" DeMille first stated how the Biblical account of Moses had not provided any detail of the earliest three decades of Moses"" life, forcing the film""s scripters to turn to other non-canonical sources, including ancient historians, such as Philo and Josephus, and Midrash writings (a collection of ancient Rabbinic interpretations of scripture).(This film quote, spoken by Groucho, was especially detested: "And remember while you""re out there risking life and limb through shot and shell, we""ll be in here thinking what a sucker you are.The next scene, "Anno Domini XXVI," is in sharp contrast to the Nativity scene.The newly appointed Roman Tribune Messala (Stephen Boyd), the ambitious commander of the legion that precedes the new Roman governor, rides through Nazareth, on his way o the ancient city of Jerusalem.Norman intervenes and refuses to have her look changed - with a blonde wig and nose prosthetic, and restores her previous appearance.