Let’s not mince words. Wholly Moses was a stinker! It was a half-arsed biblical spoof about a character called Herschel (Dudley Moore) who was hidden as a baby in the same bulrushes as Moses.
The grown-up Herschel marries Moses’ sister-in-law and then overhears the Lord’s instructions to Moses but mistakenly believes they are meant for his ears . . .
It was cringingly embarrassing right from the start and savaged the talents of Dudley Moore, Madeline Kahn, Richard Pryor, John Ritter and Dom DeLuise.
Moore had top-billing but was excruciatingly unfunny, and the whole concept was executed far more successfully in Monty Python’s Life Of Brian in 1979. Moore also starred in a modern-day wraparound sequence as New York history professor, Harvey, taking a low budget tour of the Holy Land.
While exploring a cave with fellow tourist Zoey (Laraine Newman of Saturday Night Live), Harvey discovers an ancient scroll that tells the story of a man named Herschel. Most of the film depicts that story.
Thou Shalt Not Laugh.
Harvey Orkin/Herschel
Dudley Moore
Zoey/Zerelda
Laraine Newman
Hyssop
James Coco
Angel of the Lord
Paul Sand
Tailor
Jack Gilford
Shadrach
Dom DeLuise
Archangel
John Houseman
Sorceress
Madeline Kahn
Beggar
David L Lander
Pharaoh
Richard Pryor
Devil
John Ritter
Egyptian Captain
Tom Baker
Director
Gary Weis
