King David (1985)

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writers:

Andrew Birkin (writer)
James Costigan (story)

Release Date:

29 March 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War | Adventure

Plot:

This is a movie about the life of Israel's king David. |

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Female Frontal Nudity | Giant | Old Testament | Biblical

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Richard Gere	...	David
Edward Woodward	...	Saul
Alice Krige	...	Bathsheba
Denis Quilley	...	Samuel
Niall Buggy	...	Nathan
Cherie Lunghi	...	Michal
Hurd Hatfield	...	Ahimelech
Jack Klaff	...	Jonathan
John Castle	...	Abner
Tim Woodward	...	Joab
David de Keyser	...	Ahitophel
Ian Sears	...	Young David
Simon Dutton	...	Eliab
Jean-Marc Barr	...	Absalom
Arthur Whybrow	...	Jesse
Christopher Malcolm	...	Doeg
Valentine Pelka	...	Shammah
Ned Vukovic	...	Malchishua
Michael Mueller	...	Abinadab
James Coombes	...	Amnon
Mark Drewry	...	Ishbosheth
John Gabriel	...	Jehosaphat
Gina Bellman	...	Tamar
John Hallam	...	Philistine Armour Bearer
James Lister	...	Uriah
Jason Carter	...	Solomon
John Barrard	...	Benjamite Elder
Peter Frye	...	Judean Elder
David Graham	...	Ephraimite Elder
Genevieve Allenbury	...	Ahinoam
Ishia Bennison	...	Maacah
Jenny Lipman	...	Abigail
David George	...	Messenger
Anton Alexander	...	Runner
Marino Masé	...	Agag (as Marino Mase)
George Eastman	...	Goliath (as Luigi Montefiori)
Roberto Renna	...	Zabad
Lorenzo Piani	...	Guardian
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Palastu
Aïché Nana	...	Ahinoab (as Aiche Nana)
Shimon Avidan	...	Young Absalom
Nicholas van der Weide	...	Young Solomon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tomas Milian	...	Akiss (uncredited)

Directed by
Bruce Beresford

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Andrew Birkin		writer
James Costigan		story based upon The Books of Samuel I and II Chronicles I and the Psalms of David

Produced by
Martin Elfand	....	producer
Charles Orme	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Carl Davis

Cinematography by
Donald McAlpine

Film Editing by
William M. Anderson		(as William Anderson)

Casting by
Irene Lamb

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Art Direction by
Terry Ackland-Snow
Aurelio Crugnola

Set Decoration by
Peter Howitt

Costume Design by
John Mollo

Makeup Department
Lynda Armstrong	....	makeup artist
Colin Arthur	....	makeup artist
Desideria Corridoni	....	hair stylist
Franco Corridoni	....	key makeup artist: Italy
Maria Teresa Corridoni	....	key hair stylist: Italy
Graham Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Kathleen Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup supervisor
Daphne Martin	....	key hair stylist
Stephen Rose	....	hair stylist
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup artist (as Frederick Williamson)
Marian Wilson	....	hair stylist
Gino Zamprioli	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Clive Challis	....	production manager
Franco Cuccu	....	unit manager: Italy
John Davis	....	production manager
Laura Fattori	....	unit manager: Italy
Mario Francini	....	assistant unit manager: Italy
Marco Valerio Pugini	....	assistant unit manager: Italy
Federico Tocci	....	unit manager: Italy
Lucio Trentini	....	production manager: Italy

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Button	....	second assistant director
Antonio Gabrielli	....	second assistant director: Italy
Mike Gowans	....	assistant director: second unit
Steve Harding	....	second assistant director
David Tomblin	....	assistant director
David Tomblin	....	second unit director
Victor Tourjansky	....	assistant director: Italian production unit

Art Department
Peter Aldridge	....	stand-by stagehand
Elio Altamura	....	property master: Italy
Luciano Antonetti	....	chief plasterer: Italy
Terry Apsey	....	construction manager
Maria-Teresa Barbasso	....	assistant art director
Maurice Binder	....	graphic designer
Peter Childs	....	draughtsman
Franco Fumagalli	....	set decorator: Italy
Lucy Hardwick	....	art department runner
Maurice Jones	....	chargehand stand-by prop
John Lanzer	....	production buyer
Charles Page	....	propmaker
Andrew Palmer	....	stand-by props
Maciek Piotrowski	....	sketch artist
Angelo Santucci	....	set dresser: Italy
Stephen Scott	....	draughtsman
Danny Skundric	....	dressing props
Bruno Tempera	....	set dresser
Ivano Todeschi	....	head painter: Italy
Charles Torbett	....	property master
Fernando Valento	....	construction manager
Peter Western	....	stand-by painter

Sound Department
Stefano Bausano	....	sound maintenance: Italy
Clive Copland	....	sound maintenance
Alfie Cox	....	dialogue editor
Bob Gavin	....	assistant sound editor
Andrew Glen	....	assistant sound editor
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Marshall	....	sound mixer
Ron Pender	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Bob Risk	....	post-synchronization
Joe Seaton	....	assistant sound editor
Terry Sharratt	....	boom operator
Stephen Spencer	....	assistant sound editor
William Trent	....	sound editor (as Bill Trent)

Special Effects by
John Baker	....	special effects technician
Jeff Clifford	....	senior special effects technician
Dino Galiano	....	special effects coordinator: Italy
Franco Galiano	....	special effects
Fabio Traversari	....	special effects
Kit West	....	special effects supervisor
Trevor Wood	....	special effects engineer

