KING DAVID
US, 1985, 114 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Edward Woodward, Alice Krige, Dennis Quilley, Niall Buggy, Cherie Lunghi, Hurd Hatfield, John Castle, Tim Woodward, David de Keyser.
Directed by Bruce Beresford.
King David was Bruce Beresford’s second film overseas from Australia after the success and Oscar wins and nominations for Tender Mercies in 1983. Critics were not kind to this film at its time of release – but it seems better in retrospect.
The film is strongly based on the biblical books of Samuel and Kings, the Books of Chronicles and the Psalms. It was written by Andrew Birkin and James Costigan, often including voice-overs of the Psalms for Richard Gere’s interior life and memories. The film has strong technical qualities, photographed by Donald McAlpine?, regular cinematographer for Bruce Beresford, production designed by Ken Adam.
Richard Gere seems an unlikely choice for the role of King David but he acquits himself successfully. A British cast is very strong in support especially with a very strong Edward Woodward as a distraught Saul, Alice Krige as a rather haughty Bathsheba and Cherie Lunghi as a vengeful Michal. Dennis Quilley is Samuel.
The film follows the chronological order of David’s life, focusing on his choice as the son of Jesse to be king in succession to Saul, his being anointed by Samuel. It traces his years of service to Saul, the clash with Goliath and the marriage to Michal leading to Saul’s hostility. When David becomes king, there is the famous sequence of his dancing excitedly before the Ark of the Covenant. The episode with Bathsheba is to the fore, the denunciation by Nathan, but the history becomes far more complex with David’s years on the throne, the revolution by Absalom, the succession by Solomon. However, it is an interesting exploration of the biblical story. There had been the epic David and Bathsheba with Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward in 1951, a film with Orson Welles as David, David and Goliath. The biblical series, made in the 1990s, featured Nathanial Parker as David.
The film indicates the development of Hebrew theology from the early times to the coming of Christ, especially the interpretation of God’s will, violence exercised in the name of God (as, here, when Samuel slays Agag). An interesting film for discussion and for opening up biblical themes.
1.The impact of this film? Biblical epic? Different from traditional biblical epics? The stories of David on-screen – especially David and Bathsheba?
2.Audience knowledge of the story of David? Saul and Samuel? Knowledge of the Bible? The use of the Bible texts and the impact for an audience? Especially those not familiar with the texts?
3.The re-creation of Judea 1000BC? The atmosphere of the times, the countryside? The city of Jerusalem? The staging of familiar scenes from the scriptures? David and Goliath? The battle and the death of Saul? David dancing before the Ark? David and Bathsheba? The aspects of Jerusalem, palaces? The musical score?
4.The screenplay, its use of language? Overtones of biblical translations? The use of the voice-over for King David? His reciting the Psalms? Giving an insight into his character?
5.The focus on Saul, his appearance, Edward Woodward’s screen presence and style? His being chosen as king of Israel? The friendship with Samuel? Samuel’s anointing him? The nature of the monarchy in Israel? God as king? The king as subordinate? Saul and his battles against the enemies, the Amalekites? The capture of Agag? The sparing of Agag, Saul’s reasons, Samuel’s anger? Samuel interpreting God’s will and its brutality? His slaying of Agag? The impact on Saul, his rejection? His psychological state after the rejection? His reliance on Jonathan, Jonathan’s friendship with David? Saul’s attitude to David, accepting him in his palace? David and his skills with music, soothing Saul? His reaction to David’s slaying of Goliath? David and his becoming a champion? Saul allowing his daughter to marry David? His fears, paranoia, worrying about David taking the crown from him? David’s escape, Saul hunting him, the passing of the years? David and his sparing Saul’s life? Saul and his battle against the Philistines? The final battle, Gilboa, Jonathan’s death, Saul’s own death? Wanting someone to help him die? Saul and his election by God, his defying God’s will, his failure?
6.David and his family, Jesse and his sons? David as the shepherd? Samuel’s visit, his wanting to get a new king, the people’s clamour? Samuel wary of a king? The choice of David? David and his going to Saul’s court? Samuel as a character, strong personality, his speaking on behalf of God, his violent interpretation of God’s will? His grief over the rejection of Saul?
7.David and his going to the court, his music, his friendship with Jonathan? The battle with Goliath, Goliath, his personality, threats to David? David and his shrewdness, the sling, the stone, Goliath’s head? David becoming a champion of the Israelite army? Saul and his reaction, Saul killing his thousands, David his tens of thousands? David and the moods of Saul? His marrying Michal? Her attitude, love, coming to spurn him? Handling Saul’s paranoia about the succession? Saul’s decision that David should die, David escaping, Jonathan helping him, the priests at Nob? The place of the Ark of the Covenant? Saul pursuing David, David’s wits, avoiding battle, not killing Saul when he had the opportunity? The impact of Saul’s death?
8.David and his becoming king, Samuel’s blessing him? The coronation, the celebration, the Ark of the Covenant – and its religious significance? The ten commandments, the covenant – coming into the city, David’s plan for the temple? His exhilaration of dancing before the Ark? Michal and her spurning him?
9.David as ruler, ageing, maturing? His marriages? The nature of the monarchy, the wisdom of his rule?
10.The episode with Bathsheba? Her bathing, his being on the roof, seeing her, lust? Bringing her to the palace? The difficulty of Uriah? His arranging Uriah’s place in battle, Uriah not wanting to go home to his wife, complicating the situation for David, David’s malice, lust, murder and brutality?
11.The prophet Nathan, his place in the court, his warnings? His threats to David despite the promises that David’s line would continue? The parable and David realising that he was the guilty one? David and his grief? His marriage to Bathsheba, the death of his son?
12.The passing of the years? The threat from Absalom? Absalom and his character, wild, Amnon and his attack on Tamar, Absalom’s vengeance? His being exiled? His decision to plot against his father? Joab and the pursuit of Absalom, hanging in the tree, his death?
13.David and the consequences of his actions? His age, sad? The disgrace? The issue of building the temple and Nathan’s threat? His entrusting the Ark of the Covenant, the temple building, the succession to Solomon? Audience knowledge of Solomon and his rule? David telling his story so that it would be written down?
14.The impact of the story of David, its being one of the central stories of the Jewish scriptures? Jesus as son of David? The importance of the story in Christian tradition? The significance in biblical stories and consciousness that a king can sin, but that also a king can repent? Israel and the tradition of admitting the faults of its heroes?
