The Ten Commandments | Bob Schwartz

Tag: The Ten Commandments

April 12, 2025

The Passover story revised: Rameses lets my people go!

“Your plea has moved me. Your people are free to go. You have a long and perilous journey ahead of you.”
Rameses

The movie The Ten Commandments (1956) is a famous and spectacular wide-screen reimagining of the Passover story. Following is a revision of that reimagining.

The scene here, adapted from the original movie scene, is one in which Moses approaches Rameses and makes the legendary demand “Let my people go!”

Instead of hardened heart, Rameses relents. He sees that a peaceful resolution will be best for all concerned and will avoid conflict and unnecessary death and destruction.

Rameses sits on his throne. Moses approaches, with the calm, stern face of a prophet, staff in hand and wearing a Bedouin robe. The white-robed Wazir moves to bar their way.

WAZIR
What kingdom has sent you?

MOSES
The Kingdom of the Most High.

The Wazir looks bewildered but makes no further effort to detain their approach to the dais.

FANBEARER
These must be ambassadors from Midian, Divine One.

RAMESES
Oh – Bedouins.

FANBEARER
What gifts do you bring?

MOSES
We bring you the Word of God.

Rameses, puzzled, tries to recall some association with the voice. His features harden then change into a grim smile. Rameses is prepared to be amused.

RAMESES
What is this word?

MOSES
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Let my people go! Men shall be ruled by Law… not by the will of other men.

RAMESES
I recognize you now my brother. How you have changed! You and I have had our bitter differences. I do not know your God. I thought our God was your God, but now I see that is not so. I am not as hardhearted as you believe. Your plea has moved me. Your people are free to go. You have a long and perilous journey ahead of you.

Viewing The Ten Commandments

Clips from The Ten Commandments on YouTube

Free on Internet Archive

Free broadcast on ABC, Saturday, April 12, 2025, 7:00pm ET/PT

April 6, 2023

Music for Passover: The Ten Commandments Soundtrack and Freedom! ‘90

It’s not easy finding Passover morning music. Once you’ve gotten through Maotzur, Chag Gadya and Dayenu at seder, you’re done. Or are you?

The Ten Commandments Soundtrack (1956) by Elmer Bernstein

As memorable and long (3 hours and 40 minutes) as The Ten Commandments movie is, you don’t want to be dealing with Charlton Heston first thing the morning after seder. Instead, listen to the exceptional musical score by legendary film composer Elmer Bernstein.

Freedom! ’90 by George Michael

Once you get past the obvious connection between the Exodus and freedom, there’s no real reason to listen to this for Passover, except it is a great pop track and one of the best videos of the Golden Age of music videos. Also, the album is called Faith, so there’s that.