The Ten Commandments (1956)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

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:

Pharaoh | Egypt | Hebrew | God | Desert

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

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:

De tio budorden (Finland: Swedish title) (Sweden) [sv]
Die zehn Gebote (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Les dix commandements (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Los diez mandamientos (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Os dez Mandamentos (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
De ti bud (Denmark) [da]
Deset bozijih zapovesti (Yugoslavia: Serbian title) [sr]
Dziesiecioro przykazan (Poland) [pl]
Els deu manaments (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
I dieci comandamenti (Italy) [it]
Kymmenen käskyä (Finland) [fi]
Tízparancsolat (Hungary) [hu]

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:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | USA:Approved (Certificate #18021) (original 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:

In adjusted-for-inflation gross, this movie is the top grossing movie in the US that has not benefited from multiple releases. It is generally in the top 3 to top 10 of all-time top grossing films (depending on who made the list and how they accounted for re-releases), adjusted for inflation.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Omitted from the scene where the Egyptian chariots are pursuing the Israelites through the Red Sea is the fact that the Lord caused the chariot wheels to be clogged or out of alignment so that they swerved and drove with difficulty. (Exodus 14:25)

Quotes:

Joshua: God made men. Men made slaves.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic (2004) (TV)

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? As for the film itself, it should serve as a pre-requisite for those in the industry who wish to make biblical epics. The sets were absolutely lavishing. I guess that opulent would be the best word to describe them. Who can ever forget the dialogue? Remember those princely plots. What alliteration! They just don't open the Red Sea like that anymore.