Katherine Orrison

Cecil B. DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956, Paramount) may be the greatest Biblical epic in Hollywood's history. People tend to ridicule it, but generally without seeing it. Yes, it has corny dialogue at times, but a glance at the long 1956 theatrical trailer with DeMille in his office, surrounded by Bibles and other religious items, leaves no doubt that this is an old-fashioned showman and devoutly religious man. He was born in the 1880's and came of age during a time of traveling carnival shows with theatrical dialogue and larger-than-life performances. So when it came time to do a wide-screen. color, sound remake of his own excellent 1923 silent epic, he would remember the carnival epics of his youth. We believe the message and manner of speaking in the 1956 film because DeMille believed in it sincerely. He wanted us to, quite simply, live according to The Ten Commandments because God wanted that.

Nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture (it lost to Mike Todd's AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS), THE TEN COMMANDMENTS tells the life of Moses (Charlton Heston) from infancy to old age in ancient Egypt. Though secretly Hebrew, he lives the life of a pharaoh. The supporting cast is very impressive-Yul Brynner as Rameses, Anne Baxter as Nefretiri, Edward G. Robinson as Dathan, lovely Debra Paget as Lilia and John Derek as Joshua (their career performances), Martha Scott and Yvonne DeCarlo, evil Vincent Price, and literally a cast of thousands during the Exodus climax. DeMille had many technical advisors and believed "the film was made in the office", meaning when the screenplay was completely finished line for line and scene for scene. He prided himself on having every single extra know exactly who they were playing and what they were doing story-wise. Maybe that it one reason his movies hold up so well. The Oscar-nominated color cinematography, art direction, and costume design are gorgeously colorful, but faithful to the period. Best of all is the greatest music score Elmer Bernstein ever composed, thunderous and wonderful. And inexplicably not an Oscar nominee; nor was DeMille as Director, go figure.

The 50th anniversary DVD includes a DeMille introduction and full fifteen minutes of Bernstein roadshow bookend music not in the TV print. It also includes a very informative and insightful audio commentary by DeMille scholar and author Katherine Orrison that will let you know Mr. DeMille was dead serious in his film intentions here. Watch this 1956 epic after hearing criticism about how hokey it is, and you may be floored by how engrossing and literate it is. It moves and is beautifully paced by editor Anne Bauchens for four full hours (including the roadshow music). There is also a six-part documentary on the making of the movie behind the scenes.

If you need more of an excuse to buy this new and downright cheap (only $15.50 from Amazon.com) DVD set that sprawls across three disks in an exquisite box, Paramount Home Video has included the 136 minute 1923 silent version by Mr. DeMille as a kind of double feature. It is very impressive in its own right. And the fact that the filmmaker believed in his story about living according to The Ten Commandments may be why we believe in his story also eight decades later. DeMille gives us a 45 minute Biblical prologue, basically the last 45 minutes of the remake-the Exodus out of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the creation of the Ten Commandments from God to Moses on Mount Sinai. His sets are truly gigantic, but the human story and character details down to the bit roles are never lost.

The remaining 90 minutes of the silent version are a Modern Story set (and filmed) in 1923 San Francisco. We have good (Richard Dix) and bad (Rod La Rocque) brothers, a mother (Edythe Chapman) who lives every word of the Bible, and a likeable leading lady (Leatrice Joy). In essence, good brother lives according to the Bible and loves mom, while bad brother and his mistress take a path to Hell disobeying God's teachings. He is an architect, and trust me when I say you do not want to lease or buy one of his buildings! What makes this silent original so great, aside from a thrilling Wurlitzer pipe organ score by the great Gaylord Carter, is that the good brother is not all goody-good and the bad brother is not all evil. And Nita Naldi also has a colorful supporting role as a leper named Sally Lung. Once again, DeMille author and scholor Katherine Orrison provides lucid audio commentary for 136 minutes. There is also a separate bonus section showing off the original hand-colored Exodus and parting of the Rea Sea (filmed north of Los Angeles near what is now Santa Barbara).

Do treat your family to this $25 retail (ten dollars less from Amazon.com) triple disk 50th anniversary edition of Cecil B. DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Both the 1923 and the 1956 versions are here together in shimmering studio prints and are must-sees every Easter and Passover season. They are definitely priced to own at a ridiculously low price and are wonderful entertainment with a profound message to live by.