David and Goliath (1960)
David and Goliath (1960), directed by Ferdinando Baldi, starring Orson Welles and Ivica Pajer.
score
Out of an age of splendor and savagery surges a story of the shepherd boy who became a warrior king! Never before seen on any screen!
Synopsis
When the Philistines attack, the Israelites are hopeless against the fierce giant Goliath and don't know what to do. King Saul takes the advice of the prophets and sends an adolescent shepherd, David, into battle to conquer the oversized Philistine. David is victorious and becomes the King of Israel.
- Bitto AlbertiniCinematography
- Ferdinando BaldiDirector
- Richard PottierDirector
- Franco FraticelliEditing
About the film
David and Goliath (Italian: David e Golia) is a 1960 Italian film directed by Ferdinando Baldi and Richard Pottier with sequences filmed in Israel and Yugoslavia.
Read the full article (2k characters)
David and Goliath (Italian: David e Golia) is a 1960 Italian film directed by Ferdinando Baldi and Richard Pottier with sequences filmed in Israel and Yugoslavia.
Plot
The Prophet Samuel foretells a new king will rule Israel to the dismay of King Saul and his cousin and commander in chief Abner. King Saul has been having a streak of bad luck since the Philistine captivity of the Ark and fears the newcomer but doesn't know who the new king will be.
The unsuspecting shepherd David visits Jerusalem where he is identified as the king. Abner decides to test his wisdom by asking how the Israelites can get around the Philistines' imposed edict that the only ones who may lawfully bear arms in defeated Israel are the officers of Saul's court and his palace guard. David replies that the Philistines have set no limit on the number of officers or palace guards.
Meanwhile, King Asrod of the Philistines plots another attack on the riches of Israel, this time accompanied by the fearsome giant Goliath.
Cast
Orson Welles as King Saul
Eleonora Rossi Drago as Merab
Ivica Pajer as David. Credited as Ivo Payer.
Giulia Rubini as Michal
Pierre Cressoy as Jonathan
Hilton Edwards as Prophet Samuel
Aldo Pedinotti as Goliath. Credited as "Kronos".
Massimo Serato as Abner
Furio Meniconi as Asrod, King of the Philistines
Dante Maggio as Cret
Luigi Tosi as Benjamin of Gaba
Umberto Fiz as Lazar
Ugo Sasso as Huro
Production
A part of the production took place in Jerusalem, another in Yugoslavia.
Comic book adaptation
Dell Four Color #1205 (July 1961)
References
Bibliography
Hughes, Howard (2011). Cinema Italiano - The Complete Guide From Classics To Cult. London - New York: I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-608-0.
External links
David and Goliath at IMDb
Text from David and Goliath (1960 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_and_Goliath_(1960_film)
Trivia
- It premiered on January 22, 1960, a Friday.
- It runs 1h43 — a typical feature length.
- Its original title is "David e Golia".
- As of September 20, 2026, it is available in Brazil by subscription on Oldflix, Artiflix.
- This film's quiz has 12 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosAnsa Produzione
- CountriesItaly
- LanguagesItalian, English
- StatusReleased
More about this film
Set in
- Jerusalem
Where to watch
Cast
-
Orson Welles
King Saul - Ivica Pajer David
-
Hilton Edwards
Samuele -
Massimo Serato
Abner -
Eleonora Rossi Drago
Merab - Giulia Rubini Micol
-
Pierre Cressoy
Jonathan -
Furio Meniconi
Asrod ,King of the Philistines - Aldo Pedinotti Golia
-
Dante Maggio
Cret -
Luigi Tosi
Benjamin Di Gaba - Umberto Fiz Lazar
-
Ugo Sasso
Huro -
Emma Baron
Anna, Mother of David -
Fabrizio Capucci
- Carlo D'Angelo
- Ileana Danelli
-
Carla Foscari
- Roberto Miali
-
Renato Terra
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
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O Último Soldado
6.7
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Virgem Maria
6.3
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O Livro de Daniel
7.0
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Munique: No Limite da Guerra
6.9
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Radium Girls
6.6
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Davi: Nasce Um Rei
8.0
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A Organização
6.3
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Vencer
6.7
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A Batalha das Correntes
6.7
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O Escarlate e o Negro
7.0
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Sr. Turner
6.5
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As Espiãs de Churchill
6.7
Tags
Crew
- Bitto Albertini Cinematography
- Ferdinando Baldi Director
- Richard Pottier Director
- Franco Fraticelli Editing
- Carlo Innocenzi Original music
- Ambrogio Molteni Screenplay
- Emimmo Salvi Screenplay
- Gino Mangini Screenplay
- Umberto Scarpelli Screenplay
Questions about this film
What is David and Goliath about?
David and Goliath: When the Philistines attack, the Israelites are hopeless against the fierce giant Goliath and don't know what to do. King Saul takes the advice of the prophets and sends an adolescent shepherd, David, into battle to conquer the oversized Philistine. David is victorious and becomes the King of Israel.
Who directed David and Goliath?
David and Goliath was directed by Ferdinando Baldi and Richard Pottier in 1960.
Who stars in David and Goliath?
The cast of David and Goliath includes Orson Welles, Ivica Pajer, Hilton Edwards, Massimo Serato and Eleonora Rossi Drago.
How long is David and Goliath?
David and Goliath runs for 103 minutes, or 1h43.
Where can I watch David and Goliath?
David and Goliath is available on Oldflix and Artiflix. Availability changes often: the list on this page is the most recent we received.
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Page updated on 09/13/2026.
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