"David and Goliath" is titled after two characters in the Bible, but can hardly be considered a biblical movie or theme. This is mostly a highly fictionalized, sensationalized, sexualized, and oversized film that takes its plot from some characters of the Bible. The movie widely interpolates the brief story that is in two small chapters of the book, 1 Samuel. Most other films about biblical characters exaggerate or fictionalize much of the stories. The best of them stick to the main story and theme of their source, and fill in much of the unwritten and unknown story with varying degrees of Hollywood hype. Thus, much more glamor, seduction, action, intrigue and romance fill out these stories than probably ever occurred.
This picture was done by Italian filmmakers, and was filmed in Yugoslavia, Jerusalem and Italy. Some of the Italian-made biblical stories are very good. Some have drawn top actors over the years for one or more of the roles. Some have had very good writers and screenplays, and some have had great directors and technical productions. But there also have been some turkeys that have none of the above, or if they have one or another of these qualities, they otherwise stink.
Well, this is a real stinker. Whatever induced Orson Wells to play King Saul in this film is beyond me. He was just 45 years old when he made this film and a highly regarded actor. His role here isn't that much or that good. His presence is about all there is to it. The rest of the cast are so-so. But the screenplay, the story, the direction, filming and all production qualities are terrible. This film was shot in color, but the colors are horrible and bleed on the screen. The musical score is bad. And, for any who are looking for a semblance of a Bible story, what little accuracy there is here is sandwiched between fictional gibberish and almost laughable nonsense. About the only things the producers got right were the biblical names, and David playing the lyre for King Saul and then slaying Goliath. The last two don't even take up five minutes of the entire film.
All of the background and recruiting of Goliath is myth and silliness. That he is a recluse in a cave is quite odd to start with. Then, that he is finally enticed to serve the Philistines by a bunch of seductive dancing women is further Hollywood hype. The plotting within Saul's family and household, and romances, are supposed to attract audiences, but they aren't true to the story and are mostly dull or boring. This film was apparently shown around Europe after its opening in Italy on Jan. 22, 1960. It eventually opened in the U. S. five months later - on May 28. But it probably wasn't on many screens, and then not for long. The IMDb, ultimate ratings, and other Web sites have nothing I could find on the budget or box office of this film - or any reviews by critics. My guess is that it was a bomb.
Here's one example of the gross interpolation of the Bible in this film. The Israelites demand to have the Ark of the Covenant returned by the Philistines. But the real account of the capture of the Ark by the Philistines occurred well before Israel had a king. Chapters four through seven of 1 Samuel tell the story. When the Ark was captured much earlier, it was taken to the Philistine city of Ashdod and put in the temple of the god Dagon. The next day, Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark. The people set it back up and the next day it was again toppled with the head and arms severed. They moved the Ark from city to city and wherever it was kept, disasters occurred to the town. After seven months, the Philistines sent the Ark back to the Israelites and it was kept in the house of Aminadab, under the care of Eleazar. So, when Saul was king of Israel the Ark of the Covenant was in Israel - not still in the hands of the Philistines.
The best was to describe this film is that it's a waste of time. Or, something to watch only if one wants to see Orson Wells look ridiculous in a ridiculous role.
This picture was done by Italian filmmakers, and was filmed in Yugoslavia, Jerusalem and Italy. Some of the Italian-made biblical stories are very good. Some have drawn top actors over the years for one or more of the roles. Some have had very good writers and screenplays, and some have had great directors and technical productions. But there also have been some turkeys that have none of the above, or if they have one or another of these qualities, they otherwise stink.
Well, this is a real stinker. Whatever induced Orson Wells to play King Saul in this film is beyond me. He was just 45 years old when he made this film and a highly regarded actor. His role here isn't that much or that good. His presence is about all there is to it. The rest of the cast are so-so. But the screenplay, the story, the direction, filming and all production qualities are terrible. This film was shot in color, but the colors are horrible and bleed on the screen. The musical score is bad. And, for any who are looking for a semblance of a Bible story, what little accuracy there is here is sandwiched between fictional gibberish and almost laughable nonsense. About the only things the producers got right were the biblical names, and David playing the lyre for King Saul and then slaying Goliath. The last two don't even take up five minutes of the entire film.
All of the background and recruiting of Goliath is myth and silliness. That he is a recluse in a cave is quite odd to start with. Then, that he is finally enticed to serve the Philistines by a bunch of seductive dancing women is further Hollywood hype. The plotting within Saul's family and household, and romances, are supposed to attract audiences, but they aren't true to the story and are mostly dull or boring. This film was apparently shown around Europe after its opening in Italy on Jan. 22, 1960. It eventually opened in the U. S. five months later - on May 28. But it probably wasn't on many screens, and then not for long. The IMDb, ultimate ratings, and other Web sites have nothing I could find on the budget or box office of this film - or any reviews by critics. My guess is that it was a bomb.
Here's one example of the gross interpolation of the Bible in this film. The Israelites demand to have the Ark of the Covenant returned by the Philistines. But the real account of the capture of the Ark by the Philistines occurred well before Israel had a king. Chapters four through seven of 1 Samuel tell the story. When the Ark was captured much earlier, it was taken to the Philistine city of Ashdod and put in the temple of the god Dagon. The next day, Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark. The people set it back up and the next day it was again toppled with the head and arms severed. They moved the Ark from city to city and wherever it was kept, disasters occurred to the town. After seven months, the Philistines sent the Ark back to the Israelites and it was kept in the house of Aminadab, under the care of Eleazar. So, when Saul was king of Israel the Ark of the Covenant was in Israel - not still in the hands of the Philistines.
The best was to describe this film is that it's a waste of time. Or, something to watch only if one wants to see Orson Wells look ridiculous in a ridiculous role.