Production quality boosts drama 2006

Nov 8, 2006

One Night With the King (PG) * * *
THE title might suggest a movie about Elvis Presley or even Graham Kennedy, but in fact this is an old-fashioned Hollywood-style Biblical drama about the Old Testament Jewish heroine, Esther.

While it sticks pretty close to the detail of Esther’s story and the way she risked her own life to save Jews in her husband’s Persian kingdom, the Bible story isn’t credited as the source of the film.

It comes from a book about the orphan, Hadassah, who became Queen Esther, played in the film by beautiful American newcomer Tiffany Dupont who could be destined for bigger roles.

There’s the requisite cast of thousands, and lavish sets and costumes (most of the film was shot in Indian palaces) in the style of Cecil B. DeMille.

The male leads, Luke Goss as Esther’s husband, King Xerxes, and James Callis as the villain, Haman (who manipulates the king to eradicate the Jews), aren’t household names either, but some well-known actors can be seen. The first reunion of Peter O’Toole (Samuel) and Omar Sharif (Prince Memucan) in almost 40 years should be a cause for celebration — but their roles are so small they’ve gone before you’re likely to notice, and they don’t have a scene together.

Making more of an impression are two members of The Lord of the Rings cast, John Rhys-Davies (Esther’s canny uncle Mordecai) and Australian John Noble (Prince Admantha), together with an actor who might out-muscle The Rock, Tommy ”Tiny” Lister Jr, who plays Esther’s friendly eunuch, Hagai.

The palace whispering campaign that makes up most of the drama isn’t that well-written or exciting, but high-end production values make it a movie worth watching.

Curious editing diminishes Esther’s big scene — there’s a big build-up when she’s about to reveal her true identity to her clearly startled husband, but the scene ends abruptly. A director such as DeMille would have made more of the moment. (124 min)