Posted on 04/02/2026 12:30:27 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
As we enter the Sacred Triduum, Hollywood is celebrating Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments (1956), if not always the underlying message contained on those two ancient stone tablets Moses received at Mount Sinai c. 1446 BC.
The American biblical epic, starring Charleton Heston as Moses and Yul Brynner as Pharaoh Ramses II, was a filmmaking masterpiece three years in the making.
Narrated by DeMille himself, it tells the story of Moses as an infant, as related in Exodus 2:5, rescued by Pharoah’s daughter, played by Nina Foch, who, discovering the crying babe lying in a papyrus basket in the bulrushes, adopts him. Moses’ sister Miriam, played by Olive Deering, seeing this, arranges for their mother, played by Martha Scott, to nurse Moses as this tender yet powerful tale unfolds, showing how he is educated and formed for the mission of leading the Hebrew slaves in their Exodus.
Three months after embarking from Egypt, Moses receives the Ten Commandments, as recorded in Exodus 19:1, marking the Israelites’ transition from their status as escaped slaves to a nation living under God’s laws.
The Ten Commandments was the director’s final film — shot in VistaVision and color by Technicolor on location in Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula — and the highest-grossing film of 1956. To this day it remains one of the top 10 highest grossing films of all time, its adjusted equivalent an estimated $1.1 to $2.8 billion.
The film was released by Paramount Pictures on October 5, 1956 -- the date chosen not for any religious significance, but to tee it up for the Academy Awards, where it garnered seven nominations and one Oscar for Best Visual Effects...
(Excerpt) Read more at aleteia.org ...
Big time. So is another classic starring Charlton Heston, “Ben-Hur”.
I Scored “El Cid” recently which
Is Pretty Good.
.
Ol Chuck Really made some Films!
If I recall, Heston also provided the voice of God.
“If I recall, Heston also provided the voice of God.”
Because neither James Earl Jones nor Morgan Freeman were around back then??? 😉
After watching this movie last year about this time, I got curious about how dates taste. They’re damned good is all I can say. The best I’ve been able to find at the grocery store are the Alreef Kimia dates.
“Moses, oh Moses!” - Queen Nefertiri. My other favorite line: “So let it be written, so let it be done!” - Rameses II.
“Moses, oh Moses!” - Queen Nefertiri. My other favorite line: “So let it be written, so let it be done!” - Rameses II.
“Moses, oh Moses!” - Queen Nefertiri. My other favorite line: “So let it be written, so let it be done!” - Rameses II.
I have not gone to a theater in years....but I have lots of dvds, including The Ten Commandments.
Heston’s infant son did get credit for the role.
He was wearing cloth diapers, the film editor accidently let the safety pin show for a brief moment.
It was a first century safety pin of course.
The parting of the Red Sea was accomplished by lining up barrels of water in a parking lot and knocking them over.
“Behold his mighty hand!”
If the organ music at the end doesn’t put your heart in your throat, you’ve certainly never been in a church.
I keep looking for That Safety Pin...
And someday I’ll Find It!
I was at an Apache Revival Tent Service
on the Reservation and I seem to
Remember some good Keyboards!
I Can’t think of One negative thing
about Yhe Ten Commandments...
Perhaps Moses White Beard in
The very last scene.
#1. Ben Hur. Charleston Heston,
in the chariot race scene, a car drives by in the distance
the chariot race is so intense, that though I always look for the car, I have only seen it one time
🤣🤣🤣🤣 still one of the best movies ever…🤣🤣🤣
When Heston was with the NRA he was invited to speak at the Bakersfield Business Conference. At the time it was still held at Stockdale Country Club where I was a bartender. They set up huge tents on the grounds to accommodate it. I was in the clubhouse just hanging out since everyone was outside when Heston came through to wait his turn to speak. He stood at the bar and we chatted for about 10 minutes until they introduced him.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.