Throughout the 1950s, John Farrow began developing a proposed film project based on the life of Jesus, tentatively titled Son of Man. In November 1958, actual development started when Farrow partnered with Samuel Bronston following their collaboration on John Paul Jones (1959). By the next year, Farrow left the project due to creative differences, and Nicholas Ray was hired as director. Ray then hired screenwriter Philip Yordan to write a new script. Filming commenced in April 1960 and wrapped in October 1960.
Financing of the film was initially provided by Pierre S. du Pont III and other private investors. During production, Bronston signed guarantee bonds with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,[2] who took interest in the film following their success with Ben-Hur (1959). With MGM involved, mandatory rewrites and additional scenes were added to the film. Reshoots took place in December 1960 and again in May 1961.
The film premiered at Loew's State Theatre in New York City on October 11, 1961. It premiered in Los Angeles on October 12 and opened there on October 13. It received mixed reviews from film critics, but was a box office success. Miklós Rózsa was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.
Plot
In 63 BC, under General Pompey the Romans conquered Jerusalem and the city is sacked. He then entered the second Temple and massacre the priests. Believing that inside the holy place he would find the treasure house of Jehovah. Pompey used his sword to cut his way through the veil into the Holy of Holies, but he only found a scrolls of the Torah. Pompey takes the scroll and holds it over a fire until an old priest reaches for them imploringly. Pompey relents and hands the scroll to the old man, who takes it and leaves. Pompey then leaves to carry out massacres of villages and towns.
Caesar could not find a Jew who would enforce Roman law, so Caesar appointed Herod the Great as the King of the Jews [the movie calls Herod an Arab of a Bedouin tribe]. This led many Jews to rebel and Herod had them executed in the Roman fashion of crucifixion. During this time, Jews held out hope that God would send the Messiah.
Caesar wanted the whole world taxed, Joseph the carpenter traveled from Galilee to his home city of Bethlehem with his espoused wife, Mary, who was pregnant. In Bethlehem, Joseph asked an innkeeper for a room, but he was told they had no room. Joseph then tells him, his wife is expecting the child that night. The innkeeper then allows them to stay in the stable. The narrator says that, when Jesus was born, three wise men arrived. He names them as Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. Joseph is seen with Shepherds when the Magi from the East enter to worship Jesus and give him gifts. Herod, however, informed of the birth of a child-king, orders the centurion Lucius to take his men to Bethlehem and kill all newborn male children.
Joseph awakes from a dream and tells Mary, that he was told by a voice to flee to Egypt until they're told to return. Mary agrees to leave and they go. After they'd left, Herod's men reached Bethlehem and begin to Massacre of the Innocents . Herod is then seen gasping for air and calling out, "Help me!" Herod tries to take his seat on his thrown, but when he falls, his son, Herod Antipas sits on the throne in his father's place. Herod the Great asks to be put on his throne, but Antipas kicks him backward down the throne stairs and Herod dies after landing on the floor. The narrator says that Herod Antipas begins to rule and Joseph brought Mary and Jesus back from Egypt. They lived
The Holy Family lived in Nazareth for twelve years. Lucius then rides up and startles the family. Lucius tells them they're checking the census against the tax rolls. From his records, Lucius identifies Joseph and Mary, but seeing Jesus, Lucius asks who he is. Mary tells him, "My son, Jesus." Lucius checks the census and states he has no record of Jesus, then asks when was he born. Mary replies, "Twelve years ago." Lucius asks where, and Mary says, "In Bethlehem." Lucius repeats, "Bethlehem," and it seems he realizes that Jesus excepted the massacre. Lucius does nothing but tells Joseph and Mary to have Jesus registered before the end of the year.
The narrator states that the family was again forgotten by Rome. Twenty years pass and Pontius Pilate is introduced as the new governor of Judea. As Pilate and fresh Roman soldiers are seen traveling to Jerusalem, Barabbas and Judas Iscariot are seen hiding above them in the hills. The narrator informs the audience that a small army of rebel Jews is hidden around them and Barabbas, who is a wanted man is their leader. When the Romans reach a freshwater spring, one column of soldiers goes to the water, and the other column rests. Pilate talks to his wife Claudia, the movie presents her as the daughter of Tiberius (historically inaccurate).
