La Bible: Joseph

This film is far from the epic scale of DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" but its startling accuracy pays homage to the text of Genesis and it is full of drama, bitterness, provocative character, and spiritual development. The film takes time to address Jacob's family background without taking away from the protagonist's ongoing journey.

Since my school classes covered the story of Joseph with Old Testament commentaries, I am impressed with the remarkable precision in the film from a Jewish perspective. They include Joseph's meeting with a "man" (i.e. angel), his title as "Tzapaneth Paneah", and the incident of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar. While some of the brothers dispute with their father Jacob, it is Judah who redeems himself from his errors.

The casting is well-credited with Ben Kingsley (superb as ever) as Potiphar. Paul Mercurio as Joseph is a quiet and righteous man who restrains himself in the face of fear and temptation.

The simple backgrounds and sets work well and while this is not an elaborate film, it is a great biblical one. Whether others are watching this film for educational, spiritual, or personal reasons, I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

As a minister, I liked this movie which caused the Bible to "come alive". Canaan and Egypt were well-depicted, and the acting was excellent. Martin Landau was very convincing as the aging and often angry Jacob, Ben Kingsley was the one to be chosen for Potipher, Lesley Ann Warren definitely let the viewer(s) see very clearly what a beautiful, sultry, and wicked wife Potipher had. Paul Mercurio portrayed Joseph a godly man who, in turn, was terribly mistreated by his brothers, Potipher's wife, and Egyptian taskmasters. Needless to say, it was inspiring to see Joseph "come out on top" in this story. The movie did follow the Biblical story line very closely. The TV movie was very impressive.

The story of Joseph and his brothers is one of the most impressing and rich of significance stories amongst the many others great legends from the Bible. Even the Nobel Prize winner - German author Thomas Mann - wrote a novel called 'Joseph and his Brothers' giving his personal interpretation of this intense, gripping and compassionate episode of the Bible. However, the cinema never pays much attention to this story. In fact, anyone can easily remember movies like 'The Ten Commandments' which tells the adventure of Moses in his search for the Promised Land or 'Sanson and Dellila'. But the drama of the betrayed Joseph, his suffer among the Egyptians and his conquer of power and fortune, was never at the first line of consideration by the producers of Hollywood. This movie, produced in Italy, bring to us this entranced story with an average success. The movie is a bit overlong (180 min) but never boring; the sets and costumes are accurate and the movie has a great photograph. Martin Landau gives a convinced performance as Jacob, Ben Kingsley is correct as Potifar but Paul Mercurio is very bad as Joseph. Maybe another actor with more intensity could give more strenght and energy to the movie. Anyway, if you find this one in a DVD/VHS rent store and if you like Biblical movies, don't lose this one. It's really worthwhile.

Every time this 1995 version of Joseph's profound story is on TV again, I watch it. I'm mesmerized by the beautiful Soul of Joseph as depicted by the really likable Paul Mercurio. He brings Joseph's kind and courageous spirit to life.

Also excellent is Ben Kingsley, Martin Landau, Leslie A. Warren. This film is thoughtful, beautifully photographed and directed. For me it is essential viewing for audiences who want accurate Biblical stories, as well as for those who simply like well-produced movies.

Joseph truly has a character to aspire to as followers of the deeper nature of humanity, and his characterization is both believable and amazing in this rendition. Because it isn't certain who really made this story work, I have to give everyone in the production credit.

Competently made Biblical production dealing with revelant epic deeds narrated in the Old Testament. It is a luxuriously mounted production that gives a feeling of religious spectacle. Biblic story of Joseph: Paul Mercurio, and his 10 envious siblings. Covering Jacob, who long time ago was blessed as successor by Isaac posing as Esau, his sons and especially Joseph. He was sold to slavery by his jealous brothers Reuben, Zebulon, Simeon, Judah .. They had a real jealousy of his skills and of being their father's favorite. As they take him, seize, tear off his coat and throw him into a dry well. The following day, he is given to traders on their way to Egypt . At a popular market, Joseph is sold as a slave to Pothipar, the Pharaoh Prime Minister : Ben Kingsley . His prophetic abilities and highly productive work win his master's trust and he is appointed as a major servant. One day, he is seduced Pothiphar's tempting wife : Lesley Ann Warren , but Joseph rejects her . The scorned woman seeks vengeance and acussing him of violation. He is imprisionated and at the jail prophetizes the future of two locked powerful men who served the Pharaoh . Later on, he is called by Pharaoh himself : Stefano Dionisi , to interpret his twisted dreams . As Joseph describes the famous dream of seven thin cows that eat seven fat cows. Then Joseph predicts the dream in which 7 years of plentiful harvest, Egypt will suffer 7 years famine .Later on, Pharaoh Ramses I appoints Joseph as the main Chancellor.

Biblical history miniseries formed by two long episodes , shot in enough budget imitating the American Colossal, but made in Italian style. This Old Testament story is decently told , taking parts here and there of the notorious historical happenings . It contains great production design, spectacular scenes and famous as well as charming actors. The movie gives engaging messages about fraternity, compassion, forgiveness, love, brotherhood and redemption. Paul Mercurio gives an acceptable acting as the good son whose ruthless brothers become increasily resentful of their dad's preference of Joseph, carring out a merciless revenge . Martin Landau gives a good interpretation as Jacob who married Rachel well played by Alice Krige .Support cast is frankly fine, such as Dominique Sanda, Ben Kingsley, Warren Clarke, Lesley Ann Warren, Renato Scarpa, Peter Eyre, Oliver Cotton, Arthur Brass, and Monica Bellucci as Pharaoh's wife, among others.

It packs an impressive and rousing musical score by Marco Frisina supervised by Ennio Morricone. And a colorful, brilliant cinematography by Raffaele de Mertes, shot on location in Morocco. The picture was compellingly directed by Roger Young. Roger is a good artisan, usually filming for TV and occassionally for big screen. He has shot various miniseries which have been a joy of his long career. He filmed several episodes of the prestigious Bible series, such as Jesus, Moses, Paulus of Tarso, Salomon, Barrabbas and Joseph. Rating 7/10. Better than average. Well worth seeing.

This story has been previously adapted as follows : Joseph and hid Bethren 1961 by Luciano Ricci, Irving Rapper with Geoffrey Horne as Joseph, Finlay Currie, Robert Morley, Terence Hill, Belinda Lee, Helmut Schneider. In the beginning 2000 by Kevin Connor with Eddie Cibrian as Joseph, Christopher Lee as Pharaoh Ramses, Steven Berkoff as Puthiphar, Amanda Donohue as his wife.