Watch The Bible: In the Beginning

The Bible: In the Beginning is a 1966 movie that retells the stories of the first 22 chapters of the Book of Genesis, which is the first book of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. The three-hour epic production was directed by John Huston, and it starred Michael Parks as Adam, Ulla Bergryd as Eve, and Richard Harris as Cain. The Bible: In the Beginning is a fascinating and ambitious project that tried to bring to the screen the stories of the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Great Flood, and the Tower of Babel. The movie is divided into several chapters, each of them dedicated to a specific episode of the Bible. While the movie is an adaptation of the biblical text, it does take some liberties with the original stories, adding some of Huston's own interpretations and expanding the narrative in some ways.

The movie opens with a stunning sequence that shows the creation of the universe, the formation of the planets, and the emergence of life on Earth. The narration is accompanied by mesmerizing visuals that show the beauty and the complexity of nature. After the creation sequence, the movie introduces Adam and Eve, the first human beings created by God. The movie follows the couple as they explore the Garden of Eden, meet the serpent, and eventually disobey God's commandment not to eat from the tree of knowledge. From there, the movie follows the fates of their two sons, Cain, and Abel.

The story of Cain and Abel is one of the most well-known episodes in the Bible, and the movie does a good job of showing the rivalry, jealousy, and eventual violence that ensues between the two brothers. Michael Parks gives a convincing performance as the angry and stubborn Cain, while Richard Harris is excellent as the innocent and pure Abel. The movie also introduces the character of Lilith, a mythological figure who was believed to be Adam's first wife before Eve. Lilith is portrayed as a seductive and dangerous woman who tempts Cain into sin.

The second half of the movie focuses on the story of Noah and the Great Flood. The movie presents Noah as a righteous and faithful man who is chosen by God to build an ark and save his family and a pair of each animal from the flood. The scenes of the flood are impressive, with the movie showing the destruction and chaos that ensues as the water rises. The movie also explores the moral themes of the story, showing the consequences of sin and the importance of following God's will.

The movie ends with the story of the Tower of Babel, which is a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and arrogance. The Tower of Babel was a structure built by humans who wanted to reach the sky and become like gods. God punishes the builders by confusing their language, making it impossible for them to communicate with each other, and scattering them across the earth. The movie portrays the Tower of Babel as a symbol of human ambition and the dangers of ego and selfishness.

Overall, The Bible: In the Beginning is an ambitious and visually stunning movie that tries to bring to life the stories of the Bible. While the movie takes some liberties with the original text and adds its interpretations, it remains faithful to the overarching themes of the stories while remaining accessible and engaging for modern audiences. The strong performances by the cast, combined with Huston's direction, make for a memorable cinematic experience that is still impressive more than five decades after its release.

The Bible: In the Beginning is a 1966 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 54 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.2.