THE PRODIGAL

This 1955 CinemaScope Bible epic, very loosely based on the story of the Prodigal Son, turned out to be one of Hollywood's cheesiest big-budget epics. This non-epic stars Lana Turner (on her last legs at MGM by then) as a High Priestess of a pagan love cult and Edmund Purdom (not so hot off "The Student Prince" and "The Egyptian," both of which he got by default), as the nice Jewish boy who falls for her wiles and learns a lesson. The Syrian Empire falls as a consequence. Richard Thorpe directed this bit of screen hilarity which features some of the tackiest costumes and most garish color photography of the period. Turner hated what she wore so much she tried to take as much off as the director and censors would allow. Dr. Drew Caspar deliver one of his most droning and obvious of his many, many commentary tracks.