The Ten Commandments (1923)

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writer:

Jeanie Macpherson (story)

Release Date:

23 November 1923 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The first part tells the story of Moses leading the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land, his receipt...

Plot Keywords:

Cathedral | Moses | Pharaoh | Two Strip Technicolor | Sin

Cast

Theodore Roberts	...	Moses, the Lawgiver (prologue)
Charles de Rochefort	...	Rameses, the Magnificent (prologue) (as Charles De Roche)
Estelle Taylor	...	Miriam, the Sister of Moses (prologue)
Julia Faye	...	The Wife of Pharaoh (prologue)
Pat Moore	...	The Son of Pharaoh - prologue (as Terrence Moore)
James Neill	...	Aaron, Brother of Moses (prologue)
Lawson Butt	...	Dathan, The Discontented (prologue)
Clarence Burton	...	The Taskmaster (prologue)
Noble Johnson	...	The Bronze Man (prologue)
Edythe Chapman	...	Mrs. Martha McTavish
Richard Dix	...	John McTavish, her son
Rod La Rocque	...	Dan McTavish, her son
Leatrice Joy	...	Mary Leigh
Nita Naldi	...	Sally Lung, a Eurasian
Robert Edeson	...	Redding, an Inspector

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (2-strip Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

UK:U | Canada:G | Finland:K-16 (1925) (second part) | Finland:K-3 (2006) (DVD) | Finland:S (1925) (first part) | South Korea:All

Filming Locations:

Fresno, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The effect of the parting of the Red Sea was created by placing two blocks of blue gelatin side-by-side, heating them until they melted...then running the footage in reverse.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When God gives the commandments through the eruption of Sinai, it's clear that the explosion graphics are being played backwards.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Passion: Films, Faith & Fury (2006) (TV)

Excuse me, gotta go and worship a Golden Calf!

Whenever anybody says THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, we think of the fun, uplifting 1956 epic made by DeMille and starring Charleton Heston, Yul Brynner, etc. etc. Not too many people know that film is a remake of DeMille's own 1923 film of the same name. The 1923 version has so much zip to it, mainly because in it's 90 minute plus time, DeMille has to tell TWO stories. The first is the story of Moses. He has to lead the exodus from Egypt, part the Red Sea (an awesome scene done in early two-tone Technicolor) and slap some sense in his followers who wrongly decide to worship the Golden Calf. All that in 45 minutes. That means it spools out really, really fast. The rest of the film takes place in modern day San Francisco, where two brothers, one a hard working carpenter, the other, a wealthy but scheming architect battle. We know their grey haired mom is a good Christian, because she constantly carries around a Bible as big as a cinderblock!

Beautifully restored, witha great piano and organ score. This is an energetic silent well worth catching.