''Solomon'' is a 1997 television miniseries for

RAI RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...

that retells the Bible's story of

Solomon Solomon (; , ),, ; ar, سُلَيْمَان, ', , ; el, Σολομών, ; la, Salomon also called Jedidiah (Hebrew language, Hebrew: , Modern Hebrew, Modern: , Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: ''Yăḏīḏăyāh'', "beloved of Yahweh, Yah"), ...

.''The Ancient World in the Cinema'' Jon Solomon - 2001 0300083378 p173 "in Italy, RAI's Solomon (1997), starring Ben Cross as Solomon and Max von Sydow as David" Directed by Roger Young, it stars

Ben Cross Harry Bernard Cross (16 December 1947 – 18 August 2020) was an English stage and film actor. He was best known for playing Billy Flynn in the original West End production of the musical ''Chicago'', and his portrayal of the British Ol ...

, Vivica A. Fox as the

Queen of Sheba The Queen of Sheba ( he, מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא‎, Malkaṯ Šəḇāʾ; ar, ملكة سبأ, Malikat Sabaʾ; gez, ንግሥተ ሳባ, Nəgśətä Saba) is a figure first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In the original story, she bring ...

Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (born 27 April 1932), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, is a French film actress, who has appeared in 70 films since 1947, having begun her film career at age 14. In her early years, she studi ...

Bathsheba Bathsheba ( or ; he, בַּת־שֶׁבַע, ''Baṯ-šeḇaʿ'', Bat-Sheva or Batsheva, "daughter of Sheba" or "daughter of the oath") was the wife of Uriah the Hittite and later of David, according to the Hebrew Bible. She was the mother of ...

and

Max von Sydow Max von Sydow ( , ; born Carl Adolf von Sydow; 10 April 1929 – 8 March 2020) was a Swedish-French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television ...

David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

Plot summary

The film begins with David still king of Israel. His sons Adonijah and Solomon are fierce rivals because both are prospective heirs to the throne. Adonijah challenges Solomon to chariot race during a hunting expedition, which Solomon wins because Adonijah loses control of his chariot. King David is aged and sickly, and announces that Solomon is the rightful heir to the throne over Israel. King David announces and ordinates Solomon as king in sight of the people. Shortly after, King David dies and Solomon gives the order for Adonijah to be killed, who also was in an attempt to usurp the throne from Solomon. After this, God comes to Solomon in a dream and Solomon asks God to grant him wisdom that he may guide Israel well. God grants this desire to him. With his newfound wisdom, Solomon proceeds to build the Temple of God in Jerusalem, according to the architectural plans that his father David had left behind. Soon after the Temple is successfully constructed, things begin to take a downward turn. Solomon begins to take more wives in direct violation of the Mosaic Law. The Queen of Sheba makes a royal visit to Jerusalem. Solomon meets her and becomes infatuated with her. Solomon courts and impregnates her and aspires to make her his royal Queen, to the priests’ and council’s displeasure. The story continues as Solomon’s ego and power-drunken attitude, much like their father's, cause things in his kingdom to spiral out of control.

Cast

* Vivica A. Fox as

Maria Grazia Cucinotta Maria Grazia Cucinotta (; born 27 July 1968) is an Italian actress who has featured in films and television series since 1990. She has also worked as a film producer, screenwriter and model. Internationally she is best known for her roles in ' ...

Abishag Abishag ( he, אבישג ''Avishag'') was a beautiful young woman of Shunem chosen to be a helper and servant to King David in his old age. Among Abishag's duties was to lie next to David and pass along her body heat and vigor because "they put ...

Umberto Orsini Umberto Orsini (born 2 April 1934, in Novara) is an Italian stage, television and film actor. Born in Novara, Orsini gave up his career as notary to attend the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico. In the late 1950s, he emerged ...

as Nathan *

Stefania Rocca Stefania Rocca (born 24 April 1971) is an Italian actress. She is best known for her roles in the films ''Nirvana'' (1997), '' The Talented Mr. Ripley'' (1999) and '' Dracula'' (2002). Rocca also was the lead in Dario Argento's ''The Card Player ...

as Hannah *

Richard Dillane Richard Dillane (born 1964) is a British actor. He appears in a lead role of the Netflix series '' Young Wallander'', based on the character Kurt Wallander created by novelist Henning Mankell. He played British intelligence agent Peter Nichol ...

Jeroboam Jeroboam I (; Hebrew: ''Yārŏḇə‘ām''; el, Ἱεροβοάμ, Hieroboám) was the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. The Hebrew Bible describes the reign of Jeroboam to have commenced following a revolt of the ten northern ...

Marta Zoffoli Marta may refer to: People * Marta (given name), a feminine given name * Märta, a feminine given name * Marta (surname) : István Márta composer * Marta (footballer) (born 1986), Brazilian professional footballer Places * Marta (river) ...

as Basemah *

Ivan Kaye Ivan Blakeley Kaye (born 1 July 1961) is an English actor and producer. His international fame came with roles in historical drama shows like the Duke of Milan in all three seasons of '' The Borgias'', and King Aelle in the first four Seasons o ...

Adonijah According to 2 Samuel, Adonijah ( he, , ''’Ǎḏōnīyyā''; "my lord is Yah") was the fourth son of King David. His mother was Haggith as recorded in the book of . Adonijah was born at Hebron during the long conflict between David and the ...

G.W. Bailey George William Bailey (born August 27, 1944) is an American actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in ''M*A*S*H'' (TV series 1979–19 ...

as Azarel * Dexter Fletcher as

Rehoboam Rehoboam (; , ; , ; la, Roboam, ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the last monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel and the first monarch of the Kingdom of Judah after the former's split. He was a son of and the successor to Solomon and a g ...

* Roger Hammond as

Zadok Zadok (or Zadok HaKohen, also spelled Ṣadok, Ṣadoc, Zadoq, Tzadok, or Tsadoq; he, צָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן, meaning "Righteous, Justified") was a Kohen (priest), biblically recorded to be a descendant from Eleazar the son of Aaron (). H ...

Michael Culkin Michael Culkin (born 2 July 1954) is an English theatre, film, and television actor probably best known for his role as Judge Buller in the BBC drama ''Garrow's Law''. He appeared as Rab Butler in the first two seasons of ''The Crown'', in '' ...

as Hiram of Naphtali * Stefan Gubser as

Abiathar Abiathar ( ''ʾEḇyāṯār'', "father (of) abundance"/"abundant father"), in the Hebrew Bible, is a son of Ahimelech or Ahijah, High Priest at Nob, the fourth in descent from Eli and the last of Eli's House to be a High Priest. Bible accou ...

Production

The film was shot in

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to A ...

References

External links

* 1997 drama films 1990s adventure drama films 1997 television films 1997 films American adventure drama films American television films Bible Collection Films directed by Roger Young Films based on the Bible Films shot in Morocco Films set in the 10th century BC Films set in Jerusalem 1990s American films {{US-tv-film-stub

Plot summary

Cast

Production

See also

References

External links