The Ten Commandments

About the production

The film featured one of the largest sets ever constructed in Hollywood history, with the Egyptian city spanning 12 acres and including 21 sphinxes weighing 5 tons each. The parting of the Red Sea sequence was filmed by pouring 300,000 gallons of water through a specially constructed dam in the Guadalupe Dunes. Over 2,500 actors and 3,000 animals were employed for the biblical sequences. The modern story was filmed in color using the early Technicolor process for its opening prologue, making it one of the first films to incorporate color sequences.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

The Ten Commandments (1923) survives in catalogs and archives as a record of late silent cinema.

Why this film matters

Scholars and collectors reference The Ten Commandments when discussing how late silent cinema filmmakers addressed popular themes.

Making of

The production of 'The Ten Commandments' was an undertaking of unprecedented scale in 1923. Cecil B. DeMille, determined to create a film that would elevate cinema to an art form comparable to classical theater, spent months in pre-production planning. The Egyptian set was constructed in the remote Guadalupe Dunes of California, requiring workers to build a temporary town to house the cast and crew. The famous parting of the Red Sea sequence was achieved through a combination of practical effects: two enormous tanks of water were released simultaneously through a specially constructed channel, creating the illusion of water walls. The production faced numerous challenges, including extreme weather conditions in the desert location, the death of several animals during filming, and the technical difficulties of coordinating thousands of extras. DeMille's meticulous attention to detail extended to the costumes, which were based on extensive research of ancient Egyptian art and artifacts. The modern segment was filmed concurrently with the biblical sequences, creating a unique dual narrative structure that was revolutionary for its time.

What critics said

Modern notes on The Ten Commandments emphasize preservation, stylistic choices, and its place within director or studio filmographies.

Did you know?

• The massive Egyptian set was left standing in the Guadalupe Dunes for decades and became a local tourist attraction until it was gradually reclaimed by the sand dunes, with archaeologists still discovering pieces today.
• This was the most expensive film ever made at the time of its release, with a budget that exceeded $1.4 million.
• Director Cecil B. DeMille was so committed to authenticity that he consulted biblical scholars and historians, though he took artistic liberties for dramatic effect.
• The film's success directly led to DeMille's 1956 remake, which he considered his magnum opus.
• The color prologue sequence was one of the earliest uses of Technicolor in a feature film, though the rest of the movie was in black and white.
• Over 5,000 extras were employed during the filming of the Exodus sequence, making it one of the largest crowd scenes in silent cinema.
• The film's premiere was held at the Criterion Theatre in New York City with tickets costing an unprecedented $5 each.
• DeMille reportedly experienced a religious conversion during production and became a devout Christian for the remainder of his life.
• The special effects team used Jell-O to create the appearance of the plague of locusts, as it held its shape well under the hot studio lights.
• The original film negative was destroyed in a 1930s vault fire, but copies survived and have been preserved by various film archives.

Awards & recognition

• Academy Award (Honorary) for Unique and Artistic Production - 1929 (retrospective award for 1927/28 season)

Visual style

The film's cinematography, led by Bert Glennon, was groundbreaking for its time and featured innovative techniques that would influence filmmaking for decades. The biblical sequences employed dramatic lighting and shadow effects to create a sense of divine presence and supernatural power. The parting of the Red Sea sequence used multiple camera angles and innovative perspectives to enhance the spectacle, including shots from above to capture the massive scale of the effect. The cinematography contrasted the warm, golden tones of the Egyptian sequences with the cooler, more naturalistic lighting of the modern story, visually reinforcing the film's dual narrative structure. The use of forced perspective and miniature models created the illusion of massive structures and vast landscapes. The film also featured early examples of camera movement, including slow zooms and tracking shots that were technically challenging in the silent era. The color prologue sequence, while brief, demonstrated the potential of color cinematography for enhancing narrative impact.

