THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

US, 1923, 136 minutes, Black and white.
Theodore Roberts, Charles de Rochefort, Estelle Taylor, Julia Faye, James Neal, Lawson Butt, Noble Johnson, Edythe Chapman, Richard Dix, Rod la Roque, Leatrice Joy, Nita Naldi.
Directed by Cecil B. de Mille.

The Ten Commandments was Cecil B. de Mille’s first major epic. He had been directing films for some years but this was his opportunity to show how skilled he was in big-screen spectacle. Four years later he was to make his version of the Gospels, The King of Kings. In the 1930s he made The Sign of the Cross, a story of the early Christians, as well as Cleopatra and also The Crusades. After making a number of action westerns, Union Pacific, The Plainsman, he returned to biblical films in 1949 with Samson and Delilah. After making The Greatest Show on Earth, the Academy giving him the award for best film of 1952 (despite so many other worthy candidates), he finally made his new version of The Ten Commandments in 1956.

Audiences not familiar with this version may be surprised that after only about an hour of ancient Hebrew spectacle, the film moves to 1923 and an hour and a quarter of a more contemporary story.

The biblical aspect of The Ten Commandments is very similar to what de Mille was to use in 1956, even some of the sets as well as some of the action. Moses is particularly old, confronts Pharaoh, Pharaoh is sinister and has a very cheeky child. When the Hebrews go from Egypt, rebels complain that Moses is leading them into the wilderness, then he parts the Red Sea, they pass through and when the Egyptians pursue, they complain again. The sequences of the giving of the Ten Commandments are in the same vein as the lightning bolts in the 1956 version. There is also a scene of the building of the calf and the worshipping of it and Moses breaking the commandments. This is the segue into the contemporary story.

The contemporary story focuses on a rather strict mother, Mrs Mc Tavish, reading the Exodus story to her two sons. John (Richard Dix) is obviously upright. Dan is obviously more sinister and rebelling against religion, the commandments and his mother (very much in the style of the later 20th century and early 21st century). The film traces the careers of each as they fall in love with Mary. Dan goes the way of all flesh, puts shoddy material into the building of the cathedral, becomes involved with a Eurasian leper, comes to a bad end. In the meantime, John is faithful, loves Mary from afar, discovers the con with the building of the cathedral and challenges his brother, is a refuge for Mary when she runs from her worthless husband. The film ends with John reading the Bible to her – Jesus healing the leper and Mary imagining herself as the leper and coming to Jesus. Jesus is presented seated, his back to the camera.

In many ways Cecil B. de Mille set the tone for biblical epics from the 1920s onwards.

1. The work of Cecil B. de Mille? Religious dimensions? Biblical? Moral and moralising? Evangelisation? The film as seen in retrospect? In the light of his remake?

2. The ambitions of the film, moral story, the scriptural background of the commandments? The effect intended for audiences of 1923? Later?

3. The styles of silent film-making, black and white photography, the fixed camera, the framing of scenes, the crowds, close-ups? The editing? The styles of acting? The musical score?

4. The biblical story as prologue? The lavish sets, Pharaoh’s court, desert, the sea, the experience of the Exodus, Mount Sinai, the finger of God and the commandments? The golden calf? The profiles, the crowds, the spectacle? The religious dimension?

5. The references to Exodus and numbers, the captions, the King James Bible? The Old English style, tone? The blend of drama and tableau? Pageant? The effect for entertainment, drama, moral response? The interconnection between religion and spectacle, moral message?

6. The portrait of Israel and Egypt, the taskmaster, the labour, Dathan the rebel, Pharaoh and his visits to the sites, Pharaoh’s ambitions? The need for an exodus because of the treatment of Israel?

7. Moses, age, his histrionics and declamations? With Aaron? Going to Pharaoh, defiance of Pharaoh, the nine plagues? Pharaoh’s son and his whipping Moses? Moses’ curse, the death of the first-born, Pharaoh and his prayers to the deities of Egypt, defying God? The dead son and his being carried in? Pharaoh letting the people go?

8. The scenes of preparation, crowds and confusion, going to the sea, Pharaoh changing his mind, the pursuit, the accusations that Moses had betrayed the people, the parting of the Red Sea and its drama, effects, the Israelites going through, on the other side, the pursuit of the Egyptians, the accusations of betrayal again, the closing of the waters, the destruction of the Egyptians?

9. Mount Sinai, Moses going up to the mountain, the crags and the ledge, the presence of God, the fire, the Ten Commandments, the words coming on-screen, the thunder and lightning, the inter-cutting of Aaron with the people, the forming of the golden calf, the worship, the sensuous behaviour, the women, the pagan aspects, orgiastic?

10. Moses coming down, with the commandments, his anger, breaking the commandments, the people’s reactions?

11. The transition to 1923? Mrs Mc Tavish and her reading the Scriptures, Johnny and his pipe, the good son? Danny, in his suit, his being anti the commandments, the manner of talking, the scepticism of 1923, not believing in God? His mother’s anger, ousting him from the house?

12. The picture of the family, John as the good son, the mother and her trying to do her best, the domestic scenes? Danny out, Mary and her hunger, stealing the food from the diner, Danny catching her, taking her home, John making her welcome? The mother’s suspicions? The dancing, the Sabbath, Mary’s attitude, her suggesting that she leave?

13. Danny and Mary, Mary in love with Danny, John and his love for Mary, shyness, his offering the ring, talking in the third person, her accepting on behalf of Danny, Johnny urging Danny to go ahead?

14. The marriage, the attitude of Mrs McTavish? Johnny and his humility, ordinary work? Danny and his taunts, success, breaking all the commandments to have success?

15. Danny and the years passing, his wealth, the buildings, the contracts, the shady deals, the church and the poor concrete, the sand percentage? Employing John as a carpenter? The money for his mother, her not accepting it from Danny? Danny and his high life, wealth?

16. The ship, going through Molokai, the mysterious woman, Danny and his affair with her, Mary coming with the lunch, going up to the tower, the agent and seeing her with John, suspicions? Yet the possibility of an expose?

17. Mrs Mc Tavish, her going to the church, proud of Danny, going in, the walls falling down, the two sons with her, the doctor, her last words to Danny?

18. Danny, his money, his wanting the pearls back from the woman, her refusal? Getting drunk, killing the woman? Going to Mary, telling her, his leaving, going to the boat, on the water, the boat called The Defiance, adrift, the crashing into the cliff, seeing the outline of the tablets on the rock, the wreck, his death?

19. Mary, her grief, writing ‘goodbye’ on the page, going outside John’s house, his finding her, the reconciliation, John’s reading her the story of the leper, her imagining the Jesus story, Jesus with his back to the camera, her being the leper, coming in and being healed?

20. John and Mary together, a future?

21. The contemporary story, its relevance, its covering every aspect of the Ten Commandments? And a moral lesson for the audiences of the time?