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David and Bathsheba

David and Bathsheba

Drama · Romance · History · 1951

King David enters into an adulterous affair with the beautiful Bathsheba, which has tragic consequences for his family and Israel.

Movie details

David and Bathsheba

“Mighty as Goliath!”

1951 Drama · Romance · History 2h 3m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.8 / 10

Community rating

King David enters into an adulterous affair with the beautiful Bathsheba, which has tragic consequences for his family and Israel.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over David and Bathsheba?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Solomon and Sheba

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Near death, King David has a vision that his poet son, Solomon, should succeed him, rather than hot-headed Adonijah. Furious, Adonijah departs the court, swearing he will become king. Other rulers are concerned that Solomon's benevolent rule and interest in monotheism will threaten their tyrannical, polytheistic kingdoms. The Queen of Sheba makes an agreement with the Egyptian pharaoh to corrupt Solomon for their mutual benefit.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Henry King

Written by

Philip Dunne

Gregory Peck

Gregory Peck

King David

Susan Hayward

Susan Hayward

Bathsheba

Kieron Moore

Kieron Moore

Uriah

Raymond Massey

Raymond Massey

Nathan

James Robertson Justice

James Robertson Justice

Abishai

Jayne Meadows

Jayne Meadows

Michal

John Sutton

John Sutton

Ira

Court is in session

Put David and Bathsheba on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.