THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is a film that I'd never watched previously but which quickly went to the top of my list of favourite Biblical films on viewing. Undoubtedly this is a crowning masterpiece from director Cecil B. DeMille, an all-star epic that plays out over a near four hours yet remains awe-inspiring and engrossing throughout. What I loved most here were the visuals; the colour is glorious and the huge sets and colourful costumes look wonderful on screen. You can even forgive the dated back projection as the vistas displayed are so wonderful. The story of Moses will be familiar to many viewers, but it's told here with spectacle and aplomb, enlivened by top performances from Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner and a quite wonderful supporting cast (including a surprise appearance from a personal favourite, Vincent Price).

For some reason which I do not at all understand, IMDB deleted my previous review for this film. Someone obviously felt offended that I didn't like the movie, so I'll try to say it perhaps a bit nicer this time.

"The Ten Commandments" is a lovely idea for a film. And, I do respect the spectacle that is this movie. But like so many Cecil B. De Mille productions, it suffers from an over-emphasis on spectacle and an under-emphasis on writing and dialog. So, for every amazing scene you are given in the movie, you are forced to watch some really unintentionally hilarious bad acting/writing. My wife and I find ourselves laughing and saying many of the lines...they are that poor. For example, the princess bellowing out "Moses....MOOOOSSSEEESS!" and Edward G. Robinon's character apparently being based on his character from "Little Caesar" and constantly repeating how Moses led them into the desert to die!

If you love this film....great. But for me, it's a great example of a ton of money being spent and the writing and dialog simply is bad.

This is one magnificent film. Brilliantly directed by Cecil B DeMille, it boasts some splendid cinematography and gorgeous scenery and attention to detail. Not only that, but also a script that positively sparkles, characters that are refreshingly complex, a rousing score courtesy of the great Elmer Bernstein and a compelling story. Also impressive, perhaps even more so, are the astonishing set pieces and the acting. In the lead Charlton Heston is very powerful while Yul Brynner too gives one of his best performances. The supporting cast are equally impressive, Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson, John Carradine, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne DeCarlo and Debra Paget are all memorable. All in all, The Ten Commandments is nothing short of the epitome of magnificence not just in its scope but also its complexity. 10/10 Bethany Cox