In one of the most important scenes in The Ten Commandments, Moses descends from Mount Sinai with the sacred tablets and the Israelites gathered at the base of the mountain look at him with awe and reverence. De Mille shot the scene several times but was so disappointed with the expressions on the faces of the extras playing the part of Israelites that he finally called a break.
Suddenly a bell in the town church nearby began tolling and De Mille called the cast together. With his voice breaking, he announced that one of the members of the cast had just died, leaving a widow and eight children behind.
”Now, in his memory,” he said solemnly, “I ask for two minutes of respectful silence.” As everyone stood there, shocked and saddened by the news, the cameras began grinding away.
It turned out no one had died; it was just De Mille’s way of getting what he wanted on film. The resulting scene was considered one of the best in the picture.
Source:
Boller, Paul F., and Ronald L. Davis. "Spectacles." Hollywood Anecdotes. New York: Morrow, 1987. 300-301. Print.
Original Source Listed:
LeRoy, Mervyn LeRoy, p. 59.
Further Reading:
[The Ten Commandments (film)]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ten_Commandments_(1956_film)
מֹשֶׁה / Mōšéh / Moše / ܡܘܫܐ / موسى / Mωϋσῆς (Moses)
طُور سِينَاء / جَبَل مُوسَى / הר סיני (Mount Sinai) / Mount Horeb / Gabal Musa
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