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.

Director:

Henry Koster

Writer:

Norman Corwin

Stars:

Stuart Whitman, Tom Tryon, Peggy Wood

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stuart Whitman	...	Boaz
Tom Tryon	...	Mahlon
Peggy Wood	...	Naomi
Viveca Lindfors	...	Eleilat
Jeff Morrow	...	Tob
Elana Eden	...	Ruth
Thayer David	...	Hedak
Les Tremayne	...	Elimelech
Eduard Franz	...	Jehoam
Leo Fuchs	...	Sochin
Lili Valenty	...	Kera
John Gabriel	...	Chilion
Ziva Rodann	...	Orpah
Basil Ruysdael	...	Shammah
John Banner	...	King of Moab

Storyline

Inspired by the tale from Hebrew scriptures and the Christian Bible, the Moabitess child Ruth is sold to the temple of Chemosh. Years pass and she serves as a priestess to the idol. While arranging a temple ritual, she encounters a Judean family of artisans: Elimelech, his wife Naomi, their sons Chilion and Mahlon, and daughter-in-law Orpah. Ruth is curious about their God, and begins to meet secretly with Mahlon. After tragedy strikes, Ruth follows Naomi and begins a new life in Bethlehem...

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Plot Keywords:

priestess | hebrew | israel | mother in law daughter in law relationship | based on the bible | 

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Taglines:

Inspired Biblical Spectacle!

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 June 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

La historia de Ruth

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Aside from Susan Strasberg, other actresses who tested for the role of Ruth included Susan Kohner, Tina Louise, Diane Baker, Millie Perkins, Ulla Jacobsson and Myrna Fahey. Elana Eden was eventually chosen to play the role, changing her name from "Elana Cooper" in the process.

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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.

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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.

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Connections

Featured in The Shape of Water (2017)

User Reviews

A beautifully made, sincerely acted and totally under-rated movie.

I first saw this movie in October, 1960, when I was thirteen and a half. Like many others of my generation, I had purchased the wonderfully made Dell Movie Classic comic book adaptation of the film, with its impressive color photo cover...obviously designed as pre-release publicity to make you want to go to see the film when it arrived in town. I was very impressed with the film and it became one of my all time favorite movies. I watched the great Biblical love story come alive and unfold itself across the CinemaScope screen and I found certain parts of it very moving...especially the death of Mahlon (Tom Tryon) in that cave. As Ruth, twenty years old Elana Eden is superb. As she realises that Mahlon has just died in front of her, she falls to her knees, buries her face in her hands and sobs bitterly (very much in the mold of Jennifer Jones in that final scene of LOVE IS A MANY-SPLENDORED THING) and I found the scene so moving that, as Elana Eden sobbed, so I began to sob, also. It was so well done, I became totally involved in it for two hours and twelve minutes of screen time. Because this is one of the quieter Bible stories, and contains no chariot races or battle scenes, it has been somewhat overlooked by most of today's movie historians and has only been shown on UK television once...in December, 1972, when it was already twelve years old...and not shown since. So, a couple of generations have come into the world since its original release who have never had the opportunity to see it. But it's certainly worth seeing and I give it ten out of ten. Thankfully, it's available on video in the USA and I was able to send to amazon.com for a copy last year. As to what became of Elana Eden, I'd like very much to know. According to the British November, 1960, edition of Photoplay, she signed a long term contract with 20th Century-Fox in 1960, presumably on the strength of her superb debut performance in this movie. Yet, as far as I know, she never acted again. Does anyone out there know why and whatever became of her? She was so very, very beautiful. I fell in love with her from the first time I saw her on the cover of that Movie Classic comic. A wonderful movie with an unmistakable air of sincerity about the whole production, THE STORY OF RUTH is something quite removed from most of Fox's output of the period.