The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Based on the short story by Dorothy M. Johnson, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is the story of an attorney whose encounters with a notorious outlaw has him teaming up with a gunslinger to deal with him in order to protect the people at a small town in the West. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck, the film is an exploration of two men with different ideas of the world who team up to face off against someone who just wants to bring chaos into the world. Starring John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O’Brien, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Jeanette Nolan, Woody Strode, Strother Martin, and Lee Van Cleef. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a grand yet evocative film from John Ford.

The film is essentially a reflective story in which a senator recalls a time in his life when he was just an attorney arriving into a small town in the West where he tries to stand up against a notorious outlaw where he later teams up with a gunslinger and a few others in making a stand against him. Especially as he would later become a pillar of hope in a town that is still ravaged with fear prompting this attorney from the East to make a difference. The film’s screenplay begins with Ranse Stoddard (James Stewart) and his wife Hallie (Vera Miles) arriving to the small town of Shinbone as the local press wonder why he’s there. He then tells them the story of how he first came to the town 25 years earlier where he would meet Hallie and stand up to the outlaw known as Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) after trying to stop him from robbing a widow during a stagecoach robbery. After being healed by Hallie and a local rancher in Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), Stoddard would do whatever he can to help the town.

Stoddard is a man that is educated and isn’t willing to be violent as he is trying to make sure there’s some law and order in this small town he’s arrived in as he also wants to be there for the people whether it’s to defend them in a court of law or teach them how to read and write. He would live at the restaurant that Hallie works at while doing his law practice at the local newspaper run by its publisher Dutton Peabody (Edmond O’Brien) who would befriend Stoddard as they would team up for an election on statehood. While Doniphon appreciates what Stoddard is doing, he feels that Stoddard is also just making things troubling because of Valance who wants to maintain his own power by beating up anyone or kill someone. Doniphon is a no-nonsense man who can read and write but knows how lawless the West can be as he is the only man that can out-gun Valance.

John Ford’s direction is definitely rapturous in terms of some of the visuals he creates as well as the fact that much of the story is told in a reflective manner by Stoddard to a journalist. Shot on the studio backlots at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, the film is more intimate in terms of its location even though there are a few scenes set in the desert as much of it is shot at a soundstage as the fictional town of Shinbone. While there are some wide shots of some of those locations, Ford would emphasize more on close-ups and medium shots for much of the film as it relate to the intimacy in the story as well as capturing some of the conversations and moments with the characters. Notably in the scenes that show Stoddard doing all sorts of things whether in educating some of the locals, cleaning the dishes at the restaurant where he’s staying at, or looking at Peacock’s articles. While much of the film is dramatic with some suspense, Ford would infuse the film with bits of humor such as a scene where Doniphon would show Stoddard how to shoot a gun as it would reveal how tough Stoddard really is.

As for some of the action, there are moments where the violence is quite brutal such as the Stoddard’s first encounter with Valance where Valance would whip him such a visceral way. The scenes where Valance is around is always filled with dread as the man is quite unpredictable as he would just scare people with his presence or through his violent actions. There is a showdown that would occur between Stoddard and Valance but it’s a very unusual showdown early in its third act. Notably as it would be followed by its aftermath as it relates to not just what happened to Valance but also who shot him as it would create this myth that is very unsettling. Overall, Ford creates a mesmerizing yet intense film about a lawyer and a gunslinger standing up against a notorious outlaw.

Cinematographer William H. Clothier does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography from the sunny look of the daytime exteriors to some of the stylish usage of shadows and shades for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Otho Lovering does excellent work with the film’s editing as it has some stylish rhythmic cuts to play into the action and suspense as well as some straightforward cuts for the drama. Art directors Eddie Imazu and Hal Pereira, with set decorators Sam Comer and Darrell Silvera, do fantastic work with the look of the saloons, restaurants, and Doniphon’s ranch as well as the interiors of some of the buildings in the film.

Costume designer Edith Head does nice work with the costumes from the look of the hats and clothes the men wear to some of the dresses that Hallie wears. Sound recordists Charles Grenzbach and Philip Mitchell do terrific work with the sound as it play into raucous sound of the meetings as well as in some of the moments of suspense as it relates to the showdown between Stoddard and Valance. The film’s music by Cyril J. Mockridge and Alfred Newman is wonderful for its mixture of bombastic orchestra music with its large brass arrangements and string flourishes for some of the dramatic moments as the score also include some folk-based music of the times.

