David and Bathsheba

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  • David and Bathsheba -- In Philip Dunne's somber biblical adaptation, King David (Gregory Peck) secretly orders one of his commanders (Kieron Moore) killed in battle so he can marry the man's widow (Susan Hayward), then faces God's wrath on him and his people. By avoiding the ostentatious spectacle usually associated with biblical epics, director Henry King weakens the impact of David's youthful triumphs shown in flashbacks but strengthens the narrative's main focus on the king's moral weaknesses and the complexity of their consequences -- human and divine. Mature theme and treatment. (A-III) (br) ( 1951 )




    These movies have been evaluated for artistic merit and moral suitability by the media reviewing division of Catholic News Service. The reviews include the CNS rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

    The classifications are as follows:

    A-I -- general patronage;
    A-II -- adults and adolescents;
    A-III -- adults;
    L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
    O -- morally offensive.

    Note: Some movies previously were designated A-IV. Older films with this classification should be regarded as classified L.

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