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The Prodigal (film)

The Prodigal
Prodigal-Lobby2-1-.jpeg
Theatrical release lobby card
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Produced by Charles Schnee
Written by Maurice Zimm
adaptation
Joe Breen Jr.
Samuel James Larsen
Based on Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 of the Bible (uncredited)
Starring Edmund Purdom
Lana Turner
James Mitchell
Louis Calhern
Joseph Wiseman
Music by Bronislau Kaper
Cinematography Joseph Ruttenberg
Edited by Harold F. Kress
Production
company
Distributed by MGM
Release date
  • 1955 (1955)
Running time
112 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2,783,000
Box office $4,143,000

The Prodigal is a 1955 biblical epic film made by MGM starring Edmund Purdom and Lana Turner. It was based on the New Testament parable about a selfish son who leaves his family to pursue a life of pleasure. The film also features James Mitchell, Louis Calhern, Joseph Wiseman, Cecil Kellaway and Walter Hampden. The dancer Taina Elg made her film debut.

The story is loosely based on Jesus Christ's parable of the prodigal son, from the biblical New Testament Gospels, although considerable liberties are taken with the source material, chief among them being the addition of a female lead in the form of the high priestess of Astarte, Samarra.

Micah (Purdom), a young Hebrew farm boy, sees Samarra (Turner) and says he will have her. He demands that his father give him his inheritance and journeys to the city of Damascus. There Samarra seduces him into losing his inheritance and betraying his religious faith. Enduring a number of difficulties, Micah finally realizes where he belongs and returns home to his father, who forgives Micah all of his sins and orders a lavish celebration of his return.

In the early 1950s films with biblical themes were very popular. Two friends, Sam Larson and Joseph Breen Jnr, became interested in the cinematic possibilities of the famous parable. Larson had muscular dystrophy and thought the story had resonance to the problems of young people today; he was also interested in setting of Damascus and Joppa in 70 BC, which had been rarely seen on screen. Larson and Breen wrote a 60 page treatment together. They took it to Dore Schary, head of production at MGM, who was interested. He assigned Charles Schnee to produce and Maurice Zimm to write a script.


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