The film’s superb cast include some notable small roles from Denver Pyle and O.Z. Whitehead as the father-son duo of Amos and Herbert Carruthers, Willis Bouchey as a train conductor, Joseph Hoover as a journalist interviewing Stoddard in the film’s beginning, Jeanette Nolan and John Qualen as the Swedish immigrant couple in the Ericsons who work with Hallie at the restaurant, John Carradine as a speaker for a convention representing those in favor of territory rights, Ken Murray as the local doctor Doc Willoughby, Strother Martin and Lee Van Cleef as two of Valance’s henchman in their respective roles as Floyd and Reese, and Woody Strode as Doniphon’s ranch hand Pompey as an African-American that is very helpful as well as wanting to be educated by Stoddard. Andy Devine is terrific as the local marshal Link Appleyard as a man that has a hard time upholding the law as he’s afraid of Valance as he is kind of the film’s comic relief. Edmond O’Brien is excellent as Dutton Peabody as the local newspaper publisher who is full of gusto in the things he says while admittedly being a drunk but a man that can rile up Valance through his words.

Vera Miles is amazing as Hallie as a local woman who runs a restaurant as she is courted by Doniphon as she would fall for Stoddard whom she sees as a man that can help her as well as make her into something more. Lee Marvin is brilliant as Liberty Valance as a brutish outlaw who likes to wreak havoc on the people as he tries to assert his own power and whatever he can to play into his role in the West. James Stewart is incredible as Ranse Stoddard as an attorney who is trying to help the locals in the small town as he also stands up to Valance where he is forced to see what he has to do to deal with him. Finally, there’s John Wayne in a phenomenal performance as Tom Doniphon as it is a performance where Wayne display some charm as well as humility as a gunslinger that is the one person that can deal with Valance but also is aware of what Stoddard is trying to do for the town as he would take action that would prove to be catastrophic for both men.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a sensational film from John Ford that features great performances from John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, and Lee Marvin. Along with its dazzling visuals and a compelling take on heroism, it’s a film that explore what some will do to help people not be afraid from the presence of an outlaw but also into the myths of the West. In the end, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a tremendous film from John Ford.

© thevoid99 2017

Spartacus

Based on the novel by Howard Fast, Spartacus is the story of a slave who leads a revolt against the Romans during first century B.C. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, with additional work by Anthony Mann, and screenplay by Douglas Trumbo, the film is an epic about a man who becomes a gladiator and the voice to slaves as he fights off against his oppressors. Starring Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Tony Curtis, Peter Ustinov, and John Gavin. Spartacus is a grand yet adventurous epic from Stanley Kubrick.

After being a slave for all of his life, Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) is sold to Roman businessman Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov) where he’s to be trained as a gladiator to fight against others in the arena. Despite dealing with abuse of trainer Marcellus (Charles McGraw), Spartacus is able to make friends with a few slaves while falling for a serving woman named Varinia (Jean Simmons). When Roman senator Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier) arrives for a visit, he asks to see what Batiatus has to offer where he has four gladiators fight to the death. Spartacus pairs up with the African Draba (Woody Strode) where the two have a good fight but Spartacus is nearly killed by Draba only for Draba to do something that would unfortunately lead to his own death. After learning that Varinia is being sold to Crassus, Spartacus revolts against Batiatus and Marcellus where he and the slaves decide to fight for their own freedom.

With Spartacus gathering an army to lead his revolt, the Romans including Gracchus (Charles Laughton) are aware of what Spartacus is doing as he decides to have Julius Caesar (John Gavin) to control the Roman army. Spartacus manages to gain more numbers including Varinia who had fled Batiatus while they also gain a young slave named Antoninus (Tony Curtis) who had just been a slave for Crassus. After defeating an army led by Marcus Glabrus (John Dall), Glabrus returns to Rome to unveil what happened to him. A power struggle happens in the Senate where Caesar learns about Gracchus’ bribery on the Cilicians to get Spartacus and the slaves out of Italy. Caesar reveals Spartacus’ plans to Crassus who would make a move on his own as Spartacus finds out from Cilician envoy Tigranes Levantus (Herbert Lom).

