King David (1985)

The Worst Film Ever

Purely Joyful Movie!

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Based upon the Books of Samuel and Kings of the Holy Bible, this attractive and colorful movie captures the life and times of warrior-king David of Israel, who reigned three thousand years ago. Much of the movie is devoted to King Saul (Edward Woodward), David's predecessor. Woodward's performance is powerful, and captures well the personality of the biblical personage. Richard Gere as David does not make an entry until twenty minutes or so have passed. David does not even become king until the movie is well over half completed. But in general the film is more accurate than typical movies of this genre (for instance, like "Samson and Delilah"), although there are inaccuracies. For instance, the Star of David was introduced centuries after David's time and not while he was alive. The film commences with King Saul and his officers waiting for the arrival of the prophet Samuel (Denis Quilley). The Amalekites have just been crushed. After Samuel arrives, he tells Saul that he has disobeyed God's commandment and that he has been reproved. Therefore none of his sons will succeed him as king. Samuel then meets with Jesse (Arthur Whybrow) to tell him that one of his sons will be Saul's successor. The elder and more military ones – Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah – are surprisingly rejected (Scripture tells us that there were also other brothers). Jesse tells Samuel that he has another son, a shepherd called David. As he meets with God's approval, David is anointed with oil by Samuel. When the Philistines then assemble their army against the Israelites, they taunt them with their giant hero, Goliath (6'9" Luigi Montefiore, a/k/a George Eastman) and challenge the Israelites to a duel. When David with a simple slingshot unexpectedly defeats Goliath and beheads him, the Philistines flee in fright. Saul remarks, "An entire army at my command, yet it takes a shepherd boy to wipe out our disgrace." David never returns to his father; rather he stays in the military for ten years. Nathan (Niall Buggy) succeeds Samuel as prophet. David marries Michal (Cherie Lunghi), Saul's youngest daughter. Skillfully playing music with his harp, David soothes the aging Saul's growing melancholy. Saul gradually turns against David, who flees. Pursuing David, Saul murders Ahimelech (Hurd Hatfield) and the high priests, who had given David shelter. Most of the dirty work is done by a gentile, Doeg the Edomite (Christopher Malcolm). Jonathan (Jack Klaff), Saul's son, befriends David, who finally flees to King Akiss (Achish, Tomas Milian) of the Philistines and stays for sixteen months. The Philistines challenge the Israelites to battle. At Gilboa, King Saul is defeated and killed along with his three sons. David's subsequent victory dance meets with Michal's disapproval (According to Scripture, Michal is punished for her action by barrenness). Then again, David does have other wives. He continues to preserve the sacred Ark of the Covenant, which contains the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.On a rooftop King David espies Bathsheba (Alice Krige) bathing and is immediately smitten. A complication is that she is married to Uriah. In reality Uriah was a decent husband sent to the forefront of attack by David to assure his death. For his sin, the firstborn son of Bathsheba and David did not survive beyond seven days. Also, David had to live by the sword. God eventually does find favor with David, however, when Solomon is born. But the rebellion of his favorite son Absalom (Jean-Marc Barr) grieves him, especially when he is killed in battle after his long hair gets tangled in a tree. The guilt-ridden David then decides to reform although we do not actually see him performing penance. Even though we are told that the aging David defeated the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and the Edomites, the ending is rather abrupt. Many of his later deeds are covered only in narrative. And David's last instructions to his successor Solomon are not factual. On a positive note, the movie is very attractive, and there are terrific location scenes (filmed in Italy and England) that feature classical symmetrical shots. When there is a battle, the scenes feature many extras and are well-done. In general, this film is a decent movie although not a classic; Edward Woodward's performance as Saul is worth the price of a rental.

King David is an film about the second king of Israel, David that was based on from biblical accounts of Samuel I & II, Chronicles I and the Psalms.It stars Richard Gere in the title role together with Edward Woodward,Alice Krige,Luigi Montefiori,Niall Buggy and Jack Klaff.It follow through the events of fifty years wherein he's had many wives,numerous romances, brutal fights like that against Goliath,the insidious betrayals from his traitorous son Absalom,his encounters with the the weak-willed King Saul, and his experiences with his childhood friend Jonathan.No question that this was a poor film about King David.Richard Gere does not look comfortable portraying him.The screenplay just passes through the events and does not provide a character study of the Israelite king.One would feel bored watching it and probably won't even care for the events nor the characters of the movie.

M.De Mille ,you used to regale us with your "Samson and Delilah" or "ten commandments".They used to say your stories were not faithful to the Holy Writ.But who cares?Did the sultan care when Sheherazade was telling him endless stories which enthralled him?Bruce Beresford ditches the De Mille mold and opts for a serious reading (that's what the credits say)of the bible:it's a very tedious flick,which gives you the feeling that you are attending an interminable Sunday school lesson.The Lord is as intractable selfish and jealous as ever.The generally gloomy atmosphere -in spite of luminous landscapes- dampens any spirits,which is a shame in the case of a movie which should enlighten its audience.Of course we've got Goliath,Samuel,Nathan,and Bathsheba -who has barely five lines to say,whereas in Henry King's "David and Bathsheba" (1951),Susan Hayward got the lion's share.Richard Gere's wooden acting does not help.It's a boring movie.

This is one unjustly maligned film. For the most part, the acting is well above average. Edward Woodward's love/hate relationship (enfasis on the hate) with David comes across excelently. Richard Gere does an adequate job. I can't stand his style on most films that I have seen him but here he is just fine. The Jonathan character is heroic and handsome, while the actor who portrays the prophet Nathan does as best a job as anyone could do. Some minor problems/irritations, the location of Jerusalem should have been a more scenic and lush one, not desert-like. Jerusalem might be semi-desert today but 3,000 years ago it was a beautiful land flowing with milk and honey. Highlights include David's dance before the Ark of the Covenant, the battle scene versus the Phillistines where King Saul is killed with his sons (Mel Gibson must have seen it) is Braveheart light, but realistic nonetheless. There are many more, I just wish it could have been longer due to them skipping a whole part of his later life all the way up to his deathbed. One of the better Biblical adaptations nonetheless.