20th Century-Fox Dynamo (February 1960)

THE STORY OF RUTH CONTINUED When wounded Mahlon (Tom Tryon), who fell in love with Ruth at virtually first sight, despite the turbulence of that meeting, tells her he loves her too much to die, she responds that he must live so they can be married. But, fate rules otherwise and, realizing that he is dying, Mahlon asks his mother, Naomi, for her wedding ring. He places it on Ruth’s finger, taking her as his wife, according to the laws of Moses. They embrace and kiss... but, suddenly, Mahlon dies in Ruth’s arms In this intimate story of Ruth, a rich kinsman is built up as a serious and ruthless rival to Boaz, who, eventually becomes her second husband. In the cast appear hundreds of players. Included are some of the most efficient film and stage character performers: Peggy Woods, Thayer David, Eduard Franz, Leo Fuchs, Basil Ruysdael, Jean Inness and others. Mahlon dead, Ruth turns to her now mother-in-law, Naomi, whose own husband and younger son had been previously killed. She insists Naomi take her along to her old home across the river Jordan, in Bethlehem. But, Naomi entreats Ruth to return to Moab since Moabites are not welcome in Judah, and there would be nothing but unhappiness there for her. It is then that Ruth vows: “Entreat me not to leave you or to keep me from following you, for where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Two young actors, whose followings have been expanding tremendously in the past year, play Ruth’s husbands. Tom Tryon is the articulate Mahlon. Stuart Whitman plays Boaz, her second husband. Whitman was chosen for the role despite the eagerness of a half dozen long- established stars to play it. Producer Engel and director Henry Koster will be recalled as the team that turned out the exceedingly popular “Come To The Stable” and “A Man Called Peter”. Koster, incidentally, was the director of the first motion picture film in CinemaScope: “The Robe”. 50 The stern Moab High Priest, Hedak, who chooses the child to be offered as the annual human sacrifice to the stone god, Chemosh. POIGNANT DRAMA OF AN EPICAL DEVOTION Continued from page 49 his beliefs. They are attracted to each other... an attraction that develops into mutually conceded love. But, Ruth fears Mahlon will be seized and killed. Before he goes Mahlon gives her a charm bracelet he has lovingly made for her, linking tablets engraved with his God’s laws: the Ten Commandments. Having heard news of her meetings with Mahlon, Hedak sum- mons Ruth who confesses she has doubted the ceremony of the sacrifice and that the young Judean’s talk of his God has con- fused her. She is admonished to prepare for the exalted honor of leading Tebah to the sacrifice. But, on the day of the sacrificial rites she is horrified and dashes away. That night Moabite officers arrest Mahlon, Chilion and their father. When Mahlon and Chilion attack a guard who has brutally pushed their father, Elimelach and his young son are killed. Mahlon is sentenced to the quarries for the rest of his life. That night the Hedak, having summoned Ruth, tears the tri- angular symbol of the temple she has been wearing, cuts her long hair in token of dismissal and sentences her to a cell where she languishes in solitude for six months. She is then released, sup- posedly at the command of the King. With the help of an old servant, Ruth, dressed in peasant clothes, meets Naomi and Or- pah and is helped by a sympathetic guard to reach Mahlon at the quarry. Their escape is almost completed when a guard detects them, draws a dagger and strikes Mahlon in the back. However, they struggle to the top of the quarry and drive to a cave where, just before Mahlon dies, he marries Ruth. Mahlon buried in a sealed cave, Ruth insists going to Bethle- hem with Naomi who begs her to return to Moab. “Entreat me not to leave you”, Ruth replies, “or to keep from following you, for where you go I will go, where you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Together, they leave, with their donkeys, for Judah, across the river Jordan. Meantime, the Moab king and Hedak order an officer, Sochin (Leo Fuchs), and his men to find Ruth and Naomi and bring them back. After finally crossing Jordan, as they approach Judea they encounter a group of horsemen led by Boaz (Stuart Whitman), a handsome man with an angry expression. Naomi greets Boaz as a kinsman of her husband. He warns Ruth that it is not too late to return to Moab, but she will go only where Naomi goes and Naomi knows nowhere else to go but her home in Bethlehem. There Naomi finds her home in ruins. Naomi recalls her hus- band was unkind to another kinsman, Tob (Jeff Morrow) to whom otherwise they might turn. But, Ruth suggests they can live by gleaning. Boaz finds his interest in Ruth growing. Later, Boaz calls on Tob to vainly seek his assistance in looking after Naomi and Ruth. Turned down, Boaz suggests he will provide all the help they need through Tob, pretending it came from the latter. Naomi’s farm and home are restored, thanks to Boaz who is paying the bill, while Tob is playing the gallant benefactor with Ruth. But, Ruth is eventually to learn the truth. Working on Continued on page 52