Review: The Ten Commandments

When the Pharoah Rameses I (Ian Keith) decrees that all first-born sons of Hebrew slaves shall be put to death, a mother spares her infant by sending him down the Nile in a basket. That child is picked up by Bithia (Nina Foch), daughter of Pharoah Rameses I, and raised as if her own, naming him Moses (played as an adult by Charlton Heston). Yul Brynner plays Rameses II, son of Pharoah Sethi (Cedric Hardwicke) and grandson of his namesake Rameses I. Rameses II is jealous of his adoptive brother Moses, who has grown to become a fine general and Prince of Egypt, a threat to Rameses II’s ambitions to assume the throne. Judith Anderson plays Bithia’s worried servant Memnet, Vincent Price is Baka the brutal ‘master builder’, Anne Baxter plays the lustful and ambitious Nefretiri, Edward G. Robinson is the duplicitous Dathan, Debra Paget is young Hebrew woman Lilia, and John Derek plays stonecutter Joshua.

 

Give me a good story well-told, and I will likely buy it for the entirety of its duration. Even a non-believer like me has to admit this 1956 Cecil B. DeMille (who helmed the unfairly maligned “The Greatest Show on Earth”) religious epic is highly entertaining. At the end of the day, this is just a big, epic-length, all-star spectacle and I’m all for that when done as well as this. I’m not sure why a 3+ hour epic needs to begin with an overture but otherwise, this is one of the best of its kind. The cinematography, costuming, and production design are all stunning, and Elmer Bernstein (“The Magnificent Seven”, “The Great Escape”, “Ghostbusters”, “Far From Heaven”) gives us a majestic score suiting the material. It’s one of his best-ever scores, which is saying something when you look at his long list of credits. Sure, the burning bush looks like the eye of Sauron and sounds like Mufasa, but it gets the job done just fine, I’ve got little to complain about here at all.

 

Charlton Heston couldn’t be a more perfect, whole-hearted Moses. Was he a great actor? Not really, but his presence, authority, and sincerity when utilised in the right role made him a mighty asset to a film. That is the case here. However, top acting honours for me go to Cedric Hardwicke, Anne Baxter and Yul Brynner, with Vincent Price and Edward G. Robinson constantly stealing scenes on the margins as sly, fun characters in a pretty serious film. Price in particular is so sleazy here you might want to wash yourself clean afterwards. Brynner’s Rameses II and Anne Baxter’s Nefretiri are the meatiest supporting parts, with Brynner essentially essaying a villain here and it’s a great showcase for his intensity, stoicism and presence. Like a lot of great villains, his Rameses II is one you can understand, if not necessarily sympathise with. Baxter meanwhile seems like the horniest character in all of ancient Egypt, relishing the opportunity to cut loose as a villainess.

 

It’s not a perfect cast, the miscast John Derek and Debra Paget are definitely weak links, the former seems a bit too contemporary (i.e. 1950s) for my liking and the latter is simply a little out of her depth. I will also admit that I’m not fond of the director’s own boring-arse introduction and narration. He tries for gravitas but he’s simply not John Huston or Orson Welles. I probably like the first half of the film more and it’s not a seamless transition, but the second half is actually pretty freaking nuts. The second half is also the more ‘spectacular’ half of the film, so it certainly has its merits.

 

There are epics and then there is this mammoth undertaking. Cecil B. DeMille did not lack ambition, and this one’s almost crazy to behold. Some very persuasive performances, a great music score and terrific production values for its time. This is one of the greats, wonderful storytelling. The screenplay is by Jesse Lasky Jr. (DeMille’s “Unconquered”), Jack Garliss (who did uncredited work on “The Greatest Show on Earth”), Fredric M. Frank (“Unconquered”, “The Greatest Show on Earth”, the excellent epic “El Cid”), and Aeneas MacKenzie (“The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex”, “Ivanhoe”).

 

Rating: B+

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