The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966)

Director:

John Huston

Writer:

Christopher Fry (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

28 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

...In the Beginning

Plot:

Extravagant production of the first part of the book of Genesis. Covers Adam and Eve, Noah and the Flood and Abraham and Isaac.

Plot Keywords:

Adam And Eve | Flood | Murder | Angel | King

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Parks	...	Adam
Ulla Bergryd	...	Eve
Richard Harris	...	Cain
John Huston	...	Noah
Stephen Boyd	...	Nimrod
George C. Scott	...	Abraham
Ava Gardner	...	Sarah
Peter O'Toole	...	The Three Angels
Zoe Sallis	...	Hagar
Gabriele Ferzetti	...	Lot
Eleonora Rossi Drago	...	Lot's Wife
Franco Nero	...	Abel
Pupella Maggio	...	Noah's Wife
Robert Rietty	...	Abraham's Steward
Peter Heinze	...	Shem
Roger Beaumont
Gianluigi Crescenzi
Maria Grazia Spina	...	Daughter of Lot (as Grazia Maria Spina)
Angelo Boscariol	...	Ham
Claudie Lange	...	Nimrod's Wife
Anna Orso	...	Shem's Wife (as Anna Maria Orso)
Adriana Ambesi	...	Daughter of Lot
Eric Leutzinger	...	Japheth
Michael Steinpichler
Gabriella Pallotta	...	Ham's Wife
Alberto Lucantoni	...	Isaac
Rossana Di Rocco	...	Japheth's Wife (as Rossana De Rocco)
Luciano Conversi	...	Ishmael
Giovanna Galletti	...	Sinful Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paola Ambrosi	...	(uncredited)
Flavio Bennati	...	Serpent (uncredited)
Salvatore Billa	...	Follower of Abraham (uncredited)
Giovanni Di Benedetto	...	Nimrod's man (uncredited)
Aviva Israeli	...	(uncredited)
Flavio Nennati	...	(uncredited)
Marie-Christine Pratt	...	(uncredited)
Ivan Rassimov	...	Dignitary of Babylon (uncredited)
Amru Sani	...	(uncredited)
Elisabetta Velinska	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits
Christopher Fry		(screenplay)
Mario Soldati		uncredited
Orson Welles		uncredited

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer
Luigi Luraschi	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Toshirô Mayuzumi		(musical score) (as Toshiro Mayuzumi)
Ennio Morricone		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Rotunno

Film Editing by
Ralph Kemplen
Alberto Gallitti		(uncredited)

Casting by
Guidarino Guidi

Art Direction by
Mario Chiari

Costume Design by
Maria De Matteis

Makeup Department
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup supervisor
Elda Magnanti	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Bruno Todini	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vana Caruso	....	assistant director
Ernst Haas	....	second unit director (segment "The Creation")
Ottavio Oppo	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bruno Avesani	....	set dressing
Enzo Eusepi	....	set dressing
Stephen B. Grimes	....	associate art director (as Stephen Grimes)
Aldo Puccini	....	set construction
Pasquale Romano	....	assistant art director
Mario Scisci	....	set construction
Tani	....	property master
Luciano Puccini	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Italo Tomassi	....	scene painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Basil Fenton-Smith	....	sound recordist
Leslie Hodgson	....	sound editor
Fred Hynes	....	sound recording supervisor
Murray Spivack	....	sound recordist
John Blunk	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Wayne Fury	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
James D. Young	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Zeus Ianiro	....	special projector: sun effects
Augie Lohman	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Linwood G. Dunn	....	special optical effects: Film Effects of Hollywood (as Linwood Dunn)

Camera and Electrical Department
Giuseppe Di Biase	....	first assistant camera (as Pino Di Biase)
Giuseppe Maccari	....	camera operator
Piero Servo	....	assistant camera
Donald C. Rogers	....	photographer: second unit (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Eunice Mountjoy	....	assistant to film editor

Music Department
Franco Ferrara	....	conductor
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	music editor (as Gilbert Marchant)
Murray Spivack	....	music recordist
Goffredo Petrassi	....	musical advisor (uncredited)

