Movie Overview"The Prodigal" is a 1955 biblical drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Lana Turner, Edmund Purdom, and Louis Calhern. The narrative of the film is loosely based on the parable of the Prodigal Son from the Holy Bible's New Testament. The film was a mission tale informed in an engaging way, combining biblical morals with flair of love, betrayal, and redemption.
PlotEdmund Purdom plays Micah, a young Hebrew from the rich farmstead in Joppa who is restless and yearns to see the outdoors world. After witnessing the spectacular priestess Samarra (Lana Turner) who shows up in a golden shell brought by servants, he becomes infatuated. Despite being engaged to the charming Ruth (Audrey Dalton), Micah abandons everything to win over Samarra. He offers his half of their family farm to his brother, trades his mother's gems, and deserts his God, all for his fixation with Samarra.
The plot thickens when Samarra ends up being a deceptive and cunning high priestess of the goddess Astarte. Micah lavishly spends all his wealth to impress Samarra, just to find later that his love is unrequited and paid in generosity only for his wealth. Eventually, Micah is minimized to slavery and made to comprehend the mistakes of his methods.
The ClimaxMicah, betrayed and forced into slavery, asks Yahweh for forgiveness and strength to revolt against the tyranny of the corrupt city he as soon as preferred. Miraculous indications from Yahweh grants him superhuman strength, allowing him to rebel versus the rulers, damage the temple of the incorrect divine being, and escape with his life. Micah returns home penniless, and his dad (Walter Hampden) joyfully gets him in the real spirit of lost lamb's parable. Simultaneously, Ruth, who had consistently awaited his return, welcomes him back.
Production and ReleaseThe film was made on a substantial budget plan in the era of grand-scale biblical productions. "The Prodigal" was produced by Charles Schnee and was amongst the 30 leading earning films of 1955. Besides its compelling narrative, the film was praised for its spectacular outfits, lavish set styles, and intricate Technicolor process that were a sight for the eyes, portraying a convincing ancient Middle East.
General ImpressionWhile "The Prodigal" deviates from the initial New Testament parable, it captures the moral of the story, which is the essence of forgiveness, unconditional love, and redemption. Edmund Purdom manages to embody the ignorant and infatuated prodigal with his performance, while Lana Turner as Samarra is fascinating and perfectly wicked. Therefore, "The Prodigal" is an aesthetically lavish tale that combines biblical storytelling with Hollywood phenomenon, making it an engaging watch.
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