Realizing that they’re trapped and nowhere to go, Spartacus reveals to the slaves that the Romans are coming and there’s no choice to fight them all the way to Rome. A battle finally ensues where the results fall in favor of Crassus as Batiatus is also there to identify Spartacus. Unable to find him, they were able to find Varinia and her newborn baby where Crassus decides to take her for his own to the disgust of Batiatus. With Crassus having full control and Caesar joining Crassus, Gracchus realizes what Rome is becoming as he starts to lose control of his power. In a final act of defiance against Crassus, Gracchus organizes a plan to retrieve Varinia and her son from Crassus and take her to freedom with Batiatus to accompany her. Spartacus faces Crassus for the first time as he becomes fully aware of his fate while he begins to ponder if there was any good that came out of his rebellion against Rome.

The film is an epic story about a slave who rebels against his masters and the rule of Rome where he leads a revolt against slavery in hopes to bring Rome to its knees. Meanwhile, a power struggle occurs inside Rome as two politicians try to out-do one another in how to handle Spartacus’ revolt. One of which wants nothing to do with the revolt knowing that Rome is already in enough trouble with other countries while the other is hoping to maintain control of Rome and put things back in order with more restrictions. Eventually, all of these events would collide where many would question abut everything that had happened where one faces death, another faces an uncertain future, and one rises to power all of which contain an element of ambiguity.

Dalton Trumbo’s screenplay is very multi-layered in the way it establishes a lot of what was happening in Rome as it begins with narration by Vic Perrin to unveil a lot about Spartacus’ early life. This is a man who has only known oppression his entire life as he is aware of the cruelty he faces not just to himself but those around him. When he’s sold to a businessman in Batiatus, Spartacus learns the art of being a gladiator as well as finding someone like Varinia who represents a world that is away from oppression. After a fight where his opponent shows compassion and spirit, it gives Spartacus a lot of reasons to rebel where he leads a revolt. Despite his courage and ability to lead the people, Spartacus is fully aware that he’s also uneducated and wants the freedom to not just live a nice life but also the freedom to learn.

Varinia and Antoninus would be the two people in Spartacus’ life that would provide him not just intelligence but also compassion and to be a man of the people. This would raise the ire of the men of Rome who realize how dangerous Spartacus is to not just the ideals of Rome but also the lifestyle they live in. Crassus and Gracchus are two men with very different ideas of politics who are both aware of the kind of power Spartacus would have. The latter is a man who knows that Spartacus is a threat who just wants freedom where would do things that would undermine the ideas of politics just so that he wouldn’t have to deal with Spartacus as well as the lives of Roman soldiers. Then there’s Crassus who is the main antagonist of Spartacus who wants to maintain the kind of control of Rome as he realizes that without slaves, Rome would fall. Crassus and Gracchus would fight for the control of the Roman Senate and its army through political means where part of this is a young Julius Caesar.

Then there’s the character of Batiatus who is just a man that wants to run a house of gladiators where he would prod and do whatever to break Spartacus’ spirit. Yet, it would cost him everything he would have where he also realizes that whatever information he gives wouldn’t necessarily give him any kind of power. After realizing all of that and the kind of humility that Crassus would bring, he begins to understand what Spartacus is all about as he would team up with Gracchus in order to do something about Crassus’ tyranny. Notably in one of the film’s big moments where many slaves say “I am Spartacus” as an act of defiance as it would carry many allusions to what witch-hunt trials that were happening in the 1950s. Trumbo’s screenplay definitely carries references to a lot of what was happening in the 1950s to parallel what was happening during the age of Rome. Yet, there would be some semblance of hope about how people would do in the face of oppression while defying those who want them to do the wrong thing.

Stanley Kubrick’s direction is definitely vast in terms of the presentation that is created for an epic film. While the film doesn’t feature a lot of the visual trademarks and eerie directing style that Kubrick is known for. It is still engaging for the way he creates scenes on a large canvas to showcase a wide depth of field for many of the film’s locations set in Californian desert, parts of Spain, and bits of it in Death Valley, Nevada. With the exception of the film’s opening sequence that was directed by Anthony Mann who was fired after a week, Kubrick’s direction for the rest of the film carries a lot of the visual attributes of the epic film.

