The Bible Collection: Esther (1999 TV Movie) User Reviews (18)

Spectacular , impressive as well as acceptable Biblical epic by italian filmmaker Raffaele Mertes

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 23 April 2019]

Melodramatic, routine Biblical story and passable epic by italian filmmaker Raffaele Mertes . ¨The power , the pageantry , the sweep of one of the greatest love adventures of all¨ . Biblical costumer with Thomas Kretschmann as the great Persian king , statesmanlike as well as conqueror ruler ,after overthrowing Babylonian . He is really the powerful Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), King of the Persians, and whose empire now extends from India to Egypt after the defeat of the Babylonians and he falls for gorgeous Louis Lombard as Judean maid , the young Jewish girl , Hadassah , goes on to become the Biblical Esther , the Queen of Persia , who saves the Jewish nation from annihilation at the hands of its archenemy , Haman . Before the King can pair off with Esther and defeat the villainous Haman, there are several intervening adventures and an additional, attractive woman who competes for attention. As the stiff king wants to her in place of the rejected queen , Ornella Muti .The young Jewess Esther (Louise Lombard) , adopted daughter of her uncle Mordecai (F. Murray Abraham) , is among the girls selected for his harem . When the Jew Mordecai fails to kneel down before Haman (Jürgen Prochnow) like all the others, Haman's irritation with him is transformed into a deep hatred of the Jewish people. The movie is partially true to the Biblical account of a Jewish woman who , at the risk of her own life, stands up to the King and a man named Haman , who was almost successful in convincing the king to wipe out all of the Jews in the land . In the Bible, one of the best lines is spoken by Mordecai , Esther's preceptor , who tries to assuage Esther's fear by saying, "Who knows, perhaps you have been chosen for such a time as this" . It was written : ¨Gather together all the fair young virgins unto the palace and let the maiden which pleased the king be queen¨ . In the end , Haman constructed a gallows from which to hang Mordecai whom he insisted was subversive , but things go awry .

This is the classical and biblical story of Esther , a book in the Old Testament and King Artexerxis , an important Persian king . This is a spectacular TV movie in every sense : filmmaker used spectacular palaces , luxurious gowns , full of beauties , and lots of extras . Writing and direction , however are average . ¨Esther and the king¨ is in the ordinary tradition , the best in mass audience , displaying great production design and lavishly made . There is romance , fights and intrigue as is common with many Old Testament accounts . Epic , rambling events and spectacle are regularly blended in this flick realized in Peplum style , if raggedly and tortuously scripted story of Esther and the King . Overacting acting by Thomas Kretschmann as King Ahasuerus and marvellous Louise Lombard who gives an enjoyable acting as the valiant Esther . Here Esther is portrayed as one who is not only fun-loving but brave and wise and Artexerxes is portrayed as a man who provides cruel measures and strong decisions ; subsequently , falling deeply in love with Esther . It boasts superior secondary cast plenty of known Italian actors . As support cast is pretty well , such as : F. Murray Abraham, Umberto Orsini , Renato Scarpa , Peter Guinness , Jürgen Prochnow as Haman who was hanged on his own gallows . There are other versions about these deeds titled ¨Esther and the King¨(1960) by Raoul Walsh with Joan Collins , Richard Egan , Denis O'Dea , Sergio Fantoni , Gabriele Tinti , Rosalba Neri , Daniela Rocca, Renato Baldini and ¨One night with the king¨ (2006) by Michael O. Sajbel with Tiffany Dupont as Hadassah / Esther , Luke Goss as King Xerxes , John Noble as Prince Admantha , Omar Sharif as Prince Memucan , John Rhys-Davies as Mordecai and James Callis a Haman, the Agagite.

This long epic Italian was shot in big scope and glimmer color by De Luxe well photographed by Giovanni Galasso , filmed on usual location in Ouarzazate, Morocco . Evocative and moving musical score by Carlo Siliotto . The motion picture financed by Lube Lux Vide/Betafilm , British Sky Broadcasting , in association with RAI and was professionally directed by Raffaele Mertes . He is a good cameran and director who has made a lot of TV movies , such as : María Magdalena (TV Movie) , José de Nazaret (TV Movie) , Tomas , Judas , Bible : Apocalypse , Un dottore quasi perfetto (TV Movie) , Sacred Family (TV Movie) , Carabinieri (TV Series) , Un amore e una vendetta , Angeli & diamanti , Questa è la mia terra , among others .

