The Ten Commandments

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The Ten Commandments

G

1956

3h 40m

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Enjoying a life of ease in the court of Egypt's pharaoh, Moses (Charlton Heston) discovers his Hebrew heritage and, later, God's expectations of him. He dedicates himself to liberating his people from captivity and -- with the aid of plagues and divine intervention -- manages to lead them out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. A greater challenge comes in the form of the golden calf idol, however, and it takes an unforgettable visitation by God on Mount Sinai for Moses' mission to prevail.

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Critics Consensus

Bombastic and occasionally silly but extravagantly entertaining, Cecil B. DeMille's all-star spectacular is a muscular retelling of the great Bible story.

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SMH Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

11/17/2021

It is all a grandly unrestrained act of regression to the infantile days of the cinema, which DeMille seems never to have outgrown.

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James Powers

The Hollywood Reporter

04/07/2015

There is no other picture like it. There will be none. If it could be summed up in a word, the word would be sublime. And the man responsible for that, when all is said and done is Cecil B. DeMille.

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Kate Cameron

New York Daily News

12/10/2014

5/5

DeMille's direction of the action is superb and the various roles are played with feeling by a large and competent cast, headed by Charlton Heston.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

11/08/2024

5/10

The epic qualities of De Mille’s last directorial endeavor are impossible to ignore; consistently entertaining or not, the grandeur and scope are monumental.

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

11/29/2022

A-

Great fun. This lovably corny Biblical epic is always entertaining no matter when you tune in on Easter night.

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Dilys Powell

Sunday Times (UK)

08/09/2022

The whole experience (with an interval) lasts roughly four hours. I am afraid that long before the time was up I was silently imploring Mr. DeMille to let his people go.

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Patty

03/30/2023

Very good presentation for a movie made over 60 years ago.

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Brad D

03/29/2023

Should be shown in every school ,, The Best Movie Ever Made

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Gloria Leon

04/18/2022

A great movie, cinematography, casting, story! It was moving and the time flew by. Also a great venue at The Alamo Drafthouse!

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Todor Y

@Phantom961 Feb 14

In general very well. The acting is pretty good and the fact that it's older is also remarkable. The story is decently told. The lack of CGI makes it well presented in my opinion because when it's too much or all of it is done with CGI, the realism is lost.

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Jerry E

@engelbach Jan 9

I was incredibly impressed with this movie ... in 1956, when I was 12 years old. To my adult sensibility it's an exercise in overweaning pomposity. The already stiff dialogue is made even more so by the surprisingly wooden acting of supposedly competent actors. Edward G. Robinson and Ann Baxter are ridiculously miscast. Charleton Heston is actually far more likeable, believable, and natural as the unenlightened prince of Egypt than as the robotic character he becomes as the leader of the Israelites. This overripe spectacle is the last example of the childish approach to filmmaking at the heart of all the work of the vainglorious, self-promoting DeMille.

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Lindsay G

Nov 26

★★★★★ — Timeless Epic Masterpiece The Ten Commandments is a monumental cinematic achievement, with Charlton Heston as Moses, Yul Brynner’s commanding presence, and the unforgettable story of Joshua leading the Israelites. Cecil B. DeMille’s vision turns this timeless event into an awe-inspiring spectacle, solidifying its place as one of the greatest films ever made.

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Cecil B. DeMille

Director

Charlton Heston

Moses

Yul Brynner

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Nefretiri

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Synopsis

Enjoying a life of ease in the court of Egypt's pharaoh, Moses (Charlton Heston) discovers his Hebrew heritage and, later, God's expectations of him. He dedicates himself to liberating his people from captivity and -- with the aid of plagues and divine intervention -- manages to lead them out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. A greater challenge comes in the form of the golden calf idol, however, and it takes an unforgettable visitation by God on Mount Sinai for Moses' mission to prevail.

Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Screenwriter: Æneas MacKenzie, Jesse Lasky Jr., Fredric M. Frank, Jack Gariss
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: G
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 5, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 24, 2016
Runtime: 3h 40m
Sound Mix: Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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