The Ten Commandments (1956)

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

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writers:

Dorothy Clarke Wilson (this work contains material from the book "Prince of Egypt"), J.H. Ingraham (this work contains material from the book "Pillar of Fire"),

Stars:

Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter

Won 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlton Heston	...	Moses
Yul Brynner	...	Rameses
Anne Baxter	...	Nefretiri
Edward G. Robinson	...	Dathan (as Edward G Robinson)
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

Storyline

To escape the edict of Egypt's Pharoah, Rameses I, condemning all newborn Hebrew males, the infant Moses is set adrift on the Nile in a reed basket. Saved by the pharaoh's daughter Bithiah, he is adopted by her and brought up in the court of her brother, Pharaoh Seti. Moses gains Seti's favor and the love of the throne princess Nefertiri, as well as the hatred of Seti's son, Rameses. When his Hebrew heritage is revealed, Moses is cast out of Egypt, and makes his way across the desert where he marries, has a son and is commanded by God to return to Egypt to free the Hebrews from slavery. In Egypt Moses's fiercest enemy proves to be not Rameses, but someone near to him who can 'harden his heart'.

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Plot Keywords:

hebrew | pharaoh | egypt | desert | slavery | 

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Taglines:

It would take more than a man to lead the slaves from bondage. It would take a God.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los diez mandamientos

Filming Locations:

Abu Rudeis, Egypt

Box Office

Budget:

$13,282,712 (estimated)

Gross:

$80,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Motion Picture Associates

Technical Specs

Runtime:

220 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (1998 re-release) Dolby (1989 re-release) Mono (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because of the numerous scenes that required multiple cameras to be running simultaneously, Paramount had the Mitchell Camera Corporation build additional VistaVision cameras for this production. Decades later, these cameras were highly sought after by special effects companies due to their ability to produce large area negatives on standard 35mm filmstock.

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Goofs

As Moses was completing the building of an Egyptian city, and called for a blue pennant, the guard waves a blue flag in front of the backdrop, and the flag is filtered out and becomes transparent, alluding to the fact that there is in fact a blue-screened backdrop and not an actual city behind them.

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Quotes

Jethro: You have come far.
Moses: From Egypt.
Jethro: You crossed the desert on foot? He has no name surely guided your steps.
Moses: He who has no name? Do you Bedouins know the god of Abraham?
Jethro: Abraham is the father of many nations. We are the children of Ishmael, his firstborn. We are odedient of God.
Moses: My people look to him for deliverance, but they are still in bondage.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the opening credits, we see a credit which begins; "Those who see this film - PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY CECIL B. DEMILLE"... and continues in the same style and finishing with: "Based on the writings of (J.H. Ingraham) and THE HOLY SCRIPTURES"

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Connections

Referenced in The Second Hundred Years: Let My People Go-Go (1967)

User Reviews

The eyes of the audience are filled with spectacle!

Cecil B. DeMille was a motion-picture producer-director whose use of spectacle attracted vast audiences and made him a dominant figure in Hollywood... He was successful in a genre - the epic - that he made definitely his own, until William Wyler came along three years later with "Ben Hur."

In his first epic role, Charlton Heston is cast as Lord Moses, prince of Egypt, son of the pharaoh's sister...

As a true prince, he saves a slave's life; as a great prince, he gives the priest's grain to the slaves and one day in seven to rest; as a man of justice, he confronts Nefretiri with a piece of Hebrew cloth, the key to his origin; as a warrior and in excellent physical condition, he kills a tough and cruel master builder; as a courageous Hebrew, son of slaves, he tells the pharaoh: "It would take more than a man to lead the slaves from bondage, but if I could free them, I would!" As a man of prowess, he shows his latest methods of combat when he takes on the shepherds and routed them; as God's torch, he proves to be the Deliverer of the Hebrews, their prophet and leader; as the Lawgiver of the Covenant, he is the founder of the community; and as interpreter of "The Ten Commandments," he is an organizer and legislator...

Yul Brynner is superb as Rameses, the rival of Moses... His arrogance and swaggering snobbery are well represented... Brynner delivers an intelligent cynical role... Regarding himself as divine, he rejects the demand of this unknown God and responds by increasing the oppression of the Hebrews...

Anne Baxter is Nefretiri, the sensual princess who leaves her scar upon Moses' heart... Nefretiri is beautiful as a jewel, and her eyes green as the Cedars of Lebanon... For Moses, she is always ready to lie, to kill and betray... She is selfish in her life as certainly in her love...

Edward G. Robinson plays Dathan, the chief Hebrew overseer who confessed to Rameses: "Give me my freedom and I'll give you the scepter. Give me the water girl Lilia and I'll give you the princess your heart's desire." As a treacherous overlord, he charges to the people yelling: "Go where? To drown in the sea?"

Yvonne De Carlo plays Sephora, the midnight shepherdess to whom Moses is wed... Sephora couldn't fill the emptiness of Moses' heart, but promised not to be jealous of the memory...

John Derek is Joshua, the stone cutter, who is totally convinced that Moses is God's Messenger...

Debra Paget plays the delicate flower who quench the thirst of the working slaves... For her the hour of deliverance will never come...

Sir Cedric Hardwicke plays Sethi, the mighty Pharaoh, whose words to his son mark great significance: "Who would take a throne by force that he has earned by deeds?"

Nina Foch plays Bithiah, pharaoh's sister, who discovers the basket in which Moses has just floated down the Nile...

Vincent Price plays Baka the sadistic, covetous, murderous whip-wielding slave-driver...

"The Ten Commandments" is filled with tremendous special effects: Moses's staff turns to a snake; Moses turning the Nile to blood; the Passover of the Angel of Death striking all the Egyptian first-born; the tremendous pillar of fire which halts Rameses' men; the Exodus from Egypt; the parting of the Red Sea; and the delivery of the "Laws of life, and right, and good, and evil."

The relationship between God and man is the powerful drama in our world... Moses is 'every man,' in his pride and humility, in his courage and prowess, in his love and hatred, in his weakness and confusion,in his conduct and ability...

DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" is a moving story of the spirit of freedom rising in a man under the divine inspiration of his Maker... It is a remarkable spectacle with great music, filled with exceptional setting and decor...