Contains a major deviation from scripture.

[dguizzetti · 8/10 · 9 September 2010]

This is a delightful production albeit a few notches below "Ester the Queen." I am surprised at the previous reviews that extol its Scriptural accuracy since Esther is the one book of Scripture that never mentions G*d by name, while the movie takes profound liberties in having numerous Jews calling on the Lord to save them from extermination and mentioning Him by name.

It is indeed irony worthy of G*d that the one book in which He not mentioned by name by the largely apostate Jewish remnant remaining in Persia, that He acts to elevate his people to high positions of trust and authority that eventually save the remnant from extinction.

Enjoy this movie and be sure to hiss at every mention of Haman's name.

Probably the best film about Esther so far.

[dawnblaste · 7/10 · 22 October 2013]

Keeping in mind the fact that this film was made in 1999 when technology was much more limited than it is today, this film is very good. It stays faithful to the book of Esther, but brings in other characters of the Bible, such as Ezra and Nehemiah. I'm not sure how historically accurate the timing is, but it was an interesting addition that helped keep the story in perspective.

I also enjoyed the brilliant acting on the part of the main characters. On this note, the king seemed a bit too childish for a king, but in a way it does seem possible for a pampered palace brat to remain so even when grown. Still, he gets really mature and romantic when it really counts, so all is forgiven. :)

The setting was alright, but I'm looking forward to a more recent version with a larger budget that will show Persia in all its glory.

True to the Book of Esther....

[shaliach · 23 February 2003]

This film is very true to the Book of Esther found in the Bible. The action follows the story (as told in the Bible) scene for scene and even much of the dialogue is the same as the original ("If it pleases the king..."). Highly recommended as a teaching tool in a religious school.

Good movie.

[jacobjohntaylor1 · 6/10 · 7 September 2019]

This is a good movie. I would not give 7 out of 10. That is overrating it. But it does have a good story line. It also has great acting. I would give it 6 out of 10. This is a good movie. See it. It is a very good.

Beauty conquered the king.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 8 March 2022]

As the second wife of the King of Persia, Queen Esther went from Jewish maiden to a very powerful woman, and use that power for good. Now that's the type of princess or queen to celebrate, and her goal is for her people to be able to live in peace. Under the reign of King Ahasuerus (Thomas Kretschmann), Queen Esther (Louise Lombard), corruption in his regime is discovered, through his own right hand man (Jürgen Prochnow), while Esther saves the life of her cousin/guardian F. Murray Abraham. This is a biblical story taking place during the time when the post-Exodus Jews were a scattered people, with many of them living in Persia, and Israel not yet under their control. This is years before David and Solomon, an era not much dealt with in the movies, although there was a 1960 B Epic with Joan Collins and Richard Egan, fun but mediocre, and easy to find 8n a public domain version.

This film, made over a year before its American TV release, is spectacular and certainly cinematic, and while not in a huge wide screen does look very good on modern televisions. Lombard certainly is quite a beauty, and very convincing. Abraham adds another memorable role to his many others, with Prochnow a great villain (given some noble qualities to make him less one dimensional) and Kretschmann a very commanding king who is allowed to be troubled, sometimes arrogant and proud. A shocking scene has Esther, picked up basically as a slave, and tossed into a harem, becoming the wife after the king gets rid of his first one, Vashti (Ornella Muti). One of many made for cable biblical films in the 90's and early 21st century, this is quite a stunning movie.

