Esther (1999 film)

The Bible - Esther is a television film about the life of Queen Esther. These Bible adaptation is one of the few in which a woman is the main actor.

Action

The film follows the biblical narrative in the book of the same:

The young Jewish girl Hadassah lives with her uncle Mordechai in exile in Persia, which ruled by Xerxes I, a melancholy king, who repudiates his wife, Queen Vashti, as this is not him someday will. But it requires him soon after a woman. That's why he lets young women from all parts of the kingdom to procrastinate at the yard. So also the orphan Hadassa arrives at the royal court, which is now called Esther.

Esther pleases the king so well that he soon marries it. An assassination attempt on the king is frustrated by the attention of Mordecai. But their lives in power and wealth is clouded by the fact that Haman, the royal adviser who has bought and murder them in the place of the treasurer, plans, everywhere eradicate his enemies, the Jews in the Reich. It shall adopt a law which announces the drawn one day to their destruction. His personal enemy Mordechai, the news of Esther bring that dares to go against the laws uncalled king.

After Haman has suffered great shame when he has to honor Mordecai, whom the king so thanks for his services, Xerxes is invited Haman to the banquet with Esther; Esther opened her husband's treachery of Haman, which is then hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai.

Mordechai, the new treasurer, and Esther can by another law aimed at limiting the loss of people; the Jewish population remains partly in Persia, and partly returned to her home country.

Background

The film marks the directorial debut of cinematographer Raffaele Mertes and was filmed in Morocco.

The aim of the authors was to convey that women may well take leading roles in Bible movies.

A clever trick is to incorporate the prophets Ezra and Nehemiah in the story, although it is unlikely that they lived at the time of Esther, let alone knew Mordecai.

Criticism

" Colorful, to literary adaptation accuracy tried with international stars, which weakens the legendary character of biblical submission in favor repair faulty trains and ironic overtones makes it sound. "

" Even in this film in the series, the appearance is the biggest plus: Ornate, built on a 1:1 scale, very aesthetic and realistic scenes represent the ancient city of Susa and lead the viewer impressive all the splendor of ancient Persia before his eyes - captured by a really nice camera work. Raffaele Mertes has a knack for small, lively and entertaining everyday scenes that enrich the film immensely - which also has exactly 90 minutes, the right length to still be entertaining (...) "

Synchronization

  • Esther: Andreschka Grossmann
  • Mordechai: Walter Niklaus
  • Haman: Jürgen Prochnow
  • King Xerxes: Thomas Kretschmann
  • Queen Vashti: Evelyn Maron
  • Ezra: Till Hagen
  • Harbonah: Victor Deiß
  • Memucan: Dieter Bellmann
  • Hegai: Roland Hemmo
  • Maimuna: Gabriele Streichhahn
  • Hatach: Gerd Grasse
  • Bigtan: Klaus Lochthove
Italy 1999 in film Screenplay Film score Book of Esther Xerxes I. Haman (biblical figure) Kirch Group Old Testament
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