Customer Reviews

Ten Commandments [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I already had high expectations of this film to begin with, and was not disappointed when it turned out to be quite different from what I had expected. For a start, the famous "Ten Commandments" story (10 plagues of Egypt, Israelites leave via parting of the Red Sea, Moses receives 10 Commandments on Mt Sinai while Israelites misbehave and make a golden calf) later made famous by Charlton Heston as Moses, is actually only the PROLOGUE in this silent 1923 version, and the larger part of the story is a contemporary drama showing the modern-day relevance of the ten commandments with similar dire consequences to those who defy them. This might be a disappointment to those who expect a full Biblical epic and a famous Cecil B DeMille spectacle, but for those who value a brilliant story with poignant highlights to impress its ideas, this one rates the full 5 stars. The prologue (about 45 minutes) with its beautiful Egyptian sets and convincing special effects has a special feature, namely a 20-minute colour sequence of the highlight, the parting of the Red Sea, and although the colours look soft, weak and washed-out, it's interesting to see one of these first experiments with colour.

The contemporary story shows a mother with two sons; one is a god-fearing and humble carpenter, the other an unbelieving go-getter determined to prove his mother's teaching of the Ten Commandments of no use in the modern world. Although you can guess that this defiant son's attitude will be proven wrong, being the parallel to the defiant Pharaoh of Egypt in the prologue, DeMille's direction of the story is still unpredictable and suspenseful enough to keep you enthralled and wondering exactly how it will turn out. He also gets the main message across several times in various effective ways, namely that defying God's AND man's laws only leads you to ruin, but far from feeling lectured or preached to, this excellent film gets you involved with the characters and the morale of the whole story.

Cecil B. DeMille's first attempt at the story of Moses has more in common with such other silent films contrasting the ancient past to stories of today, than it does to his later epic retelling of the story. Griffith's "Intolerance" 7 years earlier had intercut several stories of sin and violence to show that the more man changes, the more he stays the same; Fritz Lang's "Destiny" and Carl Dreyer's "Leaves from Satan's Book" (both 1921) also worked out biblical themes in both ancient and modern contexts. All four directors were at one point or another quite serious Christians, though DeMille seems to have been the most obsessive in his faith, and certainly his many films on Biblical themes are often more obvious and blunt in their attempts at pedagogy.

Which is not to say that "The Ten Commandments" is just a lesson in "thou shalt nots"; but it is throughout informed of a very deep, and perhaps naive faith that the stories of the past are alive and exactly transferable to the lives we have today. In this case, we see a man break essentially every commandment in his quest for personal greatness, destroying in the process his own life and those of many around him, including his own mother. DeMille doesn't intercut multiple story lines like his predecessors, but rather uses the Biblical story as a 50-minute "prologue" to one feature-length story taking place in modern-day Los Angeles.

It's fascinating to watch the film if you've just watched the later version, as I did; the prologue is almost exactly the same as the last 50 minutes of the '56 version, picking up in the middle of the plagues that Moses has set upon Egypt. Like the later film, only the killing of the first-born is given significant play, and the majority of this section is given over to the flight from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea (jello!) and destruction of the pursuing Egyptians, and the creation of the Ten Commandments and Moses' fury at the idolators. It's all very well done, in many respects more thrilling and powerful than in the later film, with many scenes that DeMille obviously liked enough to re-do almost shot-for-shot - the flight of the Israelites from the Egyptian city, and in particular the shot of Moses standing in front of them exhorting them to flee are good examples. Theodore Roberts was 62 when the film was made and looks a bit crazy and obsessive - he certainly feels more like the older Moses to me than Charlton Heston, though Charles de Rochefort doesn't leave a huge impression as Rameses. All in all, it's quite a spectacle and segues nicely into...

The modern-day story, of two carpenter/architect brothers, one ambitious and unscrupulous and the other honest and devoted to their saintly, Bible-reading mother, and how they vie for the love of a vagrant girl who comes to their doorstep, is obviously freighted with the weight of the prologue: the two brothers quarrel over God, there is honoring and not honoring of the parent, coveting of the neighbor's (or brother's) wife, stealing, etc. The central theme couldn't be more obviously stated as they build a cathedral, which ultimately collapses due to the bad brother's cheap materials, killing someone dear. Every commandment gets tested and broken at one point or another, but what's fascinating is how seamlessly they're all woven into a relatively simple story and how DeMille refuses to cast the "bad" brother as completely evil, or the "good" brother as entirely strong and virtuous. Only the mother comes across as something of a caricature. Nicely lit and shot throughout - the rain sequence where the girl first comes to the home of the family is very real and moving, and only the scenes involving the unscrupulous brother's mistress seem at all overwrought. This is overall a more graceful and disciplined film than the later version, or any of DeMille's work that I've seen so far.

