Interrupted Song

Exodus is a 1960 American epic historical drama film about the founding of the State of Israel. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger, the screenplay was adapted by Dalton Trumbo from the 1958 novel of the same name by Leon Uris. The film stars an ensemble cast including Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Richardson, Peter Lawford, Lee J. Cobb, Sal Mineo, John Derek and George Maharis. The film's soundtrack music was written by Ernest Gold. Preminger openly hired screenwriter Trumbo, who had been on the Hollywood blacklist for over a decade for being a communist and refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, forcing him to work under assumed names. (He won the 1957 Academy Award for Best Screenplay under the pseudonym "Robert Rich.") Together with Spartacus, also written by Trumbo, Exodus is credited with ending the practice of blacklisting in the US motion picture industry. Released on December 15, 1960, by United Artists, the film earned $8.7 million at the box office in the United States and Canada, and $20 million worldwide.