One Night with the King
by Michael O. Sajbel
List Price:
Our Price: $5.98
You Save: $9.00 (60%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.47 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: John Noble, John Rhys-Davies, Luke Goss, Omar Sharif, Tiffany DupontDirector: Michael O. Sajbel
Brand: Fox
Producer: Carlos DeMattos
Producer: John Nelson
Producer: Laurie Crouch
Producer: Lawrence Mortorff
Writer: Mark Andrew Olsen
Writer: Stephan Blinn
Writer: Tommy Tenney
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 123 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-01-30
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Reviews of One Night with the King
DVD Review: S T I L L......A......B I T......D I S A P P O I N T E 3 Stars
Lights! Camera! Weird costuming? Sadly, yes. The worst part of this movie is the weirdest justaposition of costuming I have ever seen in any movie! King Ahasures wears clothing -- and crowns -- more suitable for King Arthur! His evil cousin looks like someone dressed straight out of the court of Louis XIV! Esther-Hadassah, and the other aspirants for queenhood, are dressed in clothing that could easily be mistaken for 19th century party dresses. And Queen Vashti, is dressed in one scene in a dress that could have come from the court of Louis XVI, (without a petticoat), and in another, with a head-gear that could easily have been from Outer Space -- or somewhere. A little research on the part of the costume designer could have gone a long way in making this film look, and feel, more realistic! (More on the bad costuming to come.....)The best part of this film? The Music! Melodic without getting maudlin, the music echos the best "movie spectacular" music of past. The themes sounded timeless....most could have been used in any spectacle film. There is just a tiny touch of what we have come to expect as "ancient Hebraic"....but it is generalized, far more, into the genre of "general grand movie heroic" ....which is good -- because I, for one, find myself exteremely embarrassed at the maudlin tone too-often given "Jewish" music offered in most films. Thankfully -- and beautifully -- a "grand movie heroic" score more than sufficed here.
This movie, indeed, tries hard to be good, in all departments. You can tell that everyone involved
in it was very dedicated to bringing The Bible's Book of Esther to life.
Tiffany Dupont was truly excellent and very, very believable as the
girl-into-woman queen, and, as Xerxes, Luke Goss was almost as credible.
Omar Sharif, as always, was truly a standout, in believability of character, and acting. Unfortunately, (as always), John Ryhs-Davis
comes across as trying just a bit too hard, (except in the very beginning scenes when Ms. Dupont -- as Hadassah -- dances around their modest
home, and Mr. Rhys-Davis, it seemed, could not help but be caught up in
the believabilty of the moment she has created. Mr. Rhys-Davis is a fine
actor -- if only he didn't try so hard, which leads to over-acting, if only just slightly. Relax, please Mr. Rhys-Davis -- just pretend you are
the character and don't try so hard. You don't have to try that hard....your very considerable screen presence does that for you; just relax, and "go with the flow", as they say.
Peter O'Toole, at the beginning, in an important cameo part, also over-
acts a bit. But his part, though prominent, is too miniscule to notice the over-acting very much.
The script was more at fault in the unbelievability of the story than any of the actors, however. Firstly, we are treated to the ludicrous idea Hadassah's Uncle Mordechai is finally allowing his neice to travel, on her own, back to Judea, as is now permitted Jews of the Persian Empire to finally do. Jews -- yes. Young girls -- NO! We'ere still in Biblical times, here, don't forget! Young women were VERY closely guarded -- especially one so beloved by her uncle as Haddassah! She is NOT a 20th or 21sr century woman, don't forget! Hadassah appears to be about 17 when the movie begins -- and for a well-brought-up, 17-year-old girl to be given permission by her uncle/guardian to trapse, (all by herself!) to Jerusalem from Shushan, is about as believable as that same Uncle/Guardian to ask her to become a "loose woman"! Because, in those days, it could easily have evolved into the very same thing! It's true that, a little LATER on in the film, her could-be boyfriend, Jessie, did offer to go with her.....but this was totally of his OWN idea, and was not, (incredibly), even mentioned by Mordechai! (We're NOT talking about a 20th or 21st-century career girl here. Yes, Mordechai taught Hadassah to read -- unusual enough. But....going to Jerusalem....alone????? NICE girls just didn't do that.....Then!