Probably seen to best advantage on the newer DVD editions which add this as an extra to the '56 edition, but this older VHS is perfectly fine should you happen to come across it cheaply, or if you're not all that interested in the later film version.

"The Ten Commandments" (1923) is grand scale entertainment which, in its time, served as a moral caveat against the excesses of the Jazz Age. DeMille, in my opinion, had more in common with P.T. Barnum than the Pope, and the film ends up being campy, solemn and riddled with eye-popping special effects. The parting of the Red Sea, done with Jello and water is definitely more effective than in the over-blown 1950's remake with Heston and Brynner. DeMille was always an entertainer first and not a theologian or historian, yet he sometimes wore the latters' hats just to give some authority to his films. DeMille always was most comfortable with highly theatrical and melodramatic plots, evidenced by his early associations with colleagues such as Jesse Lasky and David Belasco. The silent "Commandments" is an antique of another era, but is a great example of early movie magic and over the top melodrama. THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!

I very much enjoyed this trek back into cinematic history very much as an earlt work of Cecil B. Demille. I particularly enjoyed the present day (1923) scenes filmed on and around the Church of Sts Peter & Paul in San Francisco as I am a native San Francisican. I ejoyed seeing the church as it was built and the surrounding neighborhood as it was not too long after the fire and earthquake of 1906. It was a delight.

Fun movie and better than I thought it would be. DeMille was a master of filling a scene with movement, whether it was two characters or a cast of thousands.

Good one for film buffs.

I watched this one thinking it was going to be like the 1950's version and was surprised when it wasn't. The first part of the film is actually about Moses and the Ten Commandments. The second part of the film is a modern story dealing with the Ten Commandments.

The first part of the film was the part that I really liked. It was pretty well done considering it was a silent film, and almost had to be over the top to get across its point to you.

It was the second part that just dragged the whole movie down for me. I felt that part was just too long and spent time on scenes that didn't really need it. It lingered and lingered when it could have moved on to something else. It was well done, but just too long. And I say this as a person who appreciates the art of silent film. I know some of them were long, but this didn't keep my interest.

If you're looking for the 1950's classic done in a silent version just watch the first part and skip the second. Or just come back to it at a later time.

Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 silent film of "The Ten Commandments" is a decent work from one of Hollywood's most influential and controversial directors. Unlike DeMille's more powerful 1956 remake with Charlton Heston, the story of Moses and the Hebrews being delivered out of Egypt takes up only about a fourth of the film. But that part is truly spectacular, featuring beautiful cinematography, enormous sets, and visual effects that were cutting-edge for the silent film era.
However, most of this film is set in the 1920s, and concerns how a family is torn apart, as one son sets himself on living by the commandments set down by God, and the other decides to reject the words of his mother, and live his life free of those commandments. Sadly, this part of the film is mostly uninteresting, as the story gets too involved in "preaching" to the audience. However, the last few minutes are great, as the story of Jesus curing a person of leprosy is told with great reverence.
This film comes as a part of theThe Ten Commandments (50th Anniversary Collection) DVD. Overall, this is an OK film that fans of DeMille will find interesting, if a little too dry.
Grade: B-

Well I've always been a fan of Bible films. And this will have to be named one of THE BEST! Its not really a Bible film. It cuts into two differn't storys. The 2nd story is Just as Brilliant as the first of moses.

Sure I think there could have been more added to the story of moses, but it ain't really about moses. Its about teaching What the world has turned into after The Ten Commandments.

All in All, It is just Brilliant.

The Story starts out as you see the story of Moses, and your going along the lines of when Moses coming back after meeting god. We don't get to see many of the stuff we see in the Remake. We don't see the firstborn of every child, we don't see the snake coming out of the rode. We only hear about it. But when Moses is leading his people out of Egypt, I can kinda put that Scene right to the remake. They then take it to the Ten COmmandments.

And then they switch to the time, and You meet to Men named John and Dan. One Will Follow to Ten Commandments, One will break all 10. And when I first thought of the idea, I knew it was a good idea, but frankly I was hoping it would just be about Moses. and thats what I wanted. But this story is just as Brilliant as Moses story, and Just as thrilling.

Its a Rewatchable film!