| The Bible...In the Beginning | |
|---|---|
 U.S. film poster | |
| Directed by | John Huston |
| Screenplay by | Christopher Fry |
| Based on | Book of Genesis |
| Produced by | Dino De Laurentiis |
| Starring | Michael Parks Ulla Bergryd Richard Harris John Huston Stephen Boyd George C. Scott Ava Gardner Peter O'Toole Zoe Sallis Gabriele Ferzetti Eleonora Rossi Drago |
| Narrated by | John Huston |
| Cinematography | Giuseppe Rotunno |
| Edited by | Ralph Kemplen |
| Music by | Toshiro Mayuzumi |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 174 minutes |
| Countries | Italy United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15–$18 million[1][2] |
| Box office | $34.9 million[3] |
The Bible...In the Beginning (Italian: La Bibbia, lit. 'The Bible') is a 1966 religious epic film produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Huston. It recounts the first 22 chapters of the Biblical Book of Genesis, covering the stories from The Creation and Adam and Eve to the binding of Isaac.[4]
Released by 20th Century Fox, the film's ensemble cast features Huston, Michael Parks, Richard Harris, Franco Nero, Stephen Boyd, George C. Scott, Ava Gardner, Peter O'Toole and Gabriele Ferzetti. The screenplay was written by Christopher Fry, with uncredited contributions by Orson Welles, Ivo Perilli, Jonathan Griffin, Mario Soldati and Vittorio Bonicelli, photographed by Giuseppe Rotunno in Dimension 150, a variant of the 70mm Todd-AO format. The musical score was by the Japanese composer Toshiro Mayuzumi, with additional cues by an uncredited Ennio Morricone.
Premiering in New York City on 28 September 1966, the film received mixed reviews from critics. The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures included the film in its "Top Ten Films" list of 1966.[5] De Laurentiis and Huston won David di Donatello Awards for Best Producer and Best Foreign Director, respectively.[6] Toshiro Mayuzumi's score was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.[7] The film was originally conceived as the first in a series of films retelling the entire Old Testament, but these sequels were never made.
- ^ a b Hall, S. and Neale, S. Epics, spectacles, and blockbusters: a Hollywood history (p. 179). Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Michigan; 2010. ISBN 978-0-8143-3008-1. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
- ^ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p254
- ^ "The Bible: In the Beginning, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
- ^ Shevis, James M. (15 July 1966). "John Huston Narrates Film, Directs, Portrays Noah". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
- ^ "National Board of Review of Motion Pictures - Top Ten Films of 1966". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
- ^ "David di Donatello - La Bibbia". daviddidonatello.it. Retrieved 24 July 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The 39th Academy Awards (1967) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 24 July 2013.