Kubrick’s direction definitely has more interesting compositions in some of the film’s more intimate moments involving the Senate meetings and the scenes in some of its interior settings. Largely in where he places the cameras to establish the world of the Romans and how they conduct their lives. Kubrick also uses a lot of close-up and medium shots to help create a mood for some of these scenes while many of the film’s exterior settings do have a lot of amazing imagery. Notably the final scene that features a very hopeful ending despite the ambiguity that it carries. Overall, Kubrick creates a marvelous and exhilarating epic film about oppression and rebellion.

Cinematographer Russell Metty does brilliant work with colorful cinematography to capture the beauty of many of the film‘s daytime exterior locations to the more intimate yet lush lighting schemes for the film‘s interiors including its scenes at night. Editor Robert Lawrence does excellent work with the editing to create rhythmic cuts for some of the action scenes along with more methodical ones in its dramatic moments while utilizing fade-outs for the film‘s transitions. Production designer Alexander Golitzen, along with art director Eric Orbom and set decorators Russell A. Gausman and Julia Heron, does superb work with the set pieces such as the homes of the Romans as well as the Senate room as well as the tents that the slaves live in during their trip towards the sea.

Costume designers Valles and William Ware Theiss do nice work with the costumes from the robes that the Romans wear to the more rugged clothing of the slaves. The sound work of Joe Lapis, Ronald Pierce, Murray Spivack, and Waldon O. Watson is fantastic to capture the intimacy of the Senate meetings as well as the big scenes in the film‘s climatic battle. The film’s music by Alex North is amazing for the bombast that is created in its orchestral presentation as well as more serene and sweeping score pieces to help play out the drama.

The film’s ensemble cast is phenomenal where it features some notable small roles from Woody Strode as the African gladiator Draba, John Ireland as the gladiator Crixus, Herbert Lom as the Cilician envoy Tigranes Levantus, Charles McGraw as the brutish gladiator trainer Marcellus, John Dall as Crassus’ friend and military leader Marcus Glabrus, Nina Foch as Glabrus’ wife Helena, and John Gavin as a young Julius Caesar who tries to deal with the role that he’s set to play. Tony Curtis is brilliant as the young slave Antoninus who provides Spartacus a world outside of violence with stories and songs as he becomes a son of sorts for Spartacus. Peter Ustinov is great as the businessman Batiatus who deals with the rebellion that he unknowingly caused as well as Crassus’ cruelty where he deals with humility but gain something far more valuable.

Charles Laughton is superb as Gracchus who tries to create many political maneuvers to usurp Crassus only to deal with the dark future that lies ahead where he would make moves that would redeem him. Jean Simmons is wonderful as Varinia who would become the woman that would be on Spartacus’ side and broaden his view about a life that could be so much more. Laurence Olivier is fantastic as the villainous Crassus who is cunning in his ambitions but also insecure about the fact that someone like Spartacus could ruin things where Olivier displays a great presence as well as make his character larger than life. Finally, there’s Kirk Douglas in a magnificent performance as the titular character where Douglas displays a lot of charisma to the character as well as something that is larger than life. Douglas also display a sensitivity to the character that balances the kind of man Spartacus is where it’s really one of Douglas’ great performances.

Spartacus is an exquisite yet majestic epic from Stanley Kubrick that features Kirk Douglas in a towering performance as the titular character. Armed with amazing images, Dalton Trumbo’s complex screenplay, thrilling music, and a top-notch supporting cast that includes Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, and Tony Curtis. It’s a film that is definitely carries a lot of strong themes about rebellion and oppression as it is still relevant more than 50 years since it’s release. While it may not be a film that features a lot of visual attributes of Kubrick, it is still a very strong to film to be engrossed by. In the end, Spartacus is an incredible film from Stanley Kubrick.

