Movie Review: The Greatest Story Ever Told

The Greatest Story Ever Told 

Starring: Max von Sydow, Michael Anderson Jr., Carroll Baker, Ina Balin, Victor Buono, Richard Conte, Joanna Dunham, José Ferrer, Van Heflin, Charlton Heston, Martin Landau, Angela Lansbury, Pat Boone, Janet Margolin, David McCallum, Roddy McDowall, Dorothy McGuire, Sal Mineo, Nehemiah Persoff, Donald Pleasence, Sidney Poitier, Claude Rains, Gary Raymond, Telly Savalas, Joseph Schildkraut, Paul Stewart, John Wayne, Shelley Winters, Ed Wynn, John Abbott, Rodolfo Acosta, Michael Ansara, Robert Blake, Burt Brinckerhoff, Robert Busch, John Considine, Philip Coolidge, John Crawford, Frank DeKova, Cyril Delevanti, Jamie Farr, David Hedison, Russell Johnson, Mark Lenard, Robert Loggia, John Lupton, Peter Mann, Tom Reese, Marian Seldes, David Sheiner, Frank Silvera, Joseph Sirola, Abraham Sofaer, Harold J. Stone, Chet Stratton, Michael Tolan, Ron Whelan 

Director: George Stevens, David Lean (uncredited), Jean Negulesco (uncredited) 

George Stevens Productions, United Artists, USA, 1965.

Based on the novel by Fulton Oursler.

It is Easter time so let's check out some Biblical epics! 

The movie opens with Three Magi meeting sickly King Herod (Claude Rains). The Magi then go to meet baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Herod gets scared of the prophecy about the new king and orders newborn children killed. Joseph (Robert Loggia), Mary (Dorothy McGuire) and Jesus escape to Egypt. When Herod dies, the people start revolting. His son Herod Antipas (José Ferrer) calls Roman army to suppress the rebellion. The homecoming of Jesus' family is not happy as the road is lined with crucified rebels. People are suffering and pray for Messiah. 

The Magi following the Star

King Herod

Unhappy road home

John the Baptist (Charlton Heston) preaches the people to repent. He identifies Jesus (Max von Sydow) to be Messiah. Then Satan (Donald Pleasance) tempts Jesus. Jesus Christ gets his first disciples Judas Iscariot (David McCallum), Andrew (Burt Brinckerhoff), Peter (Gary Raymond) John (John Considine) and James the Younger (Michael Anderson Jr.). High priest Caiaphas (Martin Landau) and Pontius Pilate (Telly Savalas) arrest John the Baptist and bring him to Herod Antipas. 

John the Baptist

Jesus Christ

Herod Antipas

Tax collector Matthew (Roddy McDowall) joins Jesus. Jesus then goes teaching and healing the sick. Later also and Simon (Robert Blake), Thaddeus (Jamie Farr), Thomas (Tom Reese) join the disciples. High priests are getting restless. James the Elder (David Sheiner) invites Jesus to Capernaum where forgives sinners and heals the sick. Finally Judas betrays Jesus and he is crucified. 

Joanna Dunham as Mary Magdalene

The Sermon on a Mountain

Via Crusis

The movie has beautiful cinematography, although the sceneries are Americanized version of Middle-East as the Death Valley mountain areas are all too obvious. Despite the high production values, the movie does not show Jesus doing well-known miracles, walking on water, feeding 5000 people etc. Maybe the makers wanted to focus on the message of Christianity instead of showing miracles but as the style is grandeur, it would have been logical to show at least some spectacular wonders. In addition to healing people, the only highlight miracle scene is the resurrection of Lazarus. 

The movie moves at snail's pace, DVD version is 191 min but the original theatrical version was almost four and a half hours. The movie flopped in film theaters and stopped production of epic Biblical movies for years. Max von Sydow does a good job as Jesus. The director went a bit overboard with cameos. "Rollin Hand", "Baretta", "Kojak", "The Duke" and "Blofeld" all have small roles as well as numerous other Hollywood stars. As far as Bible movies go this is quite average. I must say that John Wayne as Roman centurion was unintentionally funny. 

Rating: Average