David and Bathsheba, Henry King’s screen version of the Old Testament story, is stale, earnest, and dignified, mostly serving as a star vehicle for Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward.
Grade: C+ (** out of *****)
| David and Bathsheba | |
|---|---|
Original film poster
|
Pecks plays King David, the beloved ruler and admired war hero, who succumbs to his erotic desires when he falls in love with Bathsheba (Susan Hayward), the wife of Uriah (Kieron Moore), one of David’s loyal and trusted soldiers.
His downfall begins when he orders Uriah into a suicidal battle, so as to clear the way for his relationship with Bathsheba. Worse yet, his infatuation causes problems in his kingdom and with his people, ultimately invoking the wrath of God, manifest in the devastation of the land.
Philip Dunne’s original concept encompassed David’s life in three main chapters: David as boy fighting Goliath; more mature David and his friendship with Jonathan ending with his affair with Bathsheba; and older David and his relationship with his son Absalom.
Dunne estimated that his treatment would make a four-hour film, but Zanuck was not enthusiastic. Dunne then pitched the idea of a film solely based on David and Bathsheba, conceiving the story as modern play exploring the corruption of absolute power. The film is noticeably devoid of the epic battles and panoramas frequently seen in biblical movies. Zanuck opted to use stars already under contract with Fox.
Henry King is not a spectacle director on the caliber of Cecil B. DeMille’s Samson and Delilah, in 1949. However, relatively speaking, the film boasts lavish production values that must have impressed the Oscar voters for the picture was nominated for five Academy Awards, though winning none.
In the supporting roles, Jayne Meadows plays the witch Michal, Francis X. Bushman King Saul and the very young Gwen Verdon (billed as Gwyneth) as a dancing girl.
“David and Bathsheba” is one of the last Biblical epics to be shot by a major studio before the technological innovation of Cinemascope led to a cycle of new historical and religious epics such as “The Robe,” in 1953.
Oscar Nominations: 5
Story and Screenplay: Philip Dunne
Cinematography: Leon Shamroy
Art Direction-Set Decoration (color): Lyle Wheeler and George Davis
Costume Design (color): Charles LeMaire and Edward Stevenson
Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: Alfred Newman
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context
The Story and Screenplay Oscar went to Alan Jay Lerner for Minnelli’s musical, “American in Paris,” which also won the Best Picture, Cinematography, Art Direction and Costume. The Scoring Award went to Franz Waxman for “A Place in the Sun.”
Credits
Running time: 116 Minutes.
Directed by Henry King.
Screenplay: Philip Dunne.
Released: August 10, 1951.
DVD: February 7, 2007
