always good value, the special effects are excellent for its age, and the whole thing has EPIC written all over it. Charlton Heston gives an excellent performance as Moses, Edward G Robinson is suitably nefarious as Dathan, and there's great performances all round from Anne Baxter and Yul Brynner. The expression "total cinema" always comes to mind, and it stands up perfectly to repeated viewings... especially around Passover.