The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writer:

Christopher Fry (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

28 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

...In the Beginning

Plot:

Extravagant production of the first part of the book of Genesis. Covers Adam and Eve, Noah and the Flood and Abraham and Isaac.

Plot Keywords:

Adam And Eve | Flood | Murder | Angel | King

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Parks	...	Adam
Ulla Bergryd	...	Eve
Richard Harris	...	Cain
John Huston	...	Noah
Stephen Boyd	...	Nimrod
George C. Scott	...	Abraham
Ava Gardner	...	Sarah
Peter O'Toole	...	The Three Angels
Zoe Sallis	...	Hagar
Gabriele Ferzetti	...	Lot
Eleonora Rossi Drago	...	Lot's Wife
Franco Nero	...	Abel
Pupella Maggio	...	Noah's Wife
Robert Rietty	...	Abraham's Steward
Peter Heinze	...	Shem
Roger Beaumont
Gianluigi Crescenzi
Maria Grazia Spina	...	Daughter of Lot (as Grazia Maria Spina)
Angelo Boscariol	...	Ham
Claudie Lange	...	Nimrod's Wife
Anna Orso	...	Shem's Wife (as Anna Maria Orso)
Adriana Ambesi	...	Daughter of Lot
Eric Leutzinger	...	Japheth
Michael Steinpichler
Gabriella Pallotta	...	Ham's Wife
Alberto Lucantoni	...	Isaac
Rossana Di Rocco	...	Japheth's Wife (as Rossana De Rocco)
Luciano Conversi	...	Ishmael
Giovanna Galletti	...	Sinful Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paola Ambrosi	...	(uncredited)
Flavio Bennati	...	Serpent (uncredited)
Salvatore Billa	...	Follower of Abraham (uncredited)
Giovanni Di Benedetto	...	Nimrod's man (uncredited)
Aviva Israeli	...	(uncredited)
Flavio Nennati	...	(uncredited)
Marie-Christine Pratt	...	(uncredited)
Ivan Rassimov	...	Dignitary of Babylon (uncredited)
Amru Sani	...	(uncredited)
Elisabetta Velinska	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits
Christopher Fry		(screenplay)
Mario Soldati		uncredited
Orson Welles		uncredited

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer
Luigi Luraschi	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Toshirô Mayuzumi		(musical score) (as Toshiro Mayuzumi)
Ennio Morricone		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Rotunno		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ralph Kemplen
Alberto Gallitti		(uncredited)

Casting by
Guidarino Guidi

Art Direction by
Mario Chiari

Costume Design by
Maria De Matteis

Makeup Department
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup supervisor
Elda Magnanti	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Bruno Todini	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vana Caruso	....	assistant director
Ernst Haas	....	second unit director (segment "The Creation")
Ottavio Oppo	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bruno Avesani	....	set dressing
Enzo Eusepi	....	set dressing
Stephen B. Grimes	....	associate art director (as Stephen Grimes)
Aldo Puccini	....	set construction
Pasquale Romano	....	assistant art director
Mario Scisci	....	set construction
Tani	....	property master
Luciano Puccini	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Italo Tomassi	....	scene painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Basil Fenton-Smith	....	sound recordist
Leslie Hodgson	....	sound editor
Fred Hynes	....	sound recording supervisor
Murray Spivack	....	sound recordist
John Blunk	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Wayne Fury	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
James D. Young	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Zeus LaNero	....	special projector: sun effects
Augie Lohman	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Linwood G. Dunn	....	special optical effects: Film Effects of Hollywood (as Linwood Dunn)

Camera and Electrical Department
Giuseppe Di Biase	....	first assistant camera (as Pino Di Biase)
Giuseppe Maccari	....	camera operator
Piero Servo	....	assistant camera
Donald C. Rogers	....	photographer: second unit (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Eunice Mountjoy	....	assistant to film editor

Music Department
Franco Ferrara	....	conductor
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	music editor (as Gilbert Marchant)
Murray Spivack	....	music recordist
Goffredo Petrassi	....	musical advisor (uncredited)

Other crew
Yvonne Axeworthy	....	script girl (as Yvonne Axworthy)
Romano Dandi	....	production assistant
Dino De Laurentiis	....	presenter
Katherine Dunham	....	choreographer
Monsignor Salvatore Garofalo	....	consultant (as Mons. Salvatore Garofalo)
Gladys Hill	....	associate: John Huston
Angelo Lombardi	....	zoological consultant
Prof. The Rev. W.M. Merchant	....	consultant (as Professor the Rev. W.M. Merchant)
Giorgio Morra	....	production assistant
Ralph Serpe	....	assistant to producer
Fred Sidewater	....	assistant to producer
Emilio Villa	....	historical advisor (uncredited)

Thanks
Mirko Basaldella	....	acknowledgment: Dino De Laurentiis and John Huston wish to thank the following artists for their co-operation (as Mirko)
Corrado Cagli	....	acknowledgment: Dino De Laurentiis and John Huston wish to thank the following artists for their co-operation

Production Companies

• Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica (producer)
• Seven Arts Productions (in association with)
• Thalia AG
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1966) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• CBS Television Network (1975) (USA) (TV)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2007) (Argentina) (all media)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Video (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Vision TV (2009) (Canada) (TV) (as Visiontv)

Special Effects

• Technicolor Limited (special optical effects)
• Film Effects of Hollywood (special optical effects)

Other Companies

• Chorus Carapellucci  chorus
• Dino Edizioni Musicali  music publishers (as Edizioni Musicali Dino)
• Orchestra Cinefonica Italiana  orchestra
• RCA Italiana  music recording
• Rocchetti  wigs
• Sorelle Fontana, Roma  Miss Gardner's costumes (as Sorelle Fontana-Rome)
• Tani Cappellini  set dressing accessories
• Tigano Lo Faro  costumes

Also Known As:

La bibbia (Italy)
The Bible (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

174 min

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System) | 70 mm 6-Track

Certification:

UK:U | Norway:11 (DVD rating) | Norway:12 (1967) | Argentina:Atp | Canada:14+ (TV rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:G | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Trivia:

Richard Harris and Franco Nero play brothers-turned-enemies Cain and Abel, and only a year later would play friends-turned-enemies Arthur and Lancelot in Camelot (1967).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Before they get into the Ark, one of Noah's daughter-in-laws has on a modern bra under her tunic.

Quotes:

God: I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fritz the Cat (1972)

Okay for a Biblical epic

Seemingly eposodic, there is little segue between the "stories." Even the title is misleading, since this film only covers from Creation through the story of Abraham - the first 22 chapters. But if the whole book was made into a movie it would be 162 hours at this rate. Too long for most audiences! (Hint - hint - miniseries).

Most of the acting comes across as stilted, except Huston, who's tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Noah wavers between refreshing and cloying. The highly touted "nude" scene of Adam and Eve may have raised a few eyebrows in 1966 but seems pretty tame by today's standards thanks to a few well-placed fern fronds. Scotts's rendering of patriarch Abraham was strong but uninspired.

This pic is adequate if you're not looking for in-depth religious interpretations. More could have been done with characterizations, but in the time given, was satisfactory. Just watch and enjoy for its face value.