“Joseph’ Entertaining And True To Biblical Story

One of the best-known biographies in the Bible, the epic saga of Joseph, is retold splendidly this week in a miniseries that ranks high among all the Good Book dramatizations ever shown in the movies or on television.

With a handsome young Australian actor, Paul Mercurio, in the title role, the four-hour “Joseph” airs in two parts tonight and Monday on cable’s TNT. Martin Landau, who won an Academy Award last month for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi in “Ed Wood,” plays Joseph’s father, Jacob.

Ben Kingsley, who won an Academy Award for the title role in “Gandhi” (1982), plays Potiphar, the Egyptian official who bought Joseph as a slave. It’s not often that you can see two Oscar-winners in the same miniseries, so enjoy the novelty. As you might expect, both perform well.

“Joseph” is the best kind of biblical video, capable of entertaining not only viewers who just want to enjoy a good yarn but also clerics who thoroughly know the history of Joseph as recounted in chapters 30 through 50 of the Book of Genesis. Lionel Chetwynd’s smooth script has added much dialogue to the biblical account, but has not changed any basic element of the narrative.

This is the third in TNT’s series of biblical biographies, following “Abraham” and “Jacob.” Filmed in the same sere landscape in and around Ouarzazate, Morocco, it is emphatically the best of the three.

“Joseph” does not begin at the beginning, but instead starts out by dramatizing Genesis’ chapters 37 and 39. The latter is where Potiphar’s wife - nameless both in the Bible and in this miniseries - vainly attempts to seduce Joseph. Lesley Ann Warren’s steamy depiction of the lusty wife is enough to justify this opening.

Then the story flashes back to Joseph’s childhood, when his only sister, Dinah (Paloma Baeza), was raped. One of the numerous religious advisers to this show objected to this approach, telling one of the producers, “There are no flashbacks in the Bible.” True enough, but moving Potiphar’s wife to the forefront works in theatrical terms, placing some sex appeal at the beginning of the show to draw a bigger crowd into the tent.

Tonight’s episode closes with Joseph crying out from his prison cell, “God, thank you for saving my life.” Monday’s episode resumes seven years later, with Potiphar visiting Joseph, who is still in prison.

Give “Joseph” an A-plus on TNT’s biblical report card, and hope the channel continues to do as well as it dramatically marches on through the Old Testament.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Bible TV Part one of “Joseph” airs tonight at 8, 10 and midnight on TNT. Part two airs Monday at the same times. Encore telecasts will be on April 23, 25 and 30.