It was also truly heart-breaking, just a little later on, to see Hadassah's beginning-to-be-boyfriend, (at the start of the movie), turned
forcibly into a palace servant....and more..... He starts out as a
very handsome guy, with an, (OK, slightly incongruous), fine head of very blonde hair, a mischievous, carefree manner, and colorful clothes...and winds up with a scarf on his head, hiding his hair, (or is that a new, forced baldness), wearing olive-drab palace servant garb. He and Hadassah
had wanted to go to live in Jerusalem... But on the day, (with Hadassah's
Uncle Mordechai's consent), they were about to do this.....Hadassah is
captured to be a candidate in the new-queen contest, while poor Jesse is also captured....and more of him is taken off than his hair! I don't know....but it really seemed to me that before this, Haddassah and Jesse were beginning to fall in love....and then this queen-thing had to happen. If I had been Haddassah-Esther, I would have found it VERY difficult indeed to fall in love with a king....no matter how kind or how handsome....if his orders had completely ruined the life, (and manhood), of the boy I was beginning to like.... Jesse does wind up as the Queen's ally, which is nice to see. But -- to make the story more believable, and Xerxes' and Esther's love more real -- I would have eliminated the character of Jesse altogether. Or make him fall in love with, or be promised to, someone else. As it is, having the movie turn Jessie into an unwilling servant makes Esther -- even with all the believabilty Tiffany Dupont puts into the character -- seem awfully fickle.....
Persian men -- especially Persian rulers -- mostly wore beards. LONG, artificially curling beards. Today's audience, however, usually does not find long, curling beards on men as attractive. I was wondering how this situation would be handled. Well, it was handled giving Xerxes a mustache, and just a small beard. OK --- but they weren't curling, after the manner of the real Ancient Persians. This -- plus his long straight hair, and pointed crown, made him look more like King Arthur than Xerxes!
SOMETHING more should have been done!
I noticed that Haman's amulet, the Aggite symbol, resembled a swastika in
some respects. I don't know if this was accurate, but it speaks volumes to a modern audience. However, although known as Aggites, Haman's ancestral people are better known as the AMALIKITES. Both ancestral names could have been used...but in this movie, only the word "Aggite" described this ethnic group. And -- in the Bible, at least in the Jewish versions -- Xerxes is known as "Ahasures". Surely -- at least at the beginning of the movie, within the Hebrew quarter of the city -- he should have been referred to, at least once, as "Ahasures". But no, the king is always called "Xerxes", (his Greek name!), throughout the movie.
And the capital city of the Persian Empire was always "Shushan", as far as I know. Here, for some unfathonable reason, it is always "Suzhan".
Not as big a blunder, in my estimation, as the costuming-from-King-Arthur's-day-masquerading as Biblical garb, or the non-curling, even a little, of King Ahasure's (who????) beard....but still adding to the non-believability of the action on-screen.
The King's evil cousin wears a hairstyle that would be at home in the court of Louis XIII. Vashti's clothes seem right out of the court of Louis XV....and her hairstyle, in one crucial scene, seems from outer-space, or somewhere. These multi-century costumes had me thinking of the fantasy TV series, "Dinotopia", where people from many centuries come together, co-existing with each other and with dinosaurs. Not a bad show -- but should NOT be something one is reminded of, via costuming, watching a movie version of The Book of Esther! A real no-no, that could SO easily have been prevented by a little historical costume research. (Strangely, Omar Shariff's costumes...although perhaps not 100% authentic...did NOT look out of place at all. Dark and/or flowing, they
took one immediately to Ancient Persia, especially when he was bareheaded, and did not have to wear the only slightly incongruous headgear given him. As for most of the other costumes....a real mix-up, or, as the Yiddish expression goes, "Kasha & Borsht" (don't mix!)
