As Moses rest on the foot of Mount Sinai before God calls him to receive his Commandments, he is confronted by an alleged murderer among the camp. How will they judge that?, Moses gives the elders to determine. Burt Lancaster has a very long monologue where he explains the Covenant with the most loyal of his followers. He also makes Joshua the leader while he is away and his replacement in the event that he doesn't return. But a young man like Joshua can't keep the rebel rousers from taking over when they want to begin building idols to false gods. This gives a Anthony Quayle some good scenes as his character is bullied into creating the idols.
If you have seen other mini-series based on familiar stories, I can see a frustration building in the desire for this to conclude. But it's taking its wise time, not quite in the non-stop melodrama of BBC's delightful "I Claudius", instead making it points to various things that they will have to deal with when Moses returns with the commandments. Even children's games, here seen with a presence of a mild puppet show, are to be pictures of the guidance of what will be made law. Lancaster's performance still remains sincere and the glue that holds it altogether, aided by the great technical crews.
If you have seen other mini-series based on familiar stories, I can see a frustration building in the desire for this to conclude. But it's taking its wise time, not quite in the non-stop melodrama of BBC's delightful "I Claudius", instead making it points to various things that they will have to deal with when Moses returns with the commandments. Even children's games, here seen with a presence of a mild puppet show, are to be pictures of the guidance of what will be made law. Lancaster's performance still remains sincere and the glue that holds it altogether, aided by the great technical crews.