Well made and true to the Bible

[Avoura · 10/10 · 7 April 2006]

This is another film in the Time Life series of Bible films, and in "Esther" we see the events of the book of Esther from the Old Testament played out in a convincing and realistic way. The film sticks closely to the Bible narrative, even using the script word for word from the Bible, at least from the New King James Version, which I read along with the film while watching. Acting is excellent, and Louise Lombard does well in the title role. F Murray Abraham, an excellent actor, plays the part of Mordecai very well, and Thomas Kretschmann, whom I had not previously heard of, does an excellent job as King Ahaseurus. Jürgen Prochnow does a good job of playing the evil Haman, and by the time Haman is executed, I was hating Haman for his evil crimes, and regarding Mordecai, Esther and Ahaseurus with great admiration. The film also uses other Biblical characters, not mentioned in the book of Esther, but whose books come before Esther in the Bible, i.e. Ezra and Nehemiah. I am not sure if they were contemporary with Esther, or shortly after her time, but the way they are used in the film fits in very well with the story. I had previously seen a 1950s film with Joan Collins about Esther, which was totally wrong and mostly made up, whereas this film is very true to the Bible and worth seeing. Even if you have never read the Bible or know the story of Esther, I would recommend this film as it is a great film in its own right, and very enjoyable and watchable.

Exceptionally stirring

[joshualieder · 9/10 · 15 September 2001]

I have yet to read Esther fully in the Bible (but will tonight after this review) so I cannot comment on the scriptural accuracy of this film, but I will say that whether Jew or Christian, its an exceptional moving film and the main actress worthy of her title as "queen"!

F. Murray Abraham and the Louise Lombard are terrific and bring real feeling to their roles. I also leaped for joy when I saw Ezra and Nehemiah brought in as supporting roles. Of the films in this excellent DVD package (Solomon, Genesis and Jeremiah) I found this the most rewarding. Someone suggested that a theology student shouldn't be using this film and others like it as cliff notes for The Bible, but I would recommend them as a wonderful starting point and rewarding entertainment for others as well. My only wish is that the rest of the films in the series would get released on DVD (Notably "David" and "Moses". They are spiritually uplifting and well worth a rental or a purchase!

Ugh

[kate-hurlahe · 1/10 · 17 January 2020]

This was even worse than "The Story of Esther" which I didn't think was possible. If you want to have a good laugh by all means watch it...just make sure there is plenty of alcohol nearby.

Exceptional Movie

[francescoscinico · 9/10 · 2 December 2001]

This movie is exceptionally well made. It is also extremely faithful to the Scripture, except for the different notation on the result of the war between the Jews and their attackers among the Persian provinces. I saw some other movies of this Bible series, such as Joseph (another favorite of mine), David, and Solomon, and this one ranks up high with Joseph. The only thing I could think about after watching this movie was the magnitude of Esther's moral character. I was in awe when I saw the faith with which she prayed God. ***SPOILER: Maybe the scene that had the greatest impact was the one where Esther prostrated onto the ground to pray for the delivery of her people and fasted for three days and three nights. ***END SPOILER*** Awesome. Ten Stars.

Missing the mark

[hannasylph · 1/10 · 29 April 2023]

It boggles my mind how much money is spent on making a movie, but yet with all that they fail to realize it's bound to be a failure. These movie makers really missed the mark here. I think they were just in it for the money, knowing a biblical story is good bait. However, it seems as though they know nothing about God, His Holy Spirit, His ways, His people, or what it's like for His people to have a relationship with Him, the one true God. Otherwise I think it would have been great. The filming, cinematography, acting, and wardrobe were done well. However it doesn't follow the true story well enough at all, with any real understanding of that which really matters. It's meaning is lost here save the narrative.

Esther is a jewel

[cris-57 · 6 June 2005]

Obviously, as all movies based on The Bible this is only a good place to start one's introduction to The Bible....but this one is a very good intro in my opinion. As a student of The Bible for many years I found myself comparing the movie with the biblical text and found myself learning some interesting gems. For instance, this guy Ahasuerus really loved Esther deeply...which is brought out in the movie "and the scriptures" for those who care to note...why else would Ahasuerus offer Esther half the kingdom when she entered upon risk of her life and then he turns around later and offers to grant her request with "no limitations." There are other gems in this movie for those who care to see.

Perfect

[woundworld · 10/10 · 3 December 2014]

This movie's directing, editing, dialogue, scenography, acting and music are all 10/10. I really cannot find a fault and I find faults in most movies.

I may not agree with the roles of women in the society or that the proposed solution to the massacre is a massacre, but then again, a movie doesn't have to be feminist or pacifist, but to describe a story, and this is a nice story, though not of our time.

