Wholly Moses!

PG

1980

1h 49m

Comedy

List

14%

7 Reviews

Tomatometer

39%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Tourists (Dudley Moore, Laraine Newman) in Israel find an old scroll, the Book of Herschel, about a false savior upstaged by Moses.

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Audience Member

Very funny. Once again Laraine did a pretty good job.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

william s

One of the worse movies Moore ever made and with this cast that's doubly bad.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Toothless and mostly laugh-less, this post-Brian biblical comedy amounts to a bunch of lazy sketches with a thin thread. An all star cast of comics is wasted in bit roles, and it has nothing of consequence to say about the bible or faith despite the premise of an alternate Moses.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A sad affair. The filmmakers thought it would be a good idea to bring together a bunch of celebrities - like a variety show - but the problem is they didn't have much of a story. Setting it during biblical times with Dudley Moore's character playing someone like Moses, may have sounded like a half-decent pitch but unfortunately they forgot to hire comedic writers. It's as if they just ended up relying on the comedy stars to "be funny". Nope. Didn't work. There isn't a single laugh in this terribly boring mess. Richard Pryor is a mild highlight. But considering three minutes of his wacky expressions are the only memorable thing, I think it's safe to say, one can skip this movie. Weirdest bit? John Ritter as the devil in a scene that couldn't be more mundane.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

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Audience Member

this is actually a very good movie, with a great cast. it helps to know something about the 'slave experience in pharoanic egypt'. herschel 'did' god, real well according to the fallen angel.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is funny from the beginning to the end. I cracked up in some scenes and others was horrified. What's best is that it will make you laugh. What isn't is that this movie is chuck full of sin.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

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Gary Weis

Director

Dudley Moore

Harvey Orchid

Laraine Newman

Zoey

James Coco

Hyssop

Paul Sand

God's Angel

Jack Gilford

Tailor

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Richard Pryor Passes Away at 65

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The movie's not funny on its own, and since movie audiences are scarcely going to be shocked by its mild but relentlessly repetitive irreverence, it all boils down to a very old joke.

Rated: 1/4

Apr 30, 2018

Full Review

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

There are a couple of droll sight gags, but nothing can redeem Wholly Moses! from its destiny of eternal mirthlessness.

Apr 30, 2018

Full Review

Rod McShane

Time Out

An opportunistic attempt to cash in on the diminutive Moore's post-10 stardom by shamelessly ripping off the premise of The Life of Brian.

Apr 30, 2018

Full Review

People Staff

People Magazine

Next to the pointed, funny Life of Brian, this is absolute sacrilege.

Apr 30, 2018

Full Review

TV Guide

The direction by first-time director Gary Weis is flat, and the script by Guy Thomas is uninspired.

Apr 30, 2018

Full Review

Scott Nash

Three Movie Buffs

Life of Brian was protested by religious groups as heresy. Wholly Moses is silly and lowbrow enough that it never generated equal controversy. It's in every way inferior to that other film, but silly enough to provide a few cheap laughs.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 30, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

Tourists (Dudley Moore, Laraine Newman) in Israel find an old scroll, the Book of Herschel, about a false savior upstaged by Moses.

Director: Gary Weis
Production Co: Columbia
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2010
Runtime: 1h 49m

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