Stanley Kubrick Films: Fear & Desire - Killer's Kiss - The Killing - Paths of Glory - Lolita - Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb - 2001: A Space Odyssey - A Clockwork Orange - Barry Lyndon - The Shining - Full Metal Jacket - Eyes Wide Shut

Related: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures - The Auteurs #18: Stanley Kubrick

© thevoid99 2012

The Ten Commandments (1956 film)

Based on the books Pillar of Fire by Joseph Holt Ingraham, On Eagle’s Wings by A.E. Southon, and Prince of Egypt by Dorothy Clarke Wilson, The Ten Commandments is the story of how the Hebrew-born Moses who is raised by Egyptian royals as he would become the leader of the Hebrews as he leads them to the Promised Land. Directed and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille and screenplay by Aeneas MacKenzie, Jesse J. Lasky Jr., Jack Garris, and Fredric M. Frank. The film is a dramatic take on the story of Moses as he would become the leader of the Hebrews and defy the Pharaoh. Playing Moses is Charlton Heston in one of his most iconic performances. With an all-star cast that includes Yul Brenner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne de Carlo, Debra Paget, and John Derek. The Ten Commandments is a sprawling yet engrossing epic from Cecil B. DeMille.

After the Pharaoh Seti I (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) orders the death of first-born Hebrew boys based on a prophecy, a woman named Yoshebel (Martha Scott) takes a baby to the Nile as her young daughter Miriam watches to see as the baby named Moses is given to the arms of Pharaoh’s sister Bithiah (Nina Foch) who will raise the child. Many years later, Moses becomes the Pharaoh’s pride and joy after leading a victory against Ethiopia and later build a city with the princess Nefretiri (Anne Baxter) in awe of Moses though Pharoah’s son Rameses (Yul Brenner) is filled with jealousy towards Moses as he seeks to find the Hebrew who would lead the slaves to rebel. Still, Moses is content with his life until Nefretiri learns from the maid Memnet (Judith Anderson) the truth about who Moses is as he asks Bithiah if it’s true. Notably as he would follow her to the home of Yoshebel as he recognized as the woman whose life he had just saved.

After learning about his true roots, Moses decides to become a slave to see how they live where he learns about their struggle. After master builder Baka (Vincent Price) takes the beautiful slave girl Liliah (Debra Paget) for his own where her lover Joshua (John Derek) tries to reclaim her. Moses come to their aid where the corrupt Hebrew overseer Dathan (Edward G. Robinson) learns the truth about Moses. After telling the news to Rameses who would reward Dathan, Moses is captured as he’s brought forth by Seti who is heartbroken over what Moses is as he denies him. Rameses has Moses be banished to the desert as Moses eventually finds shelter in a Bedouin sheik named Jethro (Eduard Franz) whose daughter Sephora (Yvonne de Carlo) becomes Moses’ new love. After a life of herding sheep and gaining a son in Gershom (Tommy Duran), Moses still seeks answers about his life when Joshua appears prompting Moses to climb Mount Sinai where he returns with a new role.

Deciding to return to Egypt with his family and Joshua, he learns that Rameses is the new Pharaoh as he asks Rameses to release the Hebrews. Rameses refuses as a series of plagues occur while Nefretiri tries to renew their relationship but Moses spurns her. Even as she would later plead to his wife to flee Egypt to save her child only to learn that next plague will kill all Egyptian first-born men and boys. Rameses gives in as all of the Hebrews leave including Dathan while Bithiah also joins Moses on their way to the promised land. Yet, the grief-stricken Nefretiri would tell Rameses to attack the Hebrews as they reach towards the Red Sea where Moses would make a miracle that will lead to him gaining God’s laws about the way to live.

The film is essentially the tale of Moses of how he was this prince of Egypt who was adored by many including the Hebrew slaves. Then once his true background is revealed, he is shunned only to return to live up to the prophecy that his adopted uncle feared only to deal with the man he once called brother. All of it told in a grand storyline that lives up to the epic films of the 20th Century as Cecil B. DeMille and his screenwriters explore the life of Moses. Particularly in the key moments of his life such as the Exodus to the Promise Land, telling Rameses to let his people go, and the presentation of the Ten Commandments. Still, it also explores Moses as a man unsure of the role he played as well as the fact that he is a Hebrew raised as a prince with two different mothers.

Cecil B. DeMille’s direction is truly a marvel to watch from the way he creates a film that is ambitious in its set pieces while utilizing wide depth-of-field shots to capture the large crowd shots for the film. Shooting on location in parts of Egypt along with studio shots set in Los Angeles for some of the film’s interior set pieces. DeMille is able to create scenes where he utilizes the wide shots that often accompanied by sweeping crane shots that move back to see how big the crowds are. There’s also shots that is quite intimate to display the drama that occurs between a few characters to express the situation that occurs in the film. Particularly as DeMille wants to maintain the situation that occurs which includes the haunting Angel of Death scene as Moses and his family watches a mist appear.

