The Bible: In the Beginning...
Seen it?1966 | 175 min | Adventure, History, Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It won 3 Oscars, though it had just 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for adventure fans and history buffs. If you loved Ben-Hur or The Ten Commandments, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Epic and sweeping, at 2 hr 55 min.
- What might put you off
- It's long: 2 hr 55 min.
- Made in 1966: an older pace and style.
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
Covering only the first 22 chapters of the Book of Genesis, vignettes include: Adam and Eve frolicking in the Garden of Eden until their indulgence in the forbidden fruit sees them driven out; Cain murdering his brother Abel; Noah building an ark to preserve the animals of the world from the coming flood; and Abraham making a covenant with God.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsWeak
33% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.3 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 3 Oscars: Academy Award: Best Producer, Academy Award: Best Cinematography, Academy Award: Best Foreign Director. Won 1 Golden Globe: Golden Globe Awards: Best Original Score - Motion Picture. Also nominated for 1 more Oscar. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$35 million worldwide on a $17 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 56K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Huston
- Michael ParksAdam
- Ulla BergrydEve
- Richard HarrisCain
- John HustonNoah
- Stephen BoydNimrod
- George C. ScottAbraham
- Ava GardnerSarah
- Peter O'TooleThe Three Angels
- Zoe SallisHagar
- Gabriele FerzettiLot