I suspect it may be looked down upon for its being a movie from the Bible and not being a big production. Probably no one expects excellency from it and its merits are not recognized. Its vote may depend more on what is expected such a production to be rated.

Accurate and inspiring

[artyyeo · 8/10 · 19 August 2013]

The accuracy of the movie is pretty high. Even the dialog has quoted large chunks of the Bible and in many parts, they have attempted to extract and paraphrased many verses. It is quite biblical. I am inspired.

Here are the parts which are most inspiring:

1) Mordecai wailing in the streets, crying and praying. It depicted a man without any inhibition when it comes to expressing his emotions to God. It was recorded in the Bible and the movie depicted it accurately.

2) The emphasis on the 3 days and nights fasting with praying was clearly depicted and was again very inspiring. Many verses from other parts of the Old Testament were quoted in their prayers. It relates fasting with a national catastrophe.

3) In the end, the wooing of the king by Esther was again accurately presented. Through her gutsy courage to appear before the court uninvited and throwing the two banquets for the king and Haman, the final climax was accurately depicted again.

The movie, in short, was done to inspire and uplift the viewer spiritually. Well done and God bless!

I love it!

[vesy6 · 10/10 · 22 April 2014]

I have to say i really got exited by this movie and i am not a model Christian. I am not an atheist but i haven't read the bible, I don't go to church, I don't keep lent, I don't pray. I don't even watch Bible movies. But I am really glad I saw this one. It speaks very well of it since it can excite even someone like me. There is faith, there is history, there is romance. It feels like a fairy tale for adults and I mean this in a positive way.

The actors have done a wonderful job and what really pleases me is by the words of the other reviewers the film is faithful to the the way it is depicted in the Bible. I have always thought "When you film a book, be accurate" and I think this should be considered especially for the book of books.

Marvelous, powerful movie. 10/10.

Girl's movie night--clean, romantic, accurate adaptation

[a_rosehall · 8/10 · 26 December 2010]

This was the second version of the story of Esther that I have watched (third if you count the VeggieTales version), and it was much better than the other I'd watched. As far as I can remember the other Esther I watched--"One Night With the King"--had poor acting, and I was not pleased with it's adaptation of the Bible story. I was concerned that I'd find the same problems with this version; however, I was pleasantly surprised.

"Esther" follows the Biblical account very well (which is one of the most romantic and exciting Bible stories--it has its own book of the Bible); in fact it brought some aspects of the story to light that I'd never noticed before. The actress playing Esther was perfect for the role (in fact, all the casting was well done). There was beautiful romance, but it did not "cross the lines" (in other words, minimal skin showed), and my mother and I fully enjoyed watching it together.

Movie is a beautiful depiction of the Book of Esther from Bible

[Apprentice2222 · 25 December 2006]

This movie was a great rendition of the book of Esther. It showed God's love and plan for our lives and His people even though we don't see it.

The book of Esther had two major themes in it for me, one was how a wife is to prepare for her husband, Esther prepared for the King 12 months, second Esther's obedience that ultimately led to the Jewish people being spared from slaughter. Please notice that the queen could only be summoned by the King, Esther and the Jewish people prayed and fasted for three days in order to soften the King's heart when Esther approached him unannounced.

The movie also showed the sweet relationship between Esther and the King.

I highly recommend this movie! Tania

The 1999 movie of "Esther" is Most Honest & Accurate!

[63x927is58401 · 10/10 · 7 February 2015]

The two earlier movies, "Esther and the King" & "One Night with the King" are not more than ten % to twenty-five % honest & accurate! This one is by far, the best of all! Actress, Ginger Rogers portrayed Esther in one of those two earlier movies, I typed (up above & on to line of paragraph). I strongly want to own a DVD of Esther (1999)! PS: An additional fact to another IMDb member & commenter: Esther is not the only Biblical book that "God" is not listed/written in it! Very few know that Song of Solomon does not have "God" written/listed in it, either, (while so many know "God" is not written Esther, if not every body). In Sincerest Honesty. Additional facts of Mordecai, he is also in Ezra, as a new temple was to be built (after the Jews' 70 years of captivity, was ended by King Cyrus).