Visual Effects by
Fred Evans	....	modeler

Stunts
Sergio Mioni	....	stunt coordinator
Stefano Maria Mioni	....	stunts
Claudio Pacifico	....	stunts
Angelo Ragusa	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Elio Bosi	....	grip: second unit, Italy
Jean Marc Bringuier	....	steadicam operator (as Jean-Marc Bringuier)
Adam Cooper	....	clapper loader
Ted Deason	....	focus puller: second unit
Augusto Diamanti	....	key grip: Italy
Colin Gardiner	....	stand-by rigger
Vince Goddard	....	electrician (as Vincent Goddard)
Gordon Gowing	....	best boy
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Paul Kenward	....	clapper loader
Nic Milner	....	focus puller: second unit (as Nick Milner)
Douglas Milsome	....	camera operator (as Doug Milsome)
Stephen Murray	....	clapper loader: second unit
Mario Schiavone	....	gaffer: Italy
Bruce Sumar	....	electrician
Miki Thomas	....	focus puller
Mario Tursi	....	still photographer: second unit, Italy
Robin Vidgeon	....	director of photography: second unit
Jimmy Waters	....	grip
Freddie Webster	....	gaffer
Massimo Zeri	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Francesco Cinieri	....	casting: Italy

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nic Ede	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Nicolas Ede)
Stewart Meachem	....	wardrobe assistant
Bona Nasalli-Rocca	....	wardrobe supervisor: Italy (as Bona Nasalli Rocca)
Anne Thomopoulos	....	costume assistant: Italy

Editorial Department
Michael Campbell	....	associate editor
Robert Hambling	....	assistant editor
Angelica Landry	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Nick Barnard	....	assistant music editor
Carl Davis	....	conductor
Alfred Di Rocco	....	music supervisor: Italy
Robert Hathaway	....	music editor (as Bob Hathaway)
Colin Matthews	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Enrico Pini	....	transportation manager

Other crew
Cate Arbeid	....	production assistant
Sergio Casadei	....	horsemaster: Italy
Nikki Clapp	....	script supervisor: second unit
Caroline Cornish-Trestrail	....	assistant to producer
Susan d'Arcy	....	unit publicist
Allen Davies	....	accounting assistant (as Allan Davies)
Jack Dearlove	....	stand-in: Mr. Gere
Patsy de Lord	....	publicity assistant
Frank Ernst	....	location manager: Sardinia
Eleanor Fazan	....	choreographer
Marco Giannoni	....	production assistant: Italy
Jo Gregory	....	production accountant
Melissa Holm	....	production runner
Marcello Lanza	....	assistant accountant
Mark Mayling	....	production runner
Renata Paccariè	....	production assistant: Italy
Marco Valerio Pugini	....	location manager
Linda Rabin	....	production coordinator
June Randall	....	script supervisor
Luigi Riitano	....	accountant
Gail Samuelson	....	pre-production coordinator
Kathy Shaw	....	production assistant
Adalberto Spadoni	....	production accountant: Italy
Franca Tasso	....	production coordinator: Italy
Daniele Tiberi	....	assistant accountant: Italy (as Daniele Tiberi)
Gabriella Toro	....	production assistant: Italy
Jenny Wykes	....	unit nurse

Production Companies

• Barclays Mercantile Industrial Finance
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1989) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Germano Natali

Other Companies

• C.T.S. Studios  music recording
• National Screen  title and opticals
• Olympic Studios  music recording
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recorded at

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Campo Imperatore, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy

Company:

Barclays Mercantile Industrial Finance

Trivia:

Rachel Weisz was offered a large part in this film when she was only 14, but her parents would not allow her to do it.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In Saul's final battle scene, a warrior is lassoed around the neck and dragged behind a chariot. However, the camera angles show that he is attached to a rope tied around his waist under his costume.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Saul's guard: The king cannot speak with you now. He is engaged in the affairs of state.
Samuel: Since when have the affairs of state taken precedence over the affairs of God?
[shoves his way past and enters Saul's throne room]
Saul: ...Samuel. We welcome you. With God's blessing, our victory is complete.
Samuel: Is THIS how you show Him your gratitude... by robbing the Amalekites of their women and cattle? By holding their king in chains?
Saul: We were discussing a possible treaty. The king is to be ransomed...
Samuel: A *treaty?* *Ransom?* Saul, for this you have betrayed your own soul in the sight of God. His instructions were plain enough: "... Spare nothing from the sword."
[beheads the Amalekite king]
Samuel: ... When our tribes clamored for a king, to make us like other nations, I answered them: "We are not like other nations. The Lord of Hosts is both our God and our King." The people said, "We want a king we can see. We want a king of our own flesh and blood."
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ken Adam: Designing Bond (2000) (V)

Underrated and unsung

It's biblically accurate. It has a gritty and realistic feel. Unlike the great De Mille films, the location and sets give it that stone age look that the Judea of that era would look and feel like.

Edward Woodward's performance as Saul is strong. His ability to contort and rant makes a very believable fit of dementia. The only person I think that could have played that better would be Dennis Hopper. Who knows, maybe someone will create another biblical film with him as King Saul.

This is a very unsung, and underrated film. Richard Gere's performance was nothing short of stunning.

The giant Goliath was real, menacing and evil. Bathsehba was a real-world, believable stunning beauty-natural. I wish there were more films of this quality when it comes to biblical stories.