“Joseph and His Brethren” is an inspirational telling of the biblical account of Joseph, the man of dreams, who was sold into bondage by his jealous brothers. Joseph, the son of his father Jacob’s old age, was greatly loved by Jacob, who gave him a coat of many colors as a gift. When Joseph tells his brothers he dreamed that their sheaves bow to his sheaf, it does not go over well.
Joseph, after being sold to the Ishmaelites, eventually finds favor with Potiphar and serves him. However, Potiphar’s wife has designs on Joseph and when Joseph refuses her advances, she lies and says he attempted to seduce her. Joseph is imprisoned, where he interprets dreams for the Pharaoh’s cup bearer and baker. The interpretations turn out to be 100 percent accurate, so when Pharaoh has dreams that his soothsayers can’t interpret, the cup bearer remembers Joseph. He is called from prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, who is so impressed with Joseph that he promotes him to Prime Minister over all of Egypt. Eventually Joseph’s family seeks help in Egypt during a famine and they are reunited with Joseph, although they don’t know it is him at first. Jacob comes with his brothers to see his son again, although in the biblical account Joseph sent wagons to his father to bring him to Egypt. Still, the spirit of the story is in place for the most part, and Geoffrey Horne turns in a splendid performance as Joseph. Finlay Currie is excellent as Jacob, and Robert Morley plays a rascally Potiphar.
The film includes a few scenes of violence with some blood, but they are not gratuitous. We are pleased to award our “Faith-Friendly” Seal for ages twelve plus to “Joseph and His Brethren.” This movie brings the wonderful story of Joseph to life!
