Main Cast: Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward, Raymond Massey, Kieron Moore, James Robertson Justice
Release Year: 1951
Country: US
Run Time: 116 minutes
Plot
David and Bathsheba is a respectable, slightly stodgy cinematic adaptation of the Old Testament story. King David (Gregory Peck), much beloved by his subjects and a war hero of long standing, falls victim to the sins of the flesh when he falls in love with Bathsheba (Susan Hayward), the wife of Uriah (Kieron Moore), one of David's most trusted soldiers. His downfall begins when David orders Uriah into a suicidal battle, knowing that this will clear the way for his relationship with Bathsheba. His infatuation leads him to neglect his kingdom and his people, and invokes the wrath of God. Only after his land has been devastated by God's hand does David offer atonement. The film's lavish production values compensate ever so slightly for the long-winded script. David and Bathsheba was the last major "flat-screen" Biblical epic; it was filmed in 1951 B.C. -- Before Cinemascope. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Fans of Biblical epics will find a lot to like in David and Bathsheba; although there's little here that will appeal to those who don't look favorably upon the genre. The script is predictably overblown, filled with the kind of bombast and stilted melodrama that is to be expected. It's ridiculous, yet in its own strange way, it works. It is also, typically, both too reverent and too "Hollywood"-ized; also like most Biblical epics of the period, it takes advantage of its religious underpinnings to indulge in some lurid sensuality. The direction is big and broad, filling the screen appropriately yet ultimately rather sterile. But there's plenty of spectacle to fill the eyes, with gorgeous costumes, delicious Leon Shamroy cinematography, and fabulous sets -- and these things count for a great deal. David also has a stellar cast; if Gregory Peck is a trifle stiff, he still supplies the requisite power and charisma, and Susan Hayward is a delight as the luscious adulteress. (Stage fans will want to keep a sharp eye out for future musical theater star Gwen Verdon, who has a few moments in the spotlight as a specialty dancer.) Throw in a grand Alfred Newman score and some nifty battle scenes, and the result is a good, if occasionally dawdling, Hollywood excursion into the Good Book. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
While Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. owned the rights to the 1943 book David written by Duff Cooper, the film is not based on that book. It was, though, the inspiration that led the studio to this film project. The production of the film started on November 24, 1950 and was completed in January 1951 (with some additional material shot in February 1951). The film premiered first in New York City August 14, and later in Los Angeles August 30, before opening wide in September 1951.[1]
