The Ten Commandments (1956)

 Chag Sameach! Today is the 5th day of Passover so in honor of the holiday I (Grace), suggested to Katherine, Mom and Dad that we re-watch The Ten Commandments movie. We hadn't seen it in years, so there was a lot of nostalgia going on and the plan was for Katherine and I to both write down our thoughts and do this post together, but... apparently I had MUCH more to ramble about than she did, so she bailed on me! 

So, your stuck with just me! Oh well, sit back and try to follow along as I share my rambling thoughts about the things that stuck out to me while watching it this time around. 

(All photos were taken from Google)

First of all, what an EPIC score this movie has! Elmer Bernstein really outdid himself! The loud powerful main themes and the softer tender love themes woven all throughout the film give me chills and brought back so many memories!

The second thing that really stood out to me was how much of the script was taken straight from Scripture. My mom and I kept looking at each other when ever we recognized a verse! At the beginning of the movie the director, Cecil B. DeMille, gave a little talk about what the movie was about, how they gathered their story and such and I was struck by the way he described the biblical text, using the terms "Holy Scriptures" and "Divinely Inspired". You don't hear that very often anymore!

Thirdly, the MASSIVE scale of this movie is crazy to think about!! How many extra's did they have to have???

 I mean, the orchestration needed to pull off the throne room scenes and the slaves working in Goshen alone is huge! Not only the people, but all the props of those HUGE stone slabs and towers and the straw and mud and EVERYTHING!!!  

And the astronomical crowds and flocks and herds of animals they needed for that INCREDIBLE Exodus scene! What a STRIKING visual of the MASSES that went out of Egypt.

I LOVE how they announced that the slaves had been freed by the sounding of the shofar! After the chilling night before, the clear, piercing sound of a shofar proclaiming freedom, gave me chills. It reminded me of the verse in Psalm 30:5- "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning."

As to the actors everyone is Amazing! 

Charleton Heston plays a very humble, yet passionate, letting-his-actions-speak-louder-than-his-words Moses. 

Yul Brenner plays to perfection the spoiled, proud, cocky Ramses. 

Anne Baxter plays a VERY annoying Nefertiri, who is a little crazy and consumed by her "love" for Moses... or is it herself? 

They made quite the power couple once they got over themselves!

My favorite characters are Joshua (played by John Derek) and Lilia (played by Debra Paget). Their love story is so sweet and tender and Joshua really reminds me of Enjolras from Les Miserables! I love his zeal and readiness to take action at Moses's side. I thought it was really cool at the end of the movie when Moses passes the mantle of leadership on to him, Joshua responds with "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

 P.S I really want several of Lilia's slave costumes and headcoverings and does anyone know how in the world did they keep those scarves on? Combs? Elastic? Stick on stuff? I NEED TO KNOW!!

The plagues were really neat! Let's remember that this movie was made in 1956, so there were NOT the green screen/ computer generated special effects around like we have today, and yet they made some really convincing plagues. They only show 3 of the plagues in addition to Moses's staff turning to a snake; 

Blood

 Hail 

and the Death of the Firstborn. 

The whole scene of the Passover night was very interesting. Moses and his family are inside their home, eating dinner listening to the cries and screams of the people around them who didn't have the blood of the Passover lamb upon their doorposts. One of the key points in a traditional Pesach Seder is the Ma Nishtanah or the Four Questions. They are asked by the youngest person present and in the movie Eleazar asks the first two of them. All four are as follows:

Why is this night different from all other nights? 

Why on all other nights do we eat either leavened bread or matzah, but on this night only matzah?

Why on all other nights do we eat different types of vegetables, but on this night only bitter herbs?

Why on all other nights do we not dip our food once, but on this night we dip it twice?

Why on all nights do we eat either sitting upright or reclining, but on this night we recline?

I was excited that they included at least 2 of the questions in the script.

I got so much enjoyment from recognizing all the things Katherine and I used to incorporate into our childhood playing that came straight from this movie! Here is a short(ish) list of stuff we used to do!

1. The salute the Egyptian solider's had of going on one knee and slapping their chests with one fist

2&3. Attempting to whip our hair around like the daughters of Midyan did during that dance ( I say attempting because it hurts your head... a lot!). We also used the sign of respect they did of touching their hand to their forehead then to their opposite hand toward their father.

4. Handing each other anything remotely resembling a staff (shovels, sticks, rakes, mops, brooms) in the leaning way Ramses gave Moses his staff.

5. I think we tried to make mud bricks once or twice, but we probably used leaves instead of straw and I don't think it ended well!

I shall end with some of my favorite quotes 

"The old windbag"- Sethi

~~~

Moses to Joshua- "You know it is death to strike an Egyptian."

Joshua- "I know it"

Moses- "And still you did it, why?"

Joshua- "To save the old woman."

Moses- "What is she to you?"

Joshua- "An old woman"

~~~

"Moses, Moses."- Ramses

~~~

"So let it be written, so let it be done"

or

"So shall it be written, so shall it be done"

~~~

"Our hands are not so soft, but they can serve. Our bodies not so white, but they are strong. Our lips are not perfumed, but they speak the truth. Love is not an art to us; it's life to us. We are not dressed in gold and fine linen; strength and honor are our clothing. Our tents are not the columned halls of Egypt, but our children play happily before them. We can offer you little, but we offer all we have."- Sephera

~~~

"Move back!"

"Move back? Into the sea?"

"Into the Hand of God!"

~~~

Well, I hope you enjoyed journeying along with my ramblings! Have you seen this movie? What did you think? Did you have a favorite part? Tell me all about it and I'll see you next time!

Grace Avender