screenplay by Norman Corwin
This was the third and the last feature of the cycle Cine canario: Cines Wood, Royal y Rosales by Asociación de Cine Vértigo. As I learned yesterday, the Cine Rosales of Arucas specialised in religious and war movies, so probably its owners thought La historia de Ruth was a fitting film to show at its inauguration on 22 March 1963.
Well, it is loosely based on the Book of Ruth of the Old Testament. To say that the authors of the film took liberties with the biblical text would be an understatement. The whole life of Ruth prior to her marriage to Mahlon — involving her stint as a Chemosh priestess — was invented. Then again, simple mention of the fact that she had a husband and then he died (Ruth 1:5) does’t make a good Hollywood movie. Lots of gold and human sacrifice parafernalia à la The Road to El Dorado, complete with a Mesoamerican-style pyramid, do. And, of course, romance. Mahlon (Tom Tryon) is cute, Ruth (Elana Eden) is beautiful indeed.
Ruth: Tell me more about your Jehovah of the many names.
Mmmm.
In the land of Judea, the arrival of Naomi (Peggy Wood) in a company of a young attractive widow does not go unnoticed. Two male relatives of Naomi, Boaz (Stuart Whitman) and, er, another one, promptly come sniffing around. More drama and, thankfully, a bit of comedy ensue. Don’t miss the guest appearance of an oldster (Eduard Franz) who calls himself, wait for it, Jehoam. God almighty.
Saying all that: it’s a fine movie. I only wish I could watch it without constant forward-referencing to Life of Brian in my head.
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