Below average British/American Biblical movie about two great kings and shot in Israel . A low-budget biopic about two first Israel Kings : Saul (Basil Sydney's final film , he died at the age of 73 and here he gives overacting) and David (Jeff Chandler) , including drama , love and hatred , being some moments proceeded in slow-moving . The flick focuses their epic lives , and particularly the relentless pursuit of King Saul , as the film narrates the merciless chase when King of Israel goes after David ; retelling their complicated relationship , rebellion , struggles and the intricacies in taking over the kingdom of Israel . Saul and David are very human figures who are recorded in the Bible : Samuel , Books 1 , 2 . The continued threat and domination of the invader countries : Amalacitas , Amonitas , Moabitas and Philistines forced the Jewish tribes uniting under a strong king , Saul . As prophet Samuel under divine inspiration appoints Saul as king . Later on , David claimed his rights for his marriage to Saul's daughter , Michal (Angela Browne) . King Saul is jealous of the adoration and fame of David , who vanquished Goliath and defeated Philistines . As Saul is egged on by his Edomite counselor Doeg (Peter Arne) , who is conspiring to attempt the David's killing . After that , David flees from Israel and suffering famine , enemies and himself from his many sins . But Jonathan (David Knight) , Saul's son , and David's best friend , helps him . David is reluctant to fight back against his own people , the Israelites . Shortly after , Saul and his son and heir Jonathan were vanquished by Philistines ; as Saul was murdered by a blade slashed himself . As David became king of the Jewish . David must discover his faith in God in order to save his kingdom from drought , starvation and tyranny . Along the journey of his life we see his accomplishments , his fights , betrayals and his sins . Also , how he repented and how his humility brought him to peace with his sins and his conscience . The harpist David , conquers Jerusalem and being author of the Psalms and whose heir was the infamous Salomon who built the temple of Jerusalem . David was the chosen king who loved God but also committed the acts of sin , though he , subsequently , regretted himself .
This is a Biblical story , fact-based tale about the second and ideal king of Israel , packing intense drama , family confrontations , and a strong battle of wills between Saul and David . Shot for television , in Elstree studios , but released theatrically instead , it was a flop at box office . Highlights of the movie are the bloody execution of a stubborn priest and the military parades . It contains evocative set decoration , interior filmed in UK studios , poor art direction , faded cinematography , and some scenes seem to be a little bit tiring that it makes stately pace . Furthermore , the yarn turns out to be unfinished . Duo protagonist is acceptable ; both , Basil Sidney and Jeff Chandler . The best acting is given by Jeff Chandler who provides stature to the role , delivering sincerity and bravura . Chandler was known , until his early death , for playing Indian chief Cochise , a dignified portrait well shown in : ¨Broken arrow¨ (50) by Delmer Daves , that was the first time the Red Indian was depicted as a human being rather than a brute savage merely to bite the dust at the hands of the US cavalry , as well as ¨Battle of Apache Pass¨ (1952) and ¨Taza , son of Cochise¨ (1954) by Douglas Sirk , this latter Jeff/Cochise is briefly glimpsed as a dying man at the beginning and handing over the reins of power to Rock Hudson as Taza . Although Chandler also played all kinds of genres , such as : ¨Return to Peyton Place¨(drama) , ¨Flame of Araby¨ (adventure) , ¨Merrill's marauders¨ (wartime , in his last film) , until his sad death at 42-year-old . In addition , support cast is frankly excellent , such as : Peter Arne , David Knight , the Hammer queen Barbara Shelley , Donald Pleasence , Robert Brown of James Bond , and a very young Richard O'Sullivan of Robin's nest.
Other movies concerning about these Biblic kings are the followings : ¨David and Bathsheba¨(51) by Henry King with Susan Hayward , Gregory Peck , Kieron Moore ; ¨Saul and David¨ (1964) by Marcello Baldi with Gianni Garco , Norman Wooland , Carlos Casaravilla , Aldo Sambrell , Pilar Clemens ; ¨David and Goliath¨ by Ferdinando Baldi with Orson Welles , Ivo Garrani , Ivo Payer , ¨A story of David¨ (76) by David Lowell Rich with Timothy Bottoms , Anthony Quayle , Norman Rodway , Yehuda Efroni , Jane Seymour as Bathsheba ; ¨King David¨ (1985) by Bruce Beresford with Richard Gere , Cherie Lunghi , Edward Woodward , Alice Krige and ¨David¨(1997) by Robert Markowitz with Nathaliel Parker , Jonathan Pryce , Sheryl Lee , Leonard Nimoy , Ben Daniels .
