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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
50th Anniversary Edition
Review by Michael Jacobson
Stars:
Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De
Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nina Foch, Martha Scott,
Judith Anderson, Vincent Price, John Carradine
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby
Surround (1956), Dolby Stereo (1923)
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
(1956), Full Frame 1.33:1 (1923)
Studio: Paramount
Features: See Review
Length: 220 Minutes (Silent Version
136 Minutes)
Release Date: March 21, 2006
“Thus
saith the Lord God of Israel…
LET
MY PEOPLE GO!!”
Looking
back at a spectacle like Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments is to
wax nostalgic for an era of filmmaking we may never see again.
Gigantic epics like The Lord of the Rings still get made, but the
approach is different. Nowadays artists paint their canvases with computers.
In DeMille’s day, you had to find the locations, hire the extras, and
fill every frame with physical information yourselves.
It may be a kind of lost art, but I hope it’s one modern audiences will
never fail to appreciate.
This
is a biblical story, but every inch of the film is stamped with Cecil B.
DeMille’s glorious, bombastic style. He
thought big, he acted big, and when he made a film, he spared no effort.
Consider the large cast of stars, or the fact that he trekked them all
the way to the holy lands for location shooting.
Consider the expansive sets that showcase Pharaoh-ruled Egypt in all its
gaudy glory. Consider the extensive
props, including handmade chariots that were crafted in Hollywood and shipped
halfway around the world. Consider
one of the grandest early special effects shots ever attempted when Moses
(Heston) parts the Red Sea. All
centered around one central premise: the
God of Israel giving His laws to mankind.
The
central subject of the film may be the glory of God, but the picture resonates
with the glory of DeMille. From the
unusual opening where he walks out from behind a camera and actually talks to
the audience about what they’re going to see all the way through his constant
delightfully pompous narrations, he keeps us aware of one thing:
God may give laws to man, but on a DeMille film, he’s the almighty.
The
film is long, but never boring, filled with color, spectacle, drama, and great
performances, chief of which to me has always been Yul Brynner as Rameses II.
So striking is his portrayal, as a matter of fact, that I’ve never been
able to read the Old Testament without envisioning him.
Charlton Heston manages to put some heart in his portrayal of a major
historical figure, while at the same time almost matching DeMille’s windbag
ego stroke for stroke. Other
memorable performances include Edward G. Robinson as the scheming Dathan and the
stunning Anne Baxter as Nefretiri. Throw
in a couple of more lovely faces in Yvonne De Carlo and the radiant Debra Paget,
and there’s certainly more beauty than just the sets and art direction to
marvel at.
The
Ten Commandments attempted to fill in some of the story missing from scriptures by taking
historical accounts into effect, as well as, I’m sure, more than a few gentle
embellishments from the screenwriters. We
learn that Moses was raised in the palace of the Pharaoh in Egypt as a prince,
that he was famous for his sharp mind and kind heart, and that he almost became
the next in line to rule. But the
discovery of his true origin as the son of Hebrew slaves saved from the infamous
slaughter of firstborn boys when his mother placed him in a basket and set him
off toward Pharaoh’s sister changes not only the course of his life, but
history as well.
Stripped
of all power and prestige and banished from Egypt, he crosses the desert, finds
more of his own people, and eventually hears the voice of God.
It is time for the Hebrews to be delivered from their bondage…and Moses
is the man to carry the message.
This
is a wonderfully entertaining if not completely perfect film.
The dialogue ranges from the memorable and quotable (“Cities are built
with bricks. The strong make many.
The starving make few. The
dead make none.”) to the downright laughable (“You will be mine, like my
horse, my dog and my falcon…only I shall love you more and trust you less.”)
The strangest misstep for me is a ridiculous dance that the daughters of
Jethro do for Moses…silly stuff. But
you have to admire DeMille’s gambler’s chutzpah.
When he succeeded, he succeeded big, and when he goofed, he goofed big. There’s an undeniable charm to even the few sequences that
falter.
The
Ten Commandments was an expensive undertaking, and one that took several years to
realize, but in the end, DeMille’s vision paid off. It became the 50’s top box office draw, and pretty much
became a measuring stick for all other epics that followed in the years to come.
Sure, some filmmakers did it better, but there’s just something about
this one that has kept it an audience favorite and an iconic film for 50
years.
Now, with this 50th Anniversary Edition 3-disc set, DeMille's vision has come full circle, for Paramount has also included his epic 1923 silent version. Believe it or not, 1956 was NOT the first time he had Moses part the Red Sea on film. The effect for its time was quite startling, and still holds up pretty well today.
Unlike his later vision, the silent one is essentially two stories. The first deals with the great Exodus, and the second is a modern tale that reflects on the relevance of the Ten Commandments, and what happens to two fellows when one decides to live by them and one decides to scoff at them. Martin Scorsese summed up the moral best: if you break the Commandments, they will break you.
I've always loved the original silent version, and am thrilled to have a DVD set that lets me enjoy both of DeMille's classic visions side by side and intact.
Video
***1/2
Despite
its age, the film has held up remarkably well.
The anamorphic widescreen transfer from Paramount no doubt helped give it
its clean, colorful presentation. The
images are large, but the detail is frequently in the smaller pieces, and in all
cases, the visuals come across with integrity.
I noticed no bleeding or undue grain to mar the viewing.
Only a few specks and spots here and there give away the age.
Very nicely done.
The silent version has held up well for being over 80 years old. Yes, there are inevitable scratches, spots and signs of aging, but come on...a surviving silent picture, especially one as good as this, is always cause for cineastes to rejoice.
Audio
***
The
5.1 remix isn’t overly bold, so purists don’t have to worry about
over-tampering. Much of the action
and dialogue is still centered on the front stage, with the .1 channel kicking
in sparingly to add punch to bigger scenes and the rear stage mainly giving a
hint of ambience here and there. Elmer
Bernstein’s score sounds as big and dramatic as ever.
Features
***1/2
The
first two discs contain the 1956 version, and feature a running commentary by Katherine Orrison, who authored a
book on the film. Disc Two contains
the bulk of the features, starting with a 6 part documentary on the film (can be
viewed one at a time or altogether), plus the original and two subsequent
re-release trailers, and a newsreel of the original New York premiere.
The 1923 version contains another commentary by Katharine Orrison. Both are true treats for film fans and students. You can also peruse the hand colored version of the Exodus scenes...the film stock for those are quite the worse for wear, which is why I guess they weren't included as part of the movie, but the chance to view them even outside the film is pretty cool.
Summary:
