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IMDbPro

The Story of Ruth

  • 19601960
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 12m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
57,657
29,246
The Story of Ruth (1960)
Inspired by the scriptural tale. Moabitess priestess Ruth is drawn both to a Judean man and to his talk of a forgiving God. After tragedy strikes, she begins a new life in Bethlehem.
Play trailer3:46
1 Video
53 Photos
DramaHistoryRomance
Inspired by the scriptural tale. Moabitess priestess Ruth is drawn both to a Judean man and to his talk of a forgiving God. After tragedy strikes, she begins a new life in Bethlehem.Inspired by the scriptural tale. Moabitess priestess Ruth is drawn both to a Judean man and to his talk of a forgiving God. After tragedy strikes, she begins a new life in Bethlehem.Inspired by the scriptural tale. Moabitess priestess Ruth is drawn both to a Judean man and to his talk of a forgiving God. After tragedy strikes, she begins a new life in Bethlehem.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
57,657
29,246
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Henry Koster
    • Writer
      • Norman Corwin
    • Stars
      • Stuart Whitman
      • Tom Tryon
      • Peggy Wood
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Henry Koster
    • Writer
      • Norman Corwin
    • Stars
      • Stuart Whitman
      • Tom Tryon
      • Peggy Wood
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 34User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:46
    Trailer

    Photos53

    The Story of Ruth (1960)
    The Story of Ruth (1960)
    The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Elana Eden and Stuart Whitman in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Elana Eden and Tom Tryon in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Tom Tryon in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Elana Eden and Tom Tryon in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Thayer David and Elana Eden in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Elana Eden, Tom Tryon, and Lili Valenty in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Elana Eden and Daphne Einhorn in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Elana Eden in The Story of Ruth (1960)
    Elana Eden, Stuart Whitman, and Peggy Wood in The Story of Ruth (1960)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Stuart Whitman
    Stuart Whitman
    • Boaz
    Tom Tryon
    Tom Tryon
    • Mahlon
    Peggy Wood
    Peggy Wood
    • Naomi
    Viveca Lindfors
    Viveca Lindfors
    • Eleilat
    Jeff Morrow
    Jeff Morrow
    • Tob
    Elana Eden
    Elana Eden
    • Ruth
    Thayer David
    Thayer David
    • Hedak
    Les Tremayne
    Les Tremayne
    • Elimelech
    Eduard Franz
    Eduard Franz
    • Jehoam
    Leo Fuchs
    • Sochin
    Lili Valenty
    • Kera
    John Gabriel
    John Gabriel
    • Chilion
    Ziva Rodann
    Ziva Rodann
    • Orpah
    Basil Ruysdael
    Basil Ruysdael
    • Shammah
    John Banner
    John Banner
    • King of Moab
    Adelina Pedroza
    • Iduma
    Daphne Einhorn
    • Tebah
    Sara Taft
    • Eska
    • Director
      • Henry Koster
    • Writer
      • Norman Corwin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The role of Ruth was intended for Susan Strasberg - who was tested for the part - but the studio decided to cast Elana Eden after they saw her screen test for The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) and were stunned by her beauty and talent.
    • Goofs
      When Boaz explains the purpose for the levirate law to Ruth, he says his mother was such a widow. In fact, it was his ancestress, Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah, that was such a widow. Two of Judah's sons died before she could have children, and he refused to marry Tamar to his third son.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Jehoam: Yonder is a city whose name will one day be known in the far places of the Earth... Bethlehem of Judah. Generations have yet to pass before its star shall rise in the east. Much shall happen in these lands and be told. For nearby, across the Jordan in the land of Moab, lives a people who of old have hated the God of Israel and who serve a god of stone, Chemosh, thirsty for the blood of the young and the innocent.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Shape of Water (2017)

    User reviews34

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    "Thy People Shall Be My People"
    Anyone expecting an elephantine spectacle with a cast of thousands for this Old Testament story will be sadly disappointed. The Story of Ruth simply does not lend itself to that kind of treatment. In fact for the screen quite a bit of liberties were taken with the story in terms of adding plot that the Old Testament Book of Ruth simply doesn't have.

    Ruth is an unusual character in the Bible. First she's a female protagonist, one of a select few there. Secondly her story gets its own book in the Old Testament, a short item of only four chapters. Lastly she's the first non-Hebrew protagonist in the Bible since Abraham sired the Hebrew people.

    It's a simple story in the Old Testament. Ruth is one of two Moabite women who marry the sons of Elimelech and Naomi. When Elimelech and sons Mahlon and Chillion die, leaving Naomi a widow with two widowed daughters-in-law, Naomi decides to return to Israel. One daughter-in-law, Orpah, bids her goodbye. Daughter-in-law Ruth however says she will not desert her. She's going to give up the life and culture of Moab and her people will be Naomi's people in the most famous line from the Book of Ruth.

    That's all there is to explain Ruth the Moabite coming to live in Israel with her mother-in-law. Director Henry Koster directed a film with a whole involved plot which goes into Ruth being a Moabite priestess and the reason for the death of all the men in that family. It's a nice story, but not the Old Testament.

    The second half of the film involves Ruth and Naomi and a blood relative's named Boaz and Boaz's courtship of Ruth. Boaz has a rival in another relative who is closer to Naomi who's name isn't mentioned, but the film names as Tob. We get a few more details from the Bible for the screenwriters to work with in this part.

    Henry Koster directed many a film with a religious theme and had success with The Robe and A Man Called Peter among others. This film is not as good as the other two, but still is both reverent and entertaining.

    The cast performs well. Israeli actress Elana Eden is in the title role and like her fellow Israeli thespian Haya Harrareet from Ben-Hur saw her career dissipate in the Sixties. The two men in her life are Tom Tryon as Mahlon and Stuart Whitman as Boaz. Broadway veteran Peggy Wood is Naomi and the best in the film is Jeff Morrow as the overbearing and drunken Tob who with a little bit of trickery Eden gets to renounce his claim on her. It was the law back in the day.

    The real story of Ruth is in that title phrase. Before there was a New Testament and a group of men were told to spread the faith, this story shows that God is taking converts. His wisdom and mercy are not the exclusive property of one race, but are universal. And in fact the children of Boaz and Ruth start the royal line of Israel beginning with their great grandson David.

    But it all begins with how Boaz and Ruth get together.
    helpful•28
    1
    • bkoganbing
    • Jul 7, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 17, 1960 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Das Buch Ruth
    • Filming locations
      • 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Samuel G. Engel Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,930,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 12 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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