Herod Antipas and Lucius rode out to meet Pilate and escort him to Jerusalem. When they passed the Jordan River, they saw John the baptizer standing in the river. Lucius informed Antipas who John was, Antipas' wife, Herodotus, who was also with the escort, revealed she knows of John and that he speaks evil of her. Antipas tells Lucius one day they'll have to arrest John.
Barabbas then signals to the rebel Jews to attach Pilate's company. With both hand-to-hand combat and with men attacking with slingshots, Barabbas ' rebels kill many of Pilate's company. Then Lucius and Antipas arrive with more soldiers. Barabbas gives the signal to retreat. Lucius rides into the hills after the rebel Jews where Barabbas gets the jump on him. The two wrestle before rolling down a rock-face hill. Lucius falls to the bottom, but Barabbas escapes. He meets up with Judas and they ride away for their lives.
Back at the river Jordan, Jews ask John if he's Elijah or the Messiah. John tells them he is not and quotes from Isaiah 40:3, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." Then John added, "The Messiah is the one who comes after him." Jesus, now about 32 years old then stands before John for baptism. Jesus does not go under the water, nor does John pour water on His head. There is no dove and no voice from heaven in this scene.
That evening John the baptizer and John who would become Jesus' disciple, go to the house of Mary and asks for Him; but, Mary tells John that Jesus has gone into the desert. John asked how could he baptize Jesus since He was without sin. Mary doesn't answer. John tells her the message must go to Jerusalem, but he knows that is Jesus's task. Mary tells John, that when Jesus' time comes, He will go there. John leaves and Mary and John the disciple smile at each other.
Now in the Judea Desert, the narrator says the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and He heard a voice from heaven telling, "Thou art My beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." During His time in the desert, Jesus is tempted by the Devil. First, the devil tests saying, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones that they be turned to bread." Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Next the Devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and promises them to Jesus if He worships him. Jesus walks away. Finally, the Devil tells Jesus to throw Himself from a high place and quotes Psalm 91:11-12. Jesus however refuses and says He will not put the Lord to the proof.
Jesus then comes out of the wilderness and is seen by John the Baptizer, sitting with John and Andrew. John tells them that Jesus is their new Rabbi and they start to follow Him. Jesus then goes to the Sea of Galilee and calls Simon. Jesus quotes part of Matthew 16:18 and 4:19 respectively. At this time Pilate finds Lucius and is not happy that Jerusalem has no images of Caesar, he orders plaques of Caesar be put on the pillars of Herod's Temple. Pilate's action leads John the Baptizer to preach against the images outside Herod Antipas' palace. Pilate orders Lucius to take John into custody.
Following John's imprisonment, Jesus began to heal people and made a blind man see. Judas is then seen bringing food to Barabbas in hiding. Judas tells Barabbas that he's heard about Jesus and that John the Baptizer had declared Jesus as the one that John had been waiting for. When Barabbas and Judas go to find Jesus, a woman (Mary Magdalene) comes running from a mob down the street. Jesus asks what she has done and the crowd says that she was caught in adultery and needs to be stoned. Jesus tells them, "Let the one amongst you that is without side cast the first stone." The crowd disperses and Jesus tells her to go and sin no more. Barabbas starts to walk toward Jesus, but Roman soldiers then pass by. Barabbas gets scared and slips away. However, Judas is left behind.
Lucius is sitting for dinner when a soldier comes in saying that someone wants to see John the Baptizer. The soldier shows Jesus in. Lucius tells Jesus that John is not permitted visitors. Jesus insists that he sees John, to free him. Lucius laughs and asks Jesus how He intends to break John free from his cell. Jesus corrects him, that He intends to free John within his cell. Lucius looks closer at Jesus and asks Him who He is. Jesus tells Lucius that when He was young Lucius had come to His house and spoken to His mother. Lucius then recognizes Him and allows Him to see John. John climbs his sloped cell wall to the window where Jesus is kneeling. Jesus extends His hand and grasps John's hand, he asks Jesus, "Give me Your blessing." The next day Judas finds Jesus with His followers and asks to join them. When they reach a city, Jesus heals a madman, possibly possessed by a demon.
Magdalen (Mary) then finds Jesus' mother and asks her if she is His mother. She answers yes and invites Magdalen in for dinner. Magdalen first tells her that she's a lady of sin, but His mother insists that she comes in for dinner. Before they eat, His mother tells Magdalen about Jesus' parable of the Lost Sheep. His mother then tells her, "You would not have sought out this house if God had not wanted you to. Come share my table.
Lucius is then standing in front of Pilate, Herod, the High Priest Caiaphas and other officials, including Pilate's wife, reporting about Jesus' actions. Lucius first identifies by the name of the disciples, the healing of the madman, the healing of a dying child, and the joining of Judas and Matthew. He reports that Magdalen is living with His mother. Also, the feeding the multitude with two fish and five loaves of bread, followed by Jesus walking on the water. Pilate gets irritated and takes the report from Lucius and throws it into a pool of water, then he leaves.
Lucius visits John in the prison. John asks him to send a message to Jesus, "Are you the one whose come was foretold, or should we expect another?" Herod has a birthday and he is lusting over his step-daughter, Salome, the daughter of Herodotus. Herod tells his guests that Salome will dance for them. She refuses and Herod promises her whatever she wants, up to half of his kingdom. After she dances, she asks for the head of John the Baptizer on a silver platter. Although Herod tries to offer her other objects, he eventually grants it and an executioner leaves for the prison. In the prison, John hears the voice of Jesus answering John's question if He is the one who's come was foretold. The executioner then arrives and decapitates John.
Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas, and Lucius are then gathered talking as Pilate gets a shave. Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptizer risen from the dead. Caiaphas tells Herod that he knew John and he has met Jesus and they're not the same person. Lucius reports that Jesus has a gathering planned in Galilee. Pilate orders Lucius to attend and report back to him.
Lucius attends the Sermon on the Mount in civilian clothes but also sees Pilate's wife has attended. Jesus walks through the crowds of people and ends by teaching them the Lord's Prayer. Following the sermon Judas sees Barabbas; however, Barabbas is not impressed by Jesus' message. Lucius returns to Jerusalem and reports to both Herod and Pilate, both of whom are in a sauna. The High Priest Caiaphas and another Jew (identified in the scene as Nicodemus) are seen by the Temple. Caiaphas asks if Nicodemus believes in Jesus, to which he answers, yes. Caiaphas sees Jesus as a troublemaker and believes that Pilate could use Jesus as an excuse to massacre the Jews.
Jesus takes the twelve into the wilderness to teach them and then He sends them out, two-by-two. Lucius is seen drinking water from a spring, but he's convinced that the water is too warm. He concludes that someone is making weapons. A local tells him the water comes from the wrong side of town for a blacksmith to be operating in. Then inside a secret cave where the water comes from, Barabbas' men are making weapons and using the water to cool the metal. Judas angrily urges Barabbas to join Jesus when He comes to Jerusalem. Judas tells Barabbas that when Jesus comes, His message will win over all the Jews and they will proclaim Him king. Barabbas pretends to listen to Judas about Jesus, but only to gain more men for his rebellion.
Lucius is then seen holding the same sword that Barabbas had illegally made and talking with Pilate. They're aware there is likely a rebellion in the works and are worried about the follows of Barabbas and Jesus joining forces in Jerusalem.
Jesus then returns home to his mother. He is there long enough to be doing carpentry again and is making a chair. Peter and John come in a tell Jesus they're ready to go to Jerusalem. Jesus says the chair will have to wait until He returns, but Mary says the chair will never be finished. Jesus looks at His mother and thinks that she knows what is about to happen to Him. Jesus then enters Jerusalem in the Triumphal Entry and goes into the Temple. Judas, not with the other twelve watches from an upper window as Barabbas begins an attack on the Antonia Fortress but the legions of Pilate, having learned of the plot, ambush and crush the revolt, massacring the rebels. Barabbas, the sole survivor, is arrested.
Jesus meets the disciples on the evening of Thursday, having supper one last time with them. He then goes to pray at Gethsemane. In the meantime, Judas wants Jesus to free Judea from the Romans. To force his hand, Judas delivers him to the Jewish authorities. Jesus is brought before Caiaphas and then Pilate. Pilate starts the trial, but sensing that the issue is one of Jewish sensibilities, sends him to Herod Antipas, who, in turn, sends him back.
Pilate, infuriated by Antipas' return of Jesus, commands his soldiers to scourge Jesus. The people demand the release of Barabbas. Pilate bows to their pressure and sentences Jesus to be crucified. Jesus, wearing a crown of thorns, carries his cross to Golgotha where he is crucified with two thieves, one of them being the penitent thiefDismas and the other, the impenitent thief, Gestas.
Desperate because he has betrayed Jesus to his death, Judas hangs himself. His body is found by Barabbas. Jesus dies in front of his mother, the apostle John, a few soldiers, Claudia (Pilate's wife), and Lucius, who utters the words, "He is truly the Christ." Jesus' body is taken down from the cross and is carried to a rock tomb. Two days later, Mary Magdalene finds the tomb empty, and encounters the risen Jesus.
The film ends on the shores of Lake Tiberias when Jesus appears to the apostles for, according to the narration, "a final time" and tells them to bring his message to the ends of the world. Only his shadow is visible, forming the shape of a cross where it falls on the stretched-out fishing nets. The apostles then leave. As the shadow of Jesus falls across the screen, it could be assumed that he is ascending to Heaven.
In February 1951, it was reported that director John Farrow was developing a film on the life of Jesus, his script being titled Son of Man. He had also intended to produce the film independently for less than $800,000.[4] By November 1951, it was reported that the project was under development at the Nassour Studios and that Farrow was conducting a search for an actor for the title role. When asked of the requirements he desired, Farrow replied, "High personal character and a good actor."[5] However, by August 1953, Farrow was contracted to direct The Sea Chase (1955) with Warner Bros. In February 1954, the Los Angeles Times reported that Farrow was likely to begin development on Son of Man following the completion of The Sea Chase (1955). It was speculated that it would be shot in England and that Jesus would not be shown directly, although Farrow did not confirm these statements.[6] Shooting was scheduled to begin by summer 1954.[7] It was ultimately set aside when, in April 1955, Farrow signed to direct Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), from which he was later fired from after nearly a week of shooting.
In January 1956, Variety reported that Farrow was in negotiations with RKO Pictures to finance and distribute Son of Man.[8] Two months later, in March, Farrow began a search for an unknown actor to portray Jesus on the condition that he would not appear in another film, television, or stage production for up to 20 years.[9][10] However, these plans were again postponed when, in October 1957, Farrow signed on to direct John Paul Jones (1959) for Samuel Bronston. A year later, Farrow and Bronston had formed a production company, Brofar, as they planned to produce a second project.[11]
In November 1958, it was reported that Bronston and Farrow were collaborating on a film project based on the life of Jesus.[12][13] In May 1959, it was reported that Sonya Levien was hired to do a script polish.[14] However, by October 1959, Farrow had left the project over creative differences. Farrow later explained that in the context of Jesus's trial, Bronston wanted him to "whitewash the Jewish leaders, and lay blame entirely on the Romans. I refused to make these changes. I quit."[15] Additionally, associate producer Alan Brown stated the "script was not really a script, it was the Four Gospels put down, and Sam called me and said, 'I cannot even understand this, it's all Thee and Thou and everything else.'"[16]
In November 1959, Nicholas Ray signed on to direct the project.[16] With set construction nearly complete, Ray asked screenwriter Philip Yordan whom he previously worked with on Johnny Guitar (1954) to rewrite the script. Ray explained, "I asked for him and made concessions to have him. They had asked me to write it. I didn't feel up to the responsibility; I am as impatient with the other writer on my own screenplay as with others."[17]
Yordan recalled, "I didn't want to go to Spain, but he asked me to just come over there for the weekend. The picture was called Son of Man. Terrible title, and someone had taken chapters of the Bible and sort of tried to make it play, but it was awful."[18] He then recommended re-titling the script to King of Kings, but was reminded the title had been used for the 1927 film of the life of Jesus directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Yordan retorted the title was in the public domain, and it was later discovered DeMille had not registered the title. Yordan promptly registered the title with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).[18] Yordan wrote a new script in six weeks which Bronston liked so much that he encouraged him to stay in Madrid, where Yordan later co-wrote the script for El Cid (1961). Yordan did not find writing the script to be difficult, observing that "Christ was a loner. He's not much different than my usual character. The Western character. It's the same character. The man alone."[19]
To assure that the script would be faithful to the Gospels, Bronston hired several Biblical scholars, including playwright Diego Fabbri and theologian professor George Kilpatrick, who wrote the books The Origins of the Gospel According to St. Matthew (1946) and The Trial of Jesus (1953).[20] In March 1960, Bronston received approval of the script from Pope John XXIII, who met with the producer at the Vatican.[21]
Casting
Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus in King of Kings
Several actors were considered to play the role of Jesus. In May 1959, it was reported that Alec Guinness had met with Bronston to discuss playing the role.[22] Nicholas Ray, as director, considered Peter Cushing, Tom Fleming, Christopher Plummer, and Max von Sydow (who would later play the role in The Greatest Story Ever Told in 1965) for the role of Jesus.[23][24] Ultimately, on April 21, 1960, Jeffrey Hunter was cast as Jesus. The idea to cast Hunter came from John Ford, who suggested him to Nicholas Ray after directing Hunter in The Searchers (1956).[25] Ray was familiar with Hunter, having directed him in The True Story of Jesse James (1957). Bronston agreed mainly because of Hunter's striking eyes, explaining that "I really chose him for his eyes. It was important that the man playing Christ have memorable eyes."[26] After he finished filming for Hell to Eternity (1960), Hunter was approached for the role, was given the script, and agreed.[27]
Other prominent actors were pursued for supporting roles. In April 1960, it was reported that Orson Welles and Richard Burton were cast as Herod the Great and Herod Antipas respectively.[28] Alternately, on April 21, the day of Hunter's casting, it was reported that Burton was attached to play a centurion and that James Mason was being considered for Pontius Pilate.[29] In the following month, however, Burton left the role when he was refused top billing.[30]
In 1959, Bronston had established his eponymous production studio in Spain where he noticed that the rugged countryside resembled Judea. Principal photography began on April 24, 1960 at the Sevilla and Chamartín Studios, near Madrid, where 396 sets were constructed for the film. The Temple set at the Sevilla studios was blown down during a windstorm. Bronston surveyed the site and ordered that the set be rebuilt, which was done in three months.[34]
The film was shot on multiple locations throughout Spain. The Venta de Frascuelas near the rocky terrains of Chinchón was the site of the Sermon on the Mount scene, where 7,000 extras were used.[35][36] The Adaja in El Fresno was used to represent the Jordan River.[37] The Rambla de Lanujar in Almería served as the wilderness where Jesus was tempted. The Añover de Tajo in the province of Toledo substituted for the Mount of Olives. The municipalities of Manzanares el Real and Navacerrada were used for the scenes set in Nazareth and Golgotha, respectively.[34][38]
The film's shoot faced numerous complications. As with John Paul Jones (1959), Bronston secured financial backing from business executive Pierre S. du Pont III, but months into the shoot, the production ran out of money. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer became interested in investing, seeing the film as potentially tapping the same market as MGM's hugely successful Ben-Hur (1959), which was still in wide release.[39] MGM studio president Joseph Vogel visited the set in Madrid and viewed dailies of the unfinished film. Coming away impressed, he alerted production head Sol C. Siegel, who also then visited the set.[36] Siegel recommended various changes, feeling the film was too long, needed more action, and had a weak ending. An original character named "David", portrayed by Richard Johnson, was written into the film to function as a bridge between the film's plot threads.[40] Due to the heavy deviations being made to the film's shooting script, Nicholas Ray and Philip Yordan were no longer on speaking terms, communicating only through walkie-talkies.[41]
Midway during filming, in July 1960, cinematographer Franz Planer fell ill