Movie DeMille Production
Cecil DeMille's The Ten Commandments movie (1956) lacks historical accuracy?
One of the top grossing films of all time is the Ten Commandments which was a remake of Cecil DeMille's silent movie in 1923. It is considerably DeMille's masterpiece in view of the fact that it is the highest grossing religious movie until being overtaken by “The Passion of the Christ” by Mel Gibson released in 2004. Earning $65.5 million in the year 1956, this outstanding production garnered Oscar nominations in the category of best cinematography, costume design, picture, sound, and film editing, special effects and art direction. The grandeur and sensationalism of this classic flick left a question of historical accuracy and plausibility.
This biblical epic derived from the book of Exodus centered on Moses' life as the prince of Egypt and Israelites' deliverer from bitter struggle against slavery. The film narrated the time when Moses was set afloat in the Nile River to escape from the Pharaoh's decree of annihilating all first-born Hebrew males and was adopted by the pharaoh's daughter Bithiah. Moses grew up in the royal household and raised as a prince. He was substantially favored by the pharaoh and the entire empire because of his expertise in supervising the construction site and commanding the army. Until the moment that he finally discovered his true lineage, his sympathy towards fellow Hebrews was awaken prompting him to slay an abusive Egyptian taskmaster. Charged with treason, Moses was cast out to wilderness where he was saved by the family of Jethro. He came back to Egypt after many years and led the Hebrews out of slavery to God's Promised Land.
Costumes, props and set design were appropriately accurate for the time period. Most significant events in the film were eliminated from the movie. Moses brought only four plagues including turning water to blood, bringing hail, darkness for three days and death to Egypt's firstborn starting beginning from the Pharaoh to servants and to Egypt's beasts. The plagues which were not depicted were frogs, gnats, flies, boils, locusts and diseases that infected livestock. The film showed that the last plague was performed by the angel of death whereas in the bible it was done by God himself.
Another factual error in the film is the event when Moses slayed Baka played by Vincent Price, to protect Joshua, the Hebrew stonecutter from being ill-treated. The chief Hebrew overseer, Dathan who was in charged by Rameses to search for the deliverer, witness Moses' revelation to Joshua that he was born from a Hebrew slave. In exchange of the information, Dathan requested for ownership of Baka's house and Joshua's love Lilia and appointment as the new governor of Goshen. In the book of Exodus, Moses killed the Egyptian after seeing him strike a Hebrew and then hid him in the sand. Dathan was nowhere in sight, the bible did not specify any person as eyewitness. According to the Holy Scriptures, on the following day, Moses tried to intervene the two Hebrews quarrelling, the Hebrew exclaimed to Moses why he wanted to judge over them and did he also intended to kill them like the Egyptian. The Pharaoh heard the news and commanded his army to kill Moses, so Moses escaped and went to live in the land of Midian. On the movie, the Pharaoh was undecided on what manner of execution be bestowed upon Moses consequently, Ramses sent away Moses to the wilderness.
Moses stayed in Midian and married Zipporah and had a son named Gershom. In the film, the production added Joshua in the scene wherein Moses was herding the sheep, when Joshua came escaping from the hard labor. Moses saw the burning bush and climbed up the peak of Mount Sinai. When he got back, his face matured 10 years older. The true account as inscribed in the bible, Moses was pasturing the sheep in the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the Mountain of God. The Angel of Yahweh appeared to him by means of a flame of fire in the middle of a bush. Moses saw that although the bush was on fire it did not burn up. The book of exodus did not recount Joshua in Midian.
Another event portrayed inaccurately was when Moses went to Pharaoh's house to ask for Israelites' liberation. Turning his staff to serpent, Moses performed miracle in front of the Pharaoh and his counselors to prove he is God's messenger. The difference between the bible and the story line, Moses was granted not only to change staff to serpent but God granted him power to turn his healthy hand to a hand covered with leprosy.
The part when Moses as prince of Egypt, created a treaty between Ethiopians and Egyptians and won the battle against the Nubian army were not based in the Holy Scriptures. Many events were missing in the film such as the story of Puah and Shiphrah as viewed in Exodus chapter 1 verses 15 to 21, attack by the Amalekites, battle of Rephidim and meeting with Jethro. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with Moses' wife and two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.
Another premise that the film lack plausibility was the use of water buffaloes. In the film, the Israelites left Egypt and hundreds of carriages were being held by these animals. This is erroneousness in the movie given the fact that these mammals did not exist during that period since they became visible at around 600 A.D. in Middle East. Another scene that was devoid of historical accuracy was the name of Moses' biological mother. The bible recognized the name Yokheved (Hebrew) or Jochebed (English) however in the film, Yochabel was the name of the character. She was the character Nefertiri played by Anne Baxter which was supposed to be the next wife of the succeeding Pharaoh. It was modified from Nefertiti to Nefertiri.
Many historical parts were missing in the film and those are the giving of manna and the miracle of the water coming from the rock and the entire flock of quails that land in the Israelites' camp. The above incidents were supposedly the highlights of the book of Exodus. Aside from that during the parting of the Red Sea, the movie laid an emphasis on Moses' giving command over nature by raising his staff in order to carry out another miracle. However, the real account inscribed in the Holy Scriptures, Moses, the prophet of God, spoke calmly to the Israelites to remain in their place since God's power will reign over the adversaries.
The legendary Hollywood director and producer DeMille created remarkable stunts and special effects as well as highlighted a magnificent setting of Egypt's famous pyramids. Though critics were not strongly amazed by stunts which for them were just ostensibly fakes and camera tricks, the film in general, was extremely potent in its narrative. Everything about “The Ten Commandments” is immense. Starting from the settings, the excellent acting and gestures and the context of the film was strikingly designed and arranged. The film exhibits a great deal of theatrical and melodramatic acting, and grand postures, but in the entire context and feel of the film, this is not even a bad thing. Though the some subplots were appended and some episodes omitted, the entire production was superb and worth seeing. However, the entire film cannot be considered to be historically accurate.
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