"Greatest Heroes of the Bible" (1978) TV series

Director:

James L. Conway

Writer:

Stephen Lord (series)

Seasons:

unknown

Release Date:

19 November 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | History

Plot:

Anthology of famous events of the Old Testament.

Plot Keywords:

Anthology | God | Faith | Religion | Biblical

Cast

Victor Jory	...	Narrator / ... (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Brad Crandall	...	Opening Narrator (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Peter Mark Richman	...	King Bera (6 episodes, 1978-1979)
Will Kuluva	...	Hasdrugar's Son (5 episodes, 1978-1979)

Runtime:

510 min (4 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Sunn Classic Pictures

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the opening credits scenes of creation, a rainbow is shown even though it was (indirectly) mentioned not to have been created until Noah's time.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Ancient Secrets of the Bible (1992) (TV)

OK - but not great

I'm sorry to say that I haven't seen the whole of this mini-series, but only the 8 episodes that were placed on tape for a box set (Noah, Soddom and Gamorrah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Ten Commandments, Samson, and David). I would've liked to have seen the rest of it, but I guess there's hope for that some other day. Right now, though, I can only talk about these - and what an interesting topic they make! On one level, I found that I appreciated each story at last to a point, since some details I never read in the Bible but were certainly realistic were brought up. I enjoyed watching Noah standing up to the abusive pagans in his time before the Flood, and showing just how righteous he was by reminding his sons that inaction wasn't an option for him. The specific doubts of the Israelites in the desert were well-played out, and they actually remembered Joseph's Egyptian name, and that the first plague on Egypt made them lose all of their water when it was turned to blood, not just its source in the Nile (most versions I'v seen don't). On the other hand...I feel a bit sorry that I don't feel like giving credit to some of the good actors, since some plots were just too far out there for me to really enjoy. Yes, to those who are looking for entertaining moments, the scenes of Abraham's sons each being threatened by a man whose son he inadvertently killed may be a winner, but for me it was just a major thorn and a distraction in what should have been a quiet but powerful story of faith. I was impressed with the closing narration to Sodom and Gamorrah and shocked to find that I actually have yet to find that anywhere in the Bible (wasn't in the Sodom & Gamorrah section) but most of the episode itself, with another subplot on conspiracy and failed attempts at abduction and murder, really took away from the main story Luckily, the ending scene of destruction was fascinating to watch. Noah's story was probably the best, with few invented subplots (the one that did come up was all of 5 minutes - it was even steeped in good reasoning; the guy who claimed himself for a god stole the sons' birthright then attempted to burn the ark that "went against" him, but luckily he was drowned soon.) and gave good suggestions on how the family would have introduced their daughters-in-law to faith or spent time on the Ark. The worst was definitely Samson and Deliah - John Beck has his hair in a braid so it didn't seem as noticeable that it was long at first, and they made it so that when a child died in an accident he lost his faith! The Ten Commandments, David and Goliath, Joseph, and Moses were OK - a few details were omitted in each except The Ten Commandments (that had another conspiracy subplot, but thankfully it was short), but they were all decent. I'd like to see the other episodes in this someday, even if they all turn out to have ludicrous subplots...there is something good in each one, even if it's just the voice of God calling his follower. I'd recommend this to those who like these sorts of works and can give a little leeway on some fabrication. Most of them evened out on the good and the bad points with me, so I give the series a 6 since most of my episodes get about a 5 or a 6.