Esther

Ahasuerus, ruler of Persia and Media, casts aside Vashti and selects Esther from among the maidens to be his queen, in a realm reaching from India to Ethiopia. Guided by word from her uncle and guardian Mordecai, Esther foils a plot against the king's life. Haman, the king's favorite, grows enraged when Mordecai refuses to bow before him, and he decrees the slaughter of all Jews under the royal seal. Esther begs for her people, and Mordecai is granted the right to issue his own decree in the king's name. Yet Mordecai loses sight of his original purpose, and bloodshed follows. Purim commemorates this story each year. The film closes with the actors offering commentary.