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Solomon

1997

Action / Adventure / Biography / Drama / History

Plot summary


Uploaded by: FREEMAN

Director

Top cast

Vivica A. Fox Photo
Vivica A. Fox as Queen of Sheba
Dexter Fletcher Photo
Dexter Fletcher as Rehoboam
Max von Sydow Photo
Max von Sydow as David
G.W. Bailey Photo
G.W. Bailey as Azarel
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
1.57 GB
1280*714
English 2.0
PG-13
23.976 fps
2 hr 54 min
P/S 1 / 7
3.22 GB
1920*1072
English 5.1
PG-13
23.976 fps
2 hr 54 min
P/S 0 / 5

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by marcin_kukuczka7 / 10

First Objective Glimpse into 'Wise King of Israel'

The biblical films can be divided into two sorts of screen adaptations: accurate ones and sheer travesties. While the first group refer to movies that treat the biblical content seriously and result in accurate depictions, the latter ones refer to freely adapted Hollywood productions that are rather 'celebrities vehicles' than 'biblical stories.' And among such Old Testamental figures popular in cinema like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, there is also Solomon, the son of king David, a great ruler of Israel known for his wisdom, the king who built the Temple of the Lord in the city of Jerusalem. But is it the only thing to know about Solomon?

Of course, the significant factor for many people is the artistic side of the movie. Directed by Roger Young (known for having made quite a few biblical epics),the movie is made with a flair for history concerning sets, locations, wardrobe, music and the general mood of the distant past in which the action takes place. Pure imagination, at moments, that occurs convincing. Most of the scenes, including the funeral of David, the entrance of Queen Sheba, the wise judgment by Solomon or the daybreak of temple solemnity will stun you as a viewer and an epic buff. In spite of the fact that there aren't many extras in this movie, the producers make a perfect use of their budget limitations.

Besides, referring to the words of the Norwegian reviewer, I absolutely agree that the cast in the film are really unforgettable, including the famous celebrities as well as the unexperienced ones who are given the supporting roles. Ben Cross in the lead leaves a lasting impact on the viewer's imagination. He does a brilliant job portraying Solomon's weakness combined with wisdom, Solomon's deepening reason combined with growing tolerance. Vivica A. Fox calls our attention to the southern beauty that the famous Queen of Sheba must have been. She once again portrays a figure so popular in cinema and portrayed by Betty Blythe in 1921 and Gina Lollobrigida in 1959. There, however, the "Shebas" focused on the queen's "sex appeal" (using today's terms),Ms Fox, however, adds to it such virtues like affection and subtleness. Anouk Aimee is memorable as Bathsheba, now the elderly woman who is no longer absorbed by sensual love but what she concerns about is reign. Here, a note should be made of Max von Sydow as old king David in the first 50 minutes of the movie. But acting and visual merits are not all that make the film worth seeing.

SOLOMON is a new challenge for biblical movie buffs primarily because it is the first film that gives us a clear and a very accurate insight into Solomon, the king and Solomon, the man. Solomon, considered one of the wisest men of the Bible, is, at the same time, more revealed with his weaknesses and idolatry that appeared in the later years of his life and are indeed historical. The movie, in this case, seems to break a kind of cliché that arose at the Israeli king. Solomon, searching wisdom and asking for wisdom in the famous prayer to God, receives this and uses this for the goodness of his people. Yet, in the very depth of his heart, he lets himself be absorbed by personal choices over political ones; in other words, he begins to think of himself more as a man than as a king and that leads him to confusion and division of the kingdom. It is the Solomon who once built the Temple of the Lord and now finds everything vain. It is the Solomon whose heart was once devoted to one True God and now offers sacrifices to mute idols. It is not the Solomon absorbed by lust only, like it is in case of SOLOMON AND SHEBA, but the controversial personality that we find in the Bible. How universal it is!

Therefore, I would recommend everyone to see this film. Perhaps, it won't make you love biblical movies. Nevertheless, it will truly make you reflect that all the wisdoms of today's world are never able to achieve the spirit and psychology of a single biblical story.

Reviewed by kovalan7 / 10

Much out of tune with Scripture

Where this video is out of tune: • Rehoboam is born in video AFTER Solomon is crowned--where the math of Scripture indicates he was born PRIOR ("Rehoboam was 41 years old when he became king and reigned 17 years in Jerusalem"); Solomon's reign is described as 40 years. • Rehoboam is described in video as if born to a Jewish mother--when his mother was Ammonitess named Naamah--this also leads to obvious plot-hole later (Zadok's statement that son born to Sheba-queen cannot be heir--when obviously not the case, as Rehoboam was born to Naamah) • A great deal of the video centres on the Queen of Sheba--where Scripture has a few lines; in contrast, much less time is devoted to the construction and dedication of the Temple (to which Scripture devotes entire chapter, as it was the king's crowning-glory) • Jeroboam is shown in rather good light, as being zealous for God and rebuking Solomon when the latter deviated--Scripture does not indicate Jeroboam as godly prior to becoming king of Northern Kingdom, and also indicates that he went further from God than Solomon, even to the point where he could not be turned back to God.

Reviewed by mark.waltz5 / 10

Sloppy Sheba.

This is an acceptable TV biblical epic that is beautiful too look at but filled with a bunch of laughable elements that ruin it in the end. Ben Cross is a good choice for the son of David, played by Max Von Sydow who earlier played a descendent of David named Jesus. Anouk Aimee is a very dignified Bathsheba, but as the queen of the nearby Sheba, Viveca Fox is embarrassing. She makes her way into the film 70 minutes and six minutes later is explaining to Cross why she is not going to marry him. Her performance never rings true, and I never felt that she had any of the strength and passion that Gina Lollobrigida did in the 1959 King Vidor epic which I described as "Solomon was wise. Hollywood is otherwise."

So we do get the basic stories of Solomon that are told in the Bible that everyone has read over and over. So we do get David's declaration of Solomon as his heir and successor, the attempt of David's other son Absolom to usurp the throne for himself, the bloody deaths that come from this and of course the fight for custody of a baby whom two women claim is their child. Cross is a far better choice for the role of Solomon than Yul Brynnur, and his wisdom is wisely mixed with his imperfections and conflictions. But this is a Sunday school class in theme which makes it a not very challenging story of a very challenging theme.

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