This film is based entirely on a passage from the life of King David, in which he falls in disgrace before God by engaging with a married woman. Anyone who knows the Bible minimally or has attended Sunday School knows or has heard about this story, so the script doesn't bring us any surprises. What is most pleasing here is to see the humanity and fallibility of David, an anointed king, chosen by God, but who didn't cease to be a human and to make mistakes, for which he was punished.
Gregory Peck is the main actor and gives us an intense, human performance. Initially vain to the point of being a braggart, Peck's David turns a victim of his own pride. Neither he, a king, was above the law or immune to divine wrath. It was a work that grew as the film progressed to the end and dramatic tension increased. Susan Hayward is Bathsheba, a married woman, clearly more vivid than the young king she deliberately provokes. The actress is very beautiful, has talent and was surely a good choice for the role. Jayne Meadows (in the role of David's first wife), Raymond Massey (who played the prophet Nathan) and Kieron Moore (the young and dedicated Uriah) were also excellent additions to the cast, fulfilling their roles with great merit.
Technically, the film has only minor flaws. Costumes are good and magnificent to look at, but I didn't like that Jewish star always on Peck's chest. I knew that this symbol only became attached to the Jews in the Middle Ages, so that detail stank of anachronism. The sets were excellent and grandiose, as Hollywood got us used to when it comes to biblical epics. The beauty of colors and photography that Technicolor provides are something delicious for our eyes, perhaps even better than many of the digital features we are used to now. Soundtrack is good, but it doesn't stand out as in "Ten Commandments" or "Ben Hur".
Gregory Peck is the main actor and gives us an intense, human performance. Initially vain to the point of being a braggart, Peck's David turns a victim of his own pride. Neither he, a king, was above the law or immune to divine wrath. It was a work that grew as the film progressed to the end and dramatic tension increased. Susan Hayward is Bathsheba, a married woman, clearly more vivid than the young king she deliberately provokes. The actress is very beautiful, has talent and was surely a good choice for the role. Jayne Meadows (in the role of David's first wife), Raymond Massey (who played the prophet Nathan) and Kieron Moore (the young and dedicated Uriah) were also excellent additions to the cast, fulfilling their roles with great merit.
Technically, the film has only minor flaws. Costumes are good and magnificent to look at, but I didn't like that Jewish star always on Peck's chest. I knew that this symbol only became attached to the Jews in the Middle Ages, so that detail stank of anachronism. The sets were excellent and grandiose, as Hollywood got us used to when it comes to biblical epics. The beauty of colors and photography that Technicolor provides are something delicious for our eyes, perhaps even better than many of the digital features we are used to now. Soundtrack is good, but it doesn't stand out as in "Ten Commandments" or "Ben Hur".