ESTHER AND THE KING

US, 1960, 109 minutes, Colour.
Joan Collins, Richard Egan, Denis O’ Dea, Sergio Fantoni, Rik Battaglia.
Directed by Raoul Walsh, Mario Bava.

Esther and The King to a typical biblical spectacular. Directed by veteran Raoul Walsh, towards the end of his long career in 1960. It is of average interest and entertainment value. The usual Hollywood presupposition about the Bible and its literary interpretation to the fore. However the book of Esther is only a short book and so Hollywood (with Italian collaboration) has invented more plot. Joan Collins certainly looks the part in this spectacular as does Richard Egan. However they are of only moderate acting ability. Probably not as good as the many biblical spectaculars of the time.

1. How successful a biblical spectacular was this?

2. What do audiences expect from biblical spectaculars? Fantasy, costume, action? A religious film?

3. How does the plot of this film compare the with the biblical text?

4. How conventional was the material in the film: spectacle, fights, battles, love, feasts and dances, the trail, massacres? Were the conventions transcended in any way, or were they average?

5. Could the film be described as religious? How much insight into the religion of the Hebrews did it give? Or was it just ‘Saturday matinee’ religion?

6. The character of Esther in herself, her beauty, the wedding, her being captured, her escaping, the fascination of the king, her marriage and ruling, her influence, the adventures in her life,
her being vindicated, her sympathy for the Jews? How conventional a heroine?

7. Ahasuerus: as presented in his battles, as ruler, his disgust with Vashti, the harem, as vindictive against his enemies and Vashti, protecting Esther, loving her, the adventures and the assassination plots, his treatment of Haman, advice of Mordecai? As a hero for this film?

8. The character of Mordecai: his work in the Court, his advice, his religion, victim, vindicated? Audience sympathy?

9. Haman as a villain: his relationship with Vashti, his evil, plotting, over-reaching himself, the response to his death?

10. How enjoyable are biblical spectaculars? What values to they explore? Or they merely ‘cardboard exercises' in spectacle and religion?