Innovations

The film pioneered numerous technical innovations that would become standard in later film productions. The special effects team, led by Roy Pomeroy, developed groundbreaking techniques for the biblical plagues, including the use of double exposure, matte paintings, and miniature models. The parting of the Red Sea sequence remains among the leading impressive technical achievements of silent cinema, combining practical water effects with carefully timed editing to create a seamless illusion. The production utilized the largest set ever built at the time, covering 12 acres and featuring structures that were fully functional for filming. The film's use of the early two-strip Technicolor process for its opening prologue represented one of the first successful integrations of color into a feature-length narrative. The production also developed innovative techniques for crowd control and coordination, using signal flags and horn blasts to direct thousands of extras during large-scale scenes. The film's editing, particularly the cross-cutting between the biblical and modern stories, was considered revolutionary for its time and influenced narrative techniques in subsequent films.

Music

As a silent film, 'The Ten Commandments' was accompanied by musical scores performed live in theaters during its original run. The film's official score was composed by Hugo Riesenfeld, one of the era's most prominent film composers, who created a comprehensive musical program that synchronized with the on-screen action. The score incorporated classical pieces, original compositions, and popular hymns to enhance the emotional impact of key scenes. For the biblical sequences, Riesenfeld used dramatic, orchestral arrangements with brass and percussion to create a sense of grandeur and divine intervention. The modern story featured more contemporary musical themes, including popular songs of the 1920s. The score was published for theater orchestras and included detailed cues for different-sized ensembles, ensuring consistent musical accompaniment across various venues. Modern restorations of the film have featured newly composed scores by contemporary silent film musicians, including organ and orchestral arrangements that attempt to recreate the original theatrical experience.

Famous quotes

The law of God is written not in tablets of stone, but in the hearts of men.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Where there is no vision, the people perish.

The blood of the lamb shall be your salvation.

What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?

Memorable scenes

• The parting of the Red Sea sequence, where massive walls of water dramatically part to allow the Hebrews to cross on dry land, remains one of cinema's most iconic special effects achievements.
• The Golden Calf sequence, featuring thousands of extras in wild revelry, contrasted with Moses's righteous anger upon descending from Mount Sinai.
• The plague sequences, particularly the darkness over Egypt and the death of the firstborn, showcased innovative special effects techniques.
• The opening Technicolor prologue, depicting the creation of the tablets, was one of the earliest uses of color in narrative cinema.
• The modern San Francisco cathedral collapse scene, which dramatically illustrates the consequences of corruption and moral failure.

What audiences thought

The film was an enormous commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1923 and among the leading profitable films of the silent era. Audiences were captivated by its spectacular effects and grand scale, with many attending multiple viewings to fully appreciate the visual details. The film's moral message resonated strongly with 1920s audiences, who were navigating the cultural tensions between traditional values and modern lifestyles. Contemporary reports described emotional reactions from viewers, particularly during religious scenes, with some audience members reportedly weeping during the Exodus sequence. The film's popularity extended beyond traditional movie theaters, with special screenings organized by churches and religious organizations across the country. Its success spawned numerous imitations and established a market for religious epics that would continue for decades. The film's enduring popularity is evidenced by its continued screenings at revival houses and film festivals, where it continues to draw audiences interested in classic cinema and religious history.

Film connections

Influenced by

• The Bible (Book of Exodus)
• D.W. Griffith's 'Intolerance' (1916) - for its epic scale and dual narrative structure
• Italian historical epics such as 'Cabiria' (1914)
• Victor Hugo's 'Les Misérables' - for themes of moral redemption
• Contemporary religious revivals and fundamentalist movements

This film influenced

• The Ten Commandments (1956) - DeMille's own remake
• Ben-Hur (1925 and 1959)
• The King of Kings (1927)
• Samson and Delilah (1949)
• The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
• The Prince of Egypt (1998)
• Noah (2014)
• Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

Film restoration

The film is preserved in various film archives including the Library of Congress, the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and the Museum of Modern Art. While the original camera negative was lost in a vault fire in the 1930s, complete prints survive and have been restored multiple times. The most recent restoration was completed in 2010 by Paramount Pictures, featuring newly color-tinted sequences based on original documentation. The film has been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. Some of the Technicolor footage remains lost, but the majority of the film exists in high-quality prints that have been digitally remastered for home video release.

Where to watch

• Available on Blu-ray and DVD from Paramount Pictures (Kino Lorber edition)
• Streaming on The Criterion Channel
• Available for digital purchase on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes
• Occasionally screened at revival theaters and film festivals
• Available through some library streaming services
• Public domain versions available on YouTube (though quality varies)