The film is directed by Bruce Beresford, written by Andrew Birkin and James Costigan, and stars Richard Gere in the title role.
The ensemble cast includes Edward Woodward, Alice Krige, Denis Quilley, Cherie Lunghi, Hurd Hatfield, John Castle, Jean-Marc Barr, Christopher Malcolm, and Gina Bellman.
Upon release, the film received mostly negative reviews for its screenplay writing, pace, some of the acting and the action sequences.
The prophet Samuel declares Israel will need a new king, and anoints David, the youngest son of Jesse.
In the midst of a costly war with the Philistines, Saul summons the young David, per Samuel's dying instructions.
When the Philistine army challenges the Israelites to fight their champion, a giant named Goliath, the unassuming David volunteers and handily kills him with a rock and sling, winning the respect of his countrymen and the fear of their enemies.
David spends the next several years as a nomad, developing a loyal following, marrying three wives, and rearing two sons.
Eventually, tired of living on the run, David faces up to Saul, first by sneaking into his camp and stealing his sword, then by confronting him the next day, showing that he spared his life and doesn’t want any more hostility.
David’s men, however, warn him that the peace will be short-lived and urge him to seek refuge with Achish, Lord of the Philistines.
David offers his services as a mercenary in exchange for Achish’s protection, and on the condition that he not be made to fight Saul.
Achish agrees on the condition that when David is king of Israel, he will relinquish all captured Philistine land.
He unveils plans to build a fanciful temple to house the Ark, which his prophet Nathan opposes on the grounds that it is contrary to God's preference for simplicity and humility.
At the wedding reception, his son Absalom kills his half-brother Amnon after learning he raped their half-sister Tamar.
David's laws deem that Absalom must be put to death, but the King insists he was avenging his sister, and banishes him from the kingdom instead.
David laments the death of his son, and Nathan chastises him for following his own emotions and disobeying God’s law.
David is apathetic, but eventually follows the commands delivered by the prophets, and successfully drives the Philistines from Israel.
According to Andrew Birkin, who was one of the later writers, the studio were attracted to the story because of its parallels to Star Wars with David as Luke Skywalker and Samuel as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
[3] Jeffrey Katzenberg of Paramount met Bruce Beresford at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival when the director was there with Breaker Morant.
"[4] Birkin felt David's story was more ideal for a ten-hour mini series and struggled to include key elements like Samuel.
[3] Beresford watched a number of Biblical films and was most impressed by The Gospel According to St Matthew and Jesus of Nazareth.
[11] Locations included Matera and Craco both in Basilicata, and Campo Imperatore in Abruzzo, the Lanaitto valley (Oliena) in Sardinia, Italy, and at Pinewood Studios in England.
The film ended up as a multi-million dollar joke that everyone thinks is funny except the people who made it and the Paramount investors.
[16] Richard Gere's performance in the film earned him a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actor, which he lost to Sylvester Stallone for Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rocky IV.
And the minute the movie died, I checked out a list of famous directors who also had works that bombed – to see if they ever got back on the right foot again.