A Bíblia (1966)

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

Director:

John Huston

Writer:

Christopher Fry (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Parks, Ulla Bergryd, Richard Harris

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

An elaborate Hollywood retelling of the Bible stories narrated by the film's director John Huston. We open with the Creation of the World and arrive at the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and continue on to Cain and the murder of Abel. Next, we visit Noah and his ark with its spectacular flood sequence. Then we come to the story of Nimrod, King of Babel, the emergence of man's vanity and the heights to which it could aspire if unchecked. Finally we cover Abraham, a mystic who spoke personally with God, a leader of men, a builder of nations, a pioneer and a warrior and Sarah. At the time she conceived her first child, the event being forecast by an Angel of the Lord. Three such Heavenly Messengers appeared in the course of events which befell Abraham and Sarah.

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Plot Keywords:

lucifer morningstar character | implied male nudity | abraham character | adam character | eve character | 

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Taglines:

The unforgettable adventure of Man from the Creation!

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

In this film, Eve is referred by name before the Fall. In real-life, Adam began addressing her by name after God expelled them from Eden and when the couple started wearing clothing because they transgressed against him. Adam's wife would labor all future generations was the reason he named her "Eve". Her name means "Mother of All Living" or "Mother of All Life". Adam referred her as "Woman" or "The woman" before God expelled them from Eden.

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Goofs

After Cain attacks Abel, Abel falls forward, but when Cain walks over to the body, Abel is face-up.

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Quotes

Abraham: But the child is thine by thy maidservant's hand, by the love I bear thee.

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Connections

Referenced in Love (2015)

User Reviews

Genesis

In her memoirs ,Ava Gardner wrote that she hated some of her lines,notably when she had to tell her servant she would give children to her husband ."I just cannot say that,it's not my style" But the director answered:"my dear,you will".

"The Bible" is par excellence the movie Huston's fans love to hate ;other examples are "the roots of Heaven" or "the barbarian and the geisha " .Hindsight displays its charms:first,it is an accurate rendition of the Genesis (the title reads "in the beginning" and it is exactly what it is).There's more voice over than dialog but if you have read the Bible (and I'm sure you have)you know that the characters have only a few lines to say .

Chapters include the Creation and the wonders of nature ;Adam and Eve;Abel and Cain (should Abel have gone veggie,crime would never happen );Noah 's ark where the animals went in two by two just to get out of the rain and the huge hippopotamus -featured in the movie- did not get stuck in the door ,thanks to the patriarch's watchful eye (played by the director himself);Nemrod (a hardly recognizable Stephen Boyd)and the tower of Babel;Abraham whose segment is the most important in the whole movie (about one hour is given over to his alliance with God,Sara and Agar -the scene of the pieces of dried fruit is worth the price of admission-,Isaac,Jehovah asking the patriarch to kill Him a son );and Loth's adventures in Sodom where the Angel warns him :do not

look back when you escape from the doomed city .Poor wife! The cinematography is splendid ,particularly in the first sequences .But the most satisfying sequences are to be found towards the end: Abraham's sacrifice takes place in the desert among ruins and here Huston seems to transcend his subject whereas in the other segments ,he only makes a picture book.

Compared to Sergio Leone's "Sodom and Gomorrah",is it so bad?

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Bíblia

Filming Locations:

Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, Seven Arts Productions, Thalia AG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

174 min

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (RCA Sound Recording) (5.0) (L-R)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1