Other crew
Yvonne Axeworthy	....	script girl (as Yvonne Axworthy)
Romano Dandi	....	production assistant
Dino De Laurentiis	....	presenter
Katherine Dunham	....	choreographer
Monsignor Salvatore Garofalo	....	consultant (as Mons. Salvatore Garofalo)
Gladys Hill	....	associate: John Huston
Angelo Lombardi	....	zoological consultant
Prof. The Rev. W.M. Merchant	....	consultant (as Professor the Rev. W.M. Merchant)
Giorgio Morra	....	production assistant
Ralph Serpe	....	assistant to producer
Fred Sidewater	....	assistant to producer
Emilio Villa	....	historical advisor (uncredited)

Thanks
Mirko Basaldella	....	acknowledgment: Dino De Laurentiis and John Huston wish to thank the following artists for their co-operation (as Mirko)
Corrado Cagli	....	acknowledgment: Dino De Laurentiis and John Huston wish to thank the following artists for their co-operation

Production Companies

• Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica (producer)
• Seven Arts Productions (in association with)
• Thalia AG
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1966) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• CBS Television Network (1975) (USA) (TV)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2007) (Argentina) (all media)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Video (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Vision TV (2009) (Canada) (TV) (as Visiontv)

Special Effects

• Technicolor Limited (special optical effects)
• Film Effects of Hollywood (special optical effects)

Other Companies

• Chorus Carapellucci  chorus
• Dino Edizioni Musicali  music publishers (as Edizioni Musicali Dino)
• Orchestra Cinefonica Italiana  orchestra
• RCA Italiana  music recording
• Rocchetti  wigs
• Sorelle Fontana, Roma  Miss Gardner's costumes (as Sorelle Fontana-Rome)
• Tani Cappellini  set dressing accessories
• Tigano Lo Faro  costumes

Also Known As:

La bibbia (Italy)
The Bible (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

174 min

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System) | 70 mm 6-Track

Certification:

UK:U | Norway:11 (DVD rating) | Norway:12 (1967) | Argentina:Atp | Canada:14+ (TV rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:G | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Trivia:

Franco Nero was dubbed by an uncredited actor in this film. It is possible, though, not confirmed, that several of the other Italian actors were dubbed as well, although the actors themselves can be seen mouthing the words.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Before they get into the Ark, one of Noah's daughter-in-laws has on a modern bra under her tunic.

Quotes:

One of the Three Angels: [after Sarah laughs when told she is to have a child at her advanced age] Why dost thou laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Religulous (2008)

Genesis

In her memoirs ,Ava Gardner wrote that she hated some of her lines,notably when she had to tell her servant she would give children to her husband ."I just cannot say that,it's not my style" But the director answered:"my dear,you will".

"The Bible" is par excellence the movie Huston's fans love to hate ;other examples are "the roots of Heaven" or "the barbarian and the geisha " .Hindsight displays its charms:first,it is an accurate rendition of the Genesis (the title reads "in the beginning" and it is exactly what it is).There's more voice over than dialog but if you have read the Bible (and I'm sure you have)you know that the characters have only a few lines to say .

Chapters include the Creation and the wonders of nature ;Adam and Eve;Abel and Cain (should Abel have gone veggie,crime would never happen );Noah 's ark where the animals went in two by two just to get out of the rain and the huge hippopotamus -featured in the movie- did not get stuck in the door ,thanks to the patriarch's watchful eye (played by the director himself);Nemrod (a hardly recognizable Stephen Boyd)and the tower of Babel;Abraham whose segment is the most important in the whole movie (about one hour is given over to his alliance with God,Sara and Agar -the scene of the pieces of dried fruit is worth the price of admission-,Isaac,Jehovah asking the patriarch to kill Him a son );and Loth's adventures in Sodom where the Angel warns him :do not

look back when you escape from the doomed city .Poor wife! The cinematography is splendid ,particularly in the first sequences .But the most satisfying sequences are to be found towards the end: Abraham's sacrifice takes place in the desert among ruins and here Huston seems to transcend his subject whereas in the other segments ,he only makes a picture book.

Compared to Sergio Leone's "Sodom and Gomorrah",is it so bad?