The towering scenery takes one's breath away. However, I'm not sure it is accurate. I DO know, however, that the SEWING of cloth into clothing
did not take place until about the 1400s. Before then, people mostly draped their garments. Too many costumes in this Biblical epic came across as looking as if they were from the 14th century....A.D, NOT B.C!
The diadems of the Biblical periods I have seen are mainly ciclets, some gold, and some with jewels....but NOT with points! Xerxes looked too much like King Arthur in too many scenes! And Esther-Hadassah's dresses looked far too much like party-dressees from the 1890s, instead of the draped robes people wore in biblical times! This mis-juxtapositioning of clothing styles takes a LOT away from the believabilty of the movie!
The script was creditable in most scenes. But in other scenes, credulity was strained by stilted dialogue. And embarrassing dialogue. The last scene, wherein Mordechai, newly made a minister-advisor to the King, decribes himself as, "I, Mordechai, Prince of Persia....a Jew", is truly embarrassing to those who, like myself, were taught in Hebrew School that Jews are no better, and no worse than anyone else, and that the only reason Jews are called "The Chosen People" is because they were chosen to help God give the world The Ten Commandments. But that happened 5,000 years ago....and today, every Human Being is pretty much the same, with only God above everyone! (One God = everyone is equal -- get it????)
It was nice, however, to see Haman lump together the "democracy" ideal of the Greeks, (the enemy of the Persians), with the "one God" idea of the Jews, (who were the enemy of Haman). If the villian of a film puts two groups together as his enemies, then they are, per force, both good-guy
groups, and have a lot in common! As in Tiffany Dupont's delightful and realistic portrayal of, not just a Jewish girl....but a Human one....this putting together of "Jews" and "Greeks" -- even by Haman, the bad guy, should help to bring ALL people together, as good guys....and for all of us "good guys" to see more similarity than differences in each other.
This movie is a LOT better than the truly awful 1961 epic, Esther And The King, which is full of hackneyed dialogue, and which actually OMITS the climactic scene wherein Queen Esther, risking her life for her peoples', enters the King's throne-room unannounced. Mordechai, melodramatically, appears in chains in once scene in "Esther and The King", and, although the stars in that 1961 movie, (Joan Collins and Richard Eagan), try real hard, nothing could save it, with that hackneyed dialogue and script. ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING is certainly an improvement.....but the BEST version I have read of this story, (and there are many book versions), is
Gladys Malvern's true classic "BEHOLD YOUR QUEEN", (also reveiewed by me
for Amazon.) Now, THAT book would make the PERFECT "Purim" movie....and I do hope someone buys the rights to it soon, and makes a movie of it.
In the meantime, despite it's many flaws and inadequacies, "One Night With The King", seems to be the best "Purim" movie we have, at least so far....
P.S. I'm looking forward to seeing other movies with TIFFANY DUPONT them!
If there is one spark of true vitality, and even more important, true
believability in "One Night With The King".....Ms. DuPont is it!!!!!
Description of One Night with the King
ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING - DVD MovieBestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Peter & Paul DVDRelease date: 2002-12-01; DVD
Best price: $12.46
Price in other shops:
Joseph (The Bible Collection)TURNER HM ENTERTAINM; Release date: 2005-06-07; DVD
Best price: $12.86
Price in other shops:
David: The Bible CollectionNEW Line Home Video; Release date: 2005-09-06; DVD
Best price: $11.80
Price in other shops:
Esther and The KingUni; Release date: 2010-03-02; DVD
Best price: $8.41
Price in other shops:
The Gospel of JohnBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2005-03-15; DVD
Best price: $5.77
Price in other shops:
The Book Of RuthRelease date: 2010-01-12; DVD
Best price: $11.36
Price in other shops:
JeremiahSony; Release date: 2010-05-18; DVD
Best price: $7.81
Price in other shops:
The Story of RuthRELIGIOSA; Release date: 2006-03-14; DVD
Best price: $5.46
Price in other shops:
The Nativity StoryNEW Line Home Video; Release date: 2007-03-20; Published: 2007-03-01; DVD
Best price: $3.25
Price in other shops:
EstherSony; Release date: 2010-03-02; DVD
Best price: $9.04
Price in other shops: