This article is about the 1956 film. For the Biblical phenomenon, please see Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments on a monument in the grounds of the Texas State Capitol The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives that feature prominently in Judaism and Christianity. ...

The artist's rendering of a bare-headed Charlton Heston as Moses was bulked up to modern physique standards when the DVD was released

The Ten Commandments is a 1956 epic film from Paramount Studios in VistaVision directed by Cecil B. DeMille, which tells in the broadest Hollywood style the Bible story of Moses (Charlton Heston) as he struggles to get Pharaoh Ramses (Yul Brynner) to let the Israelites leave Egypt. DVD cover, The Ten Commandments 1956 Cecil B. DeMille epic DVD cover; This work is copyrighted. ... DVD cover, The Ten Commandments 1956 Cecil B. DeMille epic DVD cover; This work is copyrighted. ... Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1922, although the year is usually given as 1924), is an American film actor noted for heroic roles, and his personal conservative Republican politics. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Paramount Pictures logo used from 1988 to 1989. ... VistaVision is a variant of the 35mm motion picture film format created by Paramount Studios in the 1950s. ... Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 - January 21, 1959) was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. ... Parts of this article contradict each other. ... Moses or Móshe (מֹשֶׁה, Standard Hebrew Móše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšeh, Arabic موسى Musa), son of Amram and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite. ... Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1922, although the year is usually given as 1924), is an American film actor noted for heroic roles, and his personal conservative Republican politics. ... Pharaoh (פַּרְעֹה, Standard Hebrew Parʿo, Tiberian Hebrew Parʿōh) is a title used to refer to the kings (of godly status) in ancient Egypt. ... Ramesses II, Abu Simbel Ramesses II (also known as Ramesses the Great and alternatively transcribed as Ramses and Rameses) was an Egyptian pharaoh. ... Yul Brynner Yul Brynner (July 7, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an actor born in Vladivostok, Russia who appeared in many movies and stage productions. ... An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Biblical patriarch Jacob who was renamed Israel by God in the book of Genesis, 32:28. ...

It is the 5th highest grossing movie of all time, adjusted for inflation, with collections of $838,400,000.[1] In non-adjusted dollars, it held the record as the highest-grossing film with a religious storyline until the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. The Passion of the Christ (2004) is an independent film about the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ. ...

Popularity

Critics have argued that considerable liberties were taken with the Biblical story, affecting the film's claim to authenticity, but this has had little effect on its popularity. For decades, a showing of The Ten Commandments was a popular fund-raiser among revivalist Christian churches, while the film was equally treasured among film buffs for DeMille's "cast of thousands" approach and the heroic but antiquated silent-screen-type acting.

In 1999, satisfying both audiences, the film was deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Library of Congress, Jefferson building The Library of Congress is the unofficial national library of the United States. ... The National Film Registry is the registry of films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress. ...

The movie's cast evokes its period: Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nina Foch, Martha Scott, Dame Judith Anderson, Vincent Price and John Carradine. Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1922, although the year is usually given as 1924), is an American film actor noted for heroic roles, and his personal conservative Republican politics. ... Yul Brynner Yul Brynner (July 7, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an actor born in Vladivostok, Russia who appeared in many movies and stage productions. ... Anne Baxter in The Blue Gardenia (1953) Anne Baxter (May 7, 1923 – December 12, 1985) was an American actress. ... Edward G. Robinson (December 12, 1893 – January 26, 1973) was a Jewish-American actor of stage and film. ... Yvonne De Carlo (born September 1, 1922) is a Canadian film and television actress. ... Debra Paget (born August 19, 1933 in Denver, Colorado) is an American film actress. ... John Derek (born August 12, 1926 – died May 22, 1998) was an American actor and photographer most famous for the beautiful women to whom he was married. ... Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (February 19, 1893 - August 6, 1964) was a British actor. ... Martha Scott (September 22, 1912 - May 28, 2003) was an American actress. ... Dame Judith Anderson, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 Judith Anderson (February 10, 1897 – January 3, 1992) was an Australian stage and film actress. ... Vincent Price on Broadway as Mr. ... John Carradine (February 5, 1906 - November 27, 1988) was an American actor. ...

The parting of the Red Sea won the film its Oscar for Special Effects, while the worship of the Golden Calf owed something to opera staging of Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila. The giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai is also considered a dramatic highlight. The Passage of Red Sea - the account of the march of Moses and the Israelites through yam suph, commonly translated as the Red Sea, is given in Exodus 14:22-31. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... Adoration of the Golden Calf by Nicolas Poussin: imagery influenced by the Greco-Roman bacchanal In the Hebrew Bible the golden calf was an idol made by Aaron for the Israelites during Mosess unexpectedly long absence. ... Charles Camille Saint-Saëns (IPA: [ʃaʁl. ... Samson et Dalila is an opera by Camille Saint-Saëns, premiered in 1877, in the Grand Ducal Theater of Weimar, Germany. ... The Ten Commandments on a monument in the grounds of the Texas State Capitol The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives that feature prominently in Judaism and Christianity. ... Sunrise on the Mount Sinai View from the summit of Mount Sinai Sinai Peninsula, showing location of Jabal Musa Mount Sinai is the name of the mountain where, according to the Bible, God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. ...

Aside from the Academy Award for Best Effects, Special Effects and was nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color, Best Cinematography, Color, Best Costume Design, Color (Edith Head, Ralph Jester, John Jensen, Dorothy Jeakins and Arnold Friberg), Best Film Editing, Best Picture and Best Sound, Recording. Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... This is a list of films that have received an Oscar for best visual effects. ... The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. ... The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is awarded each year to a cinematographer for his work in one particular motion picture. ... This Academy Award was first given for movies made in 1948 when separate awards were given for black-and-white and color movies. ... Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American costume designer who had a long career in Hollywood that garnered more Academy Awards than any other woman in history. ... John Jensen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The Academy Award for Film Editing was first given for films issued in 1934. ... The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; the awards are voted on by other people within the industry. ... This is a list of films that have received an Oscar for best sound. ...

The film was adapted by Aeneas MacKenzie, Jesse Lasky Jr., Jack Gariss and Fredric M. Frank from the J.H. Ingraham novel Pillar of Fire, the A.E. Southon novel On Eagle's Wings and the Dorothy Clarke Wilson novel Prince of Egypt.

DeMille had previously made the film in a silent 1923 version.

Decalogues

One legacy of the movie are scores of public displays or monuments of the Ten Commandments that DeMille paid to be erected around the country as a publicity stunt. Known as decalogues, the displays were set up by the group Fraternal Order of Eagles, sometimes in or near government buildings. Several have been involved in court battles over whether their presence violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution's Establishment Clause. This article is about the list of religious and moral imperatives. ... Fraternal Order of Eagles International is a fraternal organization which was founded in 1898 in Seattle, Washington by a group of six theater owners. ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution plainly prohibits the establishment of a national religion by Congress or the preference of one religion over another. ...

Famous quotes

The screenplay was the creation of a committee of writers, headed by "Rev." J. H. Ingraham (actually a novelist who wrote Pillar of Fire) and "Rev." A.E. Southon (actually the novelist of On Eagle's Wing), who were listed as Reverends to add to credibility for the script. Dorothy Clarke Wilson, Aeneas MacKenzie, Jesse Lasky Jr., Jack Gariss, and Fredric M. Frank also contributed.

• "The city is made of bricks. The strong make many, the starving make few, the dead make none." (Moses answering Ramesses' accusations that Moses is treating the slaves too generously)
• "Blood makes poor mortar." (Moses to Baka (Vincent Price), the slave master)
• "The city that he builds shall bear my name, the woman that he loves shall bear my child." (Ramesses, speaking about Moses)
• "It would take more than a man to lead the slaves from bondage. It would take a god." (Moses)
• "Better to die in battle with a God than to live in shame". (Ramesses II)
• "So let it be written, So let it be done" or "So it shall be written, so it shall be done." (repeated 10 times throughout the movie)
• "Oh Moses, Moses, you stubborn, splendid, adorable fool!" (Throne Princess Nefertiri (Anne Baxter) to Moses (Charlton Heston))
• "Those who shall not live by the law, shall die by the law" (Moses, upon breaking the covenant over the Golden idol in Mount Sinai)

External link

• Famous quotes from The Ten Commandments
• The Ten Commandments at the Internet Movie Database