For some scenes that requires visual effects including background scenes due to inability of what DeMille wasn’t able to do. Using superimposed shots for the background as well as a few visual effects moments. The look of it is quite primitive since it was made of the 1950s. Notably the visual effects moments that involve the parting of the Red Sea or some of the visual tricks that Moses try to display to deal with Rameses. Still, there is something quite engaging to the way it looks as it’s meant to look otherworldly. Overall, DeMille creates a film that is all about spectacle to tell this amazing story about Moses and the Hebrews in their search for the Promised Land.

Cinematographer Loyal Griggs does brilliant work with the film‘s lush, Technicolor look of the film to capture the vibrant colors of some of the film‘s interior settings including Nile River along with some wonderful exterior shots for some of the film‘s landscape scenes. Editor Anne Bauchens does excellent work with the film‘s editing by creating wonderful transitional dissolves as well as utilizing straight rhythmic cuts to play up the film‘s action and dramatic moments to maintain its tight, methodical pacing. Art directors Albert Noziak, Hal Pereira, and Walter H. Tyler, with set decorators Sam Comer and Ray Moyer, do amazing work with the set pieces such as interior palace designs that the Egyptian royals live in to the lavish tents where Moses meets Jethro. Sound recorders Gene Garvin and Harry Lindgren do wonderful work in the sound to capture the crowds as well as the intimate moments in some of the film‘s set pieces.

The film’s score by Elmer Bernstein is magnificent for the soaring yet sweeping score that he provides filled with bombastic string and brass orchestral arrangements. Notably in creating themes that play up to the grandeur of the film while slowing things down to serene pieces to play up some of the drama and romance in the film. It is truly one of Bernstein’s most essential film scores of his glorious career.

The casting by Bert McKay is superb for the ensemble that is created as it would feature appearances from Woody Strode as the Ethiopian king, Fraser Heston as the baby Moses, John Miljan as the blind man in the Exodus to the Promised Land sequence, Julia Faye as Aaron’s wife Elisheba, Eduard Franz as Sephora’s father Jethro, Tommy Duran as Moses’ son Gershom, Eugene Mazzola as Rameses’ son, Oliver Deering as Moses’ sister Miriam, Babette Bain as the young Miriam, Judith Anderson as Bithiah’s maid Memnet, John Carradine as Moses’ brother Aaron, Vincent Price as the brutish master builder Baka, and Martha Scott as Moses’ real mother Yoshebel. Other notable supporting roles include Nina Foch as Moses’ foster mother Bithiah and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Pharaoh Seti I who adores Moses only to be heartbroken over Moses’ true persona.

Debra Paget is pretty good as the beautiful slave girl Liliah who deals with her role as being a slave for Dathan while maintaining her love for Joshua. John Derek is excellent as the courageous slave Joshua who impresses Moses for his determination as he would become Moses’ right-hand man in aiding the Exodus to the Promised Land. Yvonne De Carlo is wonderful as Moses’ wife Sephora who teaches him how to herd sheep while aiding him in his new role as God’s messenger. Anne Baxter is great in the role of Nefretiri who loves Moses only to feel spurned where Baxter gets to chew up the scenery when she goads Rameses to seek vengeance. Edward G. Robinson is brilliant as the corrupt Dathan who tries to weasel his way into anything situation and defy Moses in any way he can.

Yul Brenner is terrific as Rameses for the way he maintains an intimidating presence while displaying a sense of jealousy towards Moses for taking away what should’ve been total love from his father. Finally, there’s Charlton Heston in what is definitely the performance that will be the performance of his career as Moses. It’s a role where Heston really gets to play a man that is lost about his destiny and true persona while later become this commanding presence as he asks Rameses to let his people go.

The Ten Commandments is an extraordinary epic from Cecil B. DeMille that features a towering performance from Charlton Heston. Along with an amazing ensemble that includes Yul Brenner, Anne Baxter, Yvonne De Carlo, and Edward G. Robinson and fantastic technical work. The film is truly a textbook of how epics are supposed to be made for its ambition and storytelling. Particularly for a story as universal that provides many discussions about faith and power. In the end, Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 version of The Ten Commandments is a marvel of a film that is accessible and engaging.

© thevoid99 2012