The Story of Ruth
The Story of Ruth
| 17 June 1960 (USA)
The Story of Ruth Trailers

Ruth is an unusual character in the Bible. First she's a female protagonist, one of a select few there. Secondly her story gets its own book in the Old Testament, a short item of only four chapters. Lastly she's the first non-Hebrew protagonist in the Bible since Abraham sired the Hebrew people. It's a simple story in the Old Testament. Ruth is one of two Moabite women who marry the sons of Elimelech and Naomi. When Elimelech and sons Mahlon and Chillion die, leaving Naomi a widow with two widowed daughters-in-law, Naomi decides to return to Israel. One daughter-in-law, Orpah, bids her goodbye. Daughter-in-law Ruth however says she will not desert her. She's going to give up the life and culture of Moab and her people will be Naomi's people in the most famous line from the Book of Ruth.

Reviews
Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant
Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense
Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
arthur_tafero The Story of Ruth is a beautifully-filmed story of one of the books of the Bible, Ruth. Ruth eventually became the great-grandmother of David. The film, for the most part, faithfully reconstructs the events depicted in this book of the Bible. The director does a fairly good job, as do most of the A and B actors, and the production values are very good. The pace of the film seems to be livelier in the beginning with the life of Ruth among the Moabites, and the romance between Elana Eden as Ruth and Tom Tryon (The Cardinal) son of Naomi, Mahion, plays very well. Although Stuart Whitman as Boaz probably does his best work ever in this film, he is really not a match for Tryon, either physically, or acting-wise. The woman who plays Naomi is a bit hammy, but most of the other actors play their roles well; particulary Jeff Morrow as Tob, the rival of Boaz for the love of Ruth. The pace of this film is quite leisurely; the opposite of most sword and sandal films of the time. But as a first-rate soap, most female viewers, will be very happy with the pacing. I can recommend the film as one of the more interesting stories in the Bible.
mspolk2006 I have loved this movie for a long time, it was something that I saw when I was young and just loved. The story of Ruth and Naomi is one that my mother always said was a great example of what love really is. Ruth leaves behind all her life in Moab to follow Naomi to a country and a people that she knows perhaps little or nothing about.I have seen that some people review or make comments about it not being 'biblical' and I think that it doesn't detract from the point that the movie brings across. Sometimes people want to make the heroes and heroines of the Bible too holy, they were people, struggling with life as we do now. The faith of Ruth and the love that she and Naomi share is so apparent in this movie.This movie takes license with where Ruth comes from, having her sold in childhood to the local religion that sacrifices children every year to their god. There is nothing to state where Ruth came from in the Bible only that she was married to Mahlon and that he and his father and brother died.This movie is so beautiful and well filmed, Elena Eden, is so beautiful as Ruth and Peggy Wood as Naomi. The movie, I have always found after it's first 45 minutes, seems to revolve around these two women. Naomi's protective love of Ruth and vice versa, their loyalty to each other and how the bitterness of Naomi's loss is healed by the things that happen to the both of them.The story is slightly changed, but the story has the point of who Ruth is, a woman who was born worshiping a foreign god and who came to understand and love Jehovah.It is a great movie and I have always thought that if nothing else is accurate about it, the fact that placing your faith in God will always be rewarded.Also, when Naomi prays for Ruth, it is probably one of the most beautiful and selfless prayers ever. It is the kind of prayer that a Mother prays for her daughter, it always give me chills to hear it. My dearly departed mother, prayed for me like that once and I am still reaping the blessings to this day.
vitaleralphlouis Given the credits of talented filmmakers involved in this project, how could they have come together to create such a dismal, depressing and downbeat mess; based on one of the happiest stories in the Bible.OK, so Ruth's story was happy. Why not add a heavy dose of human sacrifice, training little girls to be butchered on the alter of the Moab's silly looking tin god. Then make Ruth a trainee involved in this perversion. (All this nonsense was invented for the movie.) Elena Eden was introduced in this role, and that's where her career ended. Not entirely to blame, nobody could have saved this awful movie.I thought it was interesting that the Moab's (whose "god" was a stupid-faced metal statue, incapable of doing anything, and often in need of repairs) would question "the invisible God" of the Judeans. How little has changed in 3000 years.
MARIO GAUCI After having missed out on it several times on Italian TV, I've managed to catch up with this - as it turned out - underrated Biblical epic via Fox's pleasing DVD edition. It's a typically lavish production with a nice Franz Waxman score and a decent cast: unknown Elana Eden makes for a convincing heroine; Tom Tryon is the leading man during the first half (until he is killed off), with Stuart Whitman taking over in the second part of the narrative; Peggy Wood is a dignified Noemi; and Jeff Morrow delivers an amusing performance as a perennially drunk Jewish merchant and Eden's suitor.Not knowing much about the Biblical story, the lengthy expository events - akin to the similarly irrelevant ones (of the young Moses in Egypt) depicted in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) - were a welcome addition; as a matter of fact, Viveca Lindfors - a strong presence during these early stages - disappears altogether once the scene shifts to Judea! Typical of most epics of the time, the film feels overlong and could do with some trimming - especially in its more reverent second half - but it's one I wouldn't mind owning on DVD, especially if Fox would consider releasing a collection of their Biblical epics (comprising as well David AND BATSHEBA [1951], THE ROBE [1953], DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS [1954] and THE BIBLE...IN THE BEGINNING [1966]).