Big-budget Biblical yucky muck. Peck plays stoic King David, fierce in battle but frail where temptresses trod. Having saved a cuckold in battle, he returns home to nurse a wound, instead nurses a raging... torch for the cuckold's wife, tempestuous Susan Hayward, acting within an inch of
her insured head of tossing tendrils, whom he spots taking a bath. He, wisely, we say, dumps the first wife of his harem---the shrewish Jayne Meadows--that's right, Jayne Meadows! The cuckold gets sent to war and gets killed, Bathsheba marries David and a baby is born eight months,
three-and-a-half weeks, six days and ten seconds later, but dies. The Lord sends Raymond Massey, as the prophet Nathan, to raise hell for their shameless ways and protest the famine that has been wrought upon the land. David sees the error of his ways, improvises the 23rd Psalm and the rains come
and wash their sins away!
Typical lavish Hollywood Biblical treatment, but awash with juice, thanks to the force supplied by the three leads. Look for young Gwen Verdon as a specialty dancer. Perfect for a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon. leave a comment
