On this day March 29 1985 the biblical epic King David premiered in theaters. Directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Richard Gere the film aimed to bring the story of the legendary king of Israel to the big screen with sweeping visuals and dramatic storytelling.
Despite its ambitious scope and a $21 million budget the film struggled at the box office earning only $5.1 million. Richard Gere’s performance as the warrior turned king received mixed reviews and the movie’s historical and religious tone didn’t connect strongly with mainstream audiences. King David has since become a lesser known entry in Gere’s filmography and one of the more obscure 80s biblical dramas.
80s insight: Richard Gere later admitted he felt miscast in the role and took on the film too early in his career without fully understanding the character.