David and Bathsheba

Unlike the classic biblical masterpieces of Technicolor days, "The Ten Commandments", "Samson and Delilah", "Sodom and Gomorrah", etc, this biblical film is not about the power and wrath of God. Instead, it's a very intimate story of a man's fall from grace and how he tries to find it again.

While it can be approached literally as the story of King David's sins which brought drought, death and pestilence upon Israel, it is truly a secular story of a man who has lost his boyhood innocence. The power of the film rests in Gregory Peck's hypnotizing performance toward the end when, having hit rock bottom, he must answer for his life.

Whatever religion you subscribe to, or none at all, this is such a powerful human theme because inevitably we all lose our way. Peck plays King David as a sort of religious skeptic, always investigating the scientific explanation behind supposedly supernatural events. And that diffuses the "biblical" aspect of the film so that we may enjoy it on any level.

ABOUT THE PLOT... If you've studied the Bible, then you probably know the story and how it turns out. But if you're totally ignorant of the tale like I was, then I guarantee you'll have a great time. The suspense of not knowing how this volatile situation will play out is breathtaking. With that in mind, I won't say a thing about the plot, and I suggest you avoid any discussion of it. All you need to know is it's about 2 people named David and Bathsheba.

About acting, technique and music. Very nice with only 1 minor complaint. In keeping with the times (1951) this can be a melodramatic film, and by that I point the finger at the music. Certain powerful, dramatic scenes are made a little syrupy with the characteristic lush Hollywood symphonic music of the Technicolor age. However, there are a few amazing scenes where Gregory Peck delivers his monologues in absolute silence, with a tight, stationary camera on his face, and those are the aforementioned scenes that are so strong they'll bring a tear to your eye.

Directed by Henry King who, despite his masterpieces, never won an academy award in his 50 year career, "David and Bathsheba" is so impressive it makes me want to immediately run to the video store and check out his other films, particularly those he made with his favorite leading man Gregory Peck ("Twelve O'Clock High", "Snows of Kilimanjaro", etc). Susan Hayward did a great job, too. But this is really Peck's film, and King wasn't shy about using Peck to the fullest. Don't hesitate to see this film if you ever get the chance.

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.

This film is famous for several qualities: a literate script, for once in partly-religious film-making, by Philip Dunne, some very good performances, a first-rate production in every department and its intelligent direction by veteran Henry King. If one were making a film, then getting such talents as Leon Shamroy as cinematographer, Lyle Wheeler as art director and Alfred Newman as composer of original music would guarantee a quality production. Add the cast of this film, including Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward as the title characters, James Robertson Justice, Raymond Massey, Kieron Moore, Jayne Meadows and John Sutton plus a dance by Gwen Verdon and expectations might be raised that the resulting film could be made into something special. But in a biblical subject script, usually a sub-genre prone to illogical motivations and miraculous interventions, everything would ultimately depend on the author's skills. Philip Dunne here has supplied human beings, a rare achievement in biblical films. David is a man in this film, many-sided, not someone doing mythical deeds on paper in the Old Testament. Gregory Peck makes him curious, passionate, self-controlled, self-deprecating and appealing. As Bathsheba, Hayward is scarcely the perfect choice but conveys a good deal of common-sense earthiness and emotional normalcy that helps one see why the King of Israel would risk so much for her. The rest of the cast is stalwart and capable by turns. The familiar storyline provides them little to work with, but author Dunne and the cast do as much as is possible with the human situations. David's youth is told in flashback; how he was chosen by a Prophet of Yahweh to be King of Israel, and earns his way to be second to the king, Saul, by defeating Goliath the Phiiistine in battle when all else are afraid to beard the giant warrior. Thereafter, he finally is driven from the court of King Saul of Israel, becomes a famous warrior, and returns to claim the kingdom and become the instrument of death of Jonathan, the King's son, formerly a friend. His wars are successful-- the film opens in fact with a successful attack scene; but his life is empty since his wife Michal, Jayne Meadows, is Saul's daughter and is cold to him. He turns to Bathsheba, whom he sees from the palace roof bathing naked; later she admits she had hoped he would see her. But she has a husband, Uriah; when she becomes pregnant, it becomes necessary for Uriah to come in from the battlefield and spend time at home; he instead asks David to set him in the forefront of the battle, even after being aroused by Verdon's dance. David agrees. He is killed, a war hero; but this does not solve the infidelity question. Drought comes to Israel, and the king's infidelity is blamed for the phenomenon. At last, David places his hands on the Ark of the Covenant, recently brought to Jerusalem and housed in a temple, which has caused the death of others who accidentally came in contact with it, inviting his god to punish him--and nothing happens...David exits the temple, and finds that rain has come to his parched land. This film is always interesting, varied in its types of scenes and physically beautiful. The director and author make use of the observer principle, and are frankly more successful in humanizing the characters than in almost any film outside the Grecianized- Near Eastern canon, wherein the feat is a bit easier since neither miraculous nor religious themes are made central in such adventures. . Well-remembered for its glowing realization, fine performances and intelligent dialogue, this dramatic effort bears repeated study.

...Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.. (Leonard Cohen,"Hallelujah")

"David and Bathsheba" may be a slow-moving movie,but it is faithful to the Bible,which many others works are not ("Samson and Delilah" ,"Salome" or "Salomon and Sheba" ).Most of the plot comes from Samuel,2: 11-12.The problem is that the story was too short and flashbacks were included (Death of Saul,Goliath -the worst scene in the whole movie- (Samuel,1:17).It was a good idea to have David say to Bathsheba "Goliath? He grows a little bit every year" :with the appearance of the giant,the sentence loses all its meaning .

Gregory Peck is certainly a better David than Richard Gere in the eighties version where Bathsheba was no more than an extra.Susan Hayward is gorgeous but ,maybe because it was the Holy Writ,it's difficult to admit that these people are eaten with desire .

David and Bathsheba is a lavish Hollywood Biblical picture produced out of 20th Century Fox by Darryl F. Zanuck, directed by Henry King and starring Gregory Peck {King David}, Susan Hayward (Bathsheba), Raymond Massey (Nathan), Kieron Moore (Uriah) and Jayne Meadows (Michal).

The film is based around the second Old Testament book of Samuel from the Holy Bible. It follows King David, who as a child had slain the giant Goliath, and now we find him in adulthood as the second King of Israel. A tough and assured King, David however has affairs of the heart causing great problems. For once he spies Bathsheba taking a shower {re;bath}, it 's the start of a journey encompassing adultery and betrayal; a journey that will end in the judgement of God being called upon.

Typically for the genre, David & Bathsheba is a large, grandiose production. From its excellent set designs to it's positively gorgeous Technicolor photography {Leon Shamroy}, it has enough quality to warrant sitting along side the best the genre has to offer as regards production values. Untypically, tho, the film is sedately paced and relies on 99% of its worth being driven purely by dialogue. This is not one for action fans or anyone who needs some swash to go with their buckle. This is a very humanist picture, in fact lets not beat around the burning bush here, it's a Biblical love story flecked with sins of the heart. But that is no bad thing at all, because breaking it down we find it's very well acted {Peck has a stoic yet vulnerable thing going on real well & Hayward is pushing it to the max}, and it be a fine story directed with knowing skill by the often forgotten Henry King. And although some of the dialogue is admittedly cringe inducing, the character flow is never interrupted as Phillip Dunne's (The Ghost and Mrs. Muir) Oscar nominated screenplay holds the attention throughout.

Sometimes a forgotten picture in terms of the Biblical/Swords & Sandals genres (most likely because it is a talky piece that has heart as its main selling point), but really it's well worth the time of anyone interested in the most lavish of genres. 7/10