The Bible in film in Genesis was the 1904 French film "Joseph Vendu Par Ses Frères" ("Joseph Sold by his Brothers"). Enrico Guazzoni's 1913 Italian epic "Quo Vadis?" is often considered the first successful feature-length motion picture and one of the first films with over two hours running time. Cecil B. DeMille specialized in extravagant epics throughout a career that spanned both the silent and sound eras. His 1923 silent version of "The Ten Commandments" (1923) included spectacular special effects for the parting of the Red Sea. De Mille followed "The Ten Commandments" in 1927 with "King of Kings", a lavish, reverential life of
David MacDonald (director) to one story, while in Malaya he met Douglas Fairbanks who encouraged MacDonald to try his luck in Hollywood. MacDonald broke into Hollywood by getting a job as technical adviser on a film "Prestige". After that he was out of work for nine months. He eventually got a job working for Cecil B. de Mille on "Four Frightened People" directed by Cecil B. de Mille. MacDonald worked as De Mille's assistant on "The Sign of the Cross", "Cleopatra" and "The Crusades". He worked on "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" with Henry Hathaway. He also worked for King Vidor and Raoul