The Ten Commandments (1956)

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writers:

J.H. Ingraham (novel) and
A.E. Southon (novel) ...

Release Date:

5 October 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

The Greatest Event in Motion Picture History

Plot:

The Egyptian Prince, Moses, learns of his true heritage as a Hebrew and his divine mission as the deliverer of his people.

Plot Keywords:

Theremin | Dead Boy | Barefoot | Jew | Biblical Plagues

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Charlton Heston	...	Moses
Yul Brynner	...	Rameses
Anne Baxter	...	Nefretiri
Edward G. Robinson	...	Dathan
Yvonne De Carlo	...	Sephora
Debra Paget	...	Lilia
John Derek	...	Joshua
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Sethi (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Nina Foch	...	Bithiah
Martha Scott	...	Yochabel
Judith Anderson	...	Memnet
Vincent Price	...	Baka
John Carradine	...	Aaron
Olive Deering	...	Miriam
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Jannes

Also Known As:

Dez Mandamentos, Os (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Diez mandamientos, Los (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Dix commandements, Les (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Tio budorden, De (Finland: Swedish title) (Sweden) [sv]
Zehn Gebote, Die (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Deset bozijih zapovesti (Yugoslavia: Serbian title) [sr]
Deu manaments, Els (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Dieci comandamenti, I (Italy) [it]
Dziesiecioro przykazan (Poland) [pl]
Kymmenen käskyä (Finland) [fi]
Tízparancsolat (Hungary) [hu]
Ti bud, De (Denmark) [da]

Runtime:

220 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Dolby Digital (1998 re-release) | Dolby (1989 re-release) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Iceland:16 | South Korea:All | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:G (1972) | West Germany:16 | Canada:PG | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Abu Rudeis, Egypt

Company:

Motion Picture Associates

Trivia:

Urban legend has it that Anne Baxter's character's name was changed from Nefertiti to Nefertiri because Cecil B. DeMille was afraid people would make "boob" jokes. In reality, DeMille was sticking to history: Rameses II's queen was called Nefretiri. Nefertiti lived about 60 years earlier than the events in The Ten Commandments. Both names mean "Beautiful".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The floating basket bounces in the water when the lid is closed as would be expected; but scenes in which the lid is open and the baby Moses is visible the basket is stationary, very obviously supported under the water. Maybe the basket could not float with the weight of the baby, or maybe it was for safety reasons.

Quotes:

Baka: Will you lose a throne because Moses builds a city?
Rameses: The city that he builds shall bear my name, the woman that he loves shall bear my child. So let it be written, so let it be done.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in It's My Party (1996)

I Command You to See this Great Film!

What was the Academy of Motion Pictures thinking in 1956? Outrageous that 10 Commandments lost to Around the World in 80 Days.

The entire cast should have been nominated for Oscars. Here is how I see it: Best Actor: Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner

Best Actress: Anne Baxter

Best supporting actor: Edward G. Robinson,Cedric Hardwicke John Derek, Vincent Price. Best Supporting Actress: Nina Foch, Martha Scott, Judith Anderson, Debra Paget.

Shockingly, no one in the stellar cast received acting nominations. Only the lord knows why.

Yes, as my rabbi pointed out many years ago, the alleged romance between the Egyptian queen and Moses was overplayed. However, it can't take away from the magnificent acting and quality of this totally absorbing movie.

They just don't make movies as great as this one anymore. They'd never have actors and actresses to replace the above great people.

In 1956, Brynner did win the best actor Oscar for The King and I. He was far better here. Though, the award should have gone to Kirk Douglas for Lust for Life. Douglas losing, Ten Commandments losing, any message to be learned here?