Parts of Abraham's story were told in the 1963 European biblical epic "Sodom and Gomorrah" (one of the more disappointing biblical epics of the golden age) and later on a little more detailed in "The Bible". Originally aired over tonight on TNT, this TV drama of early history stars Richard Harris in one of his great later performances as the biblical patriarch and Barbara Hershey as his devoted but sometimes stern wife Sarah.
We see them go from the land of Canaan were Abraham's father had settled, and we see Abraham's decision to leave with his family when God promised him him a new land. They end up in Egypt where Sarah becomes property of the Pharaoh, then they end up in a beautiful land that they fly has already been settled. When they try to enter the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, they are greeted with contempt, and part of the family is taken as slaves.
Part one ends with their determination to get them back, and in part two, they deal with the fall of the two cities, Lot's exit from Evil early civilizations, and Sarah's desperation to give Abraham a son even though she is already given her servant-girl Hagar to Abraham to bear him a son through her. Sarah shows resentment towards Hagar's son, Ishmael, fearing that this will leave nothing for her son, Isaac.
In the Book of Genesis, the story of Abraham only covers a short passage, so there has to be a lot of research to create a drama that will last the length of this TV movie. What results is an above-average attempt to show the possibilities of The Saga of this growing Hebrew family, their passage into the desert and their desperation to reach the land God has promised. Harris and Hershey are excellent, with Maximilian Schell memorable in a cameo as the Egyptian Pharaoh.
Once you get in tune with the structure that flashes forward long periods of time after major events, you will find it as enjoyable as the great epics of the golden age of Hollywood. It definitely meets its goal and as a result, starts off the TNT series of biblical epics that certainly were quite memorable.
We see them go from the land of Canaan were Abraham's father had settled, and we see Abraham's decision to leave with his family when God promised him him a new land. They end up in Egypt where Sarah becomes property of the Pharaoh, then they end up in a beautiful land that they fly has already been settled. When they try to enter the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, they are greeted with contempt, and part of the family is taken as slaves.
Part one ends with their determination to get them back, and in part two, they deal with the fall of the two cities, Lot's exit from Evil early civilizations, and Sarah's desperation to give Abraham a son even though she is already given her servant-girl Hagar to Abraham to bear him a son through her. Sarah shows resentment towards Hagar's son, Ishmael, fearing that this will leave nothing for her son, Isaac.
In the Book of Genesis, the story of Abraham only covers a short passage, so there has to be a lot of research to create a drama that will last the length of this TV movie. What results is an above-average attempt to show the possibilities of The Saga of this growing Hebrew family, their passage into the desert and their desperation to reach the land God has promised. Harris and Hershey are excellent, with Maximilian Schell memorable in a cameo as the Egyptian Pharaoh.
Once you get in tune with the structure that flashes forward long periods of time after major events, you will find it as enjoyable as the great epics of the golden age of Hollywood. It definitely meets its goal and as a result, starts off the TNT series of biblical epics that certainly were quite memorable.