The Bible: In the Beginning... (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 Greatest Story of All Time...with one of the most celebrated casts of all time!

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Unusually, there are no opening credits, save for the title of the film. While this is standard practice for blockbusters today, it was very rarely deployed in the 1960s.

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Goofs

Why didn't the make-up department not cover over Michael Parks' navel when he was playing Adam.

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Quotes

Eve: [after Cain is born] I have made a man from the Lord!

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Connections

Featured in Religulous (2008)

User Reviews

The Last Of The Biblical Epics And One Of The Best

Maybe it's because I consider myself one of the devout, but I think this last of the great Biblical epics that began in 1949 with "Samson And Delilah" works very well. Christopher Fry, who was responsible for making "Ben Hur's" script literate and compelling manages to do the same here, and Huston does a fine job of directing as well as providing a noble touch as narrator/voice of God and Noah.

About the only ineffective touch comes at the end, where it is all too clear that the fire is causing George C. Scott's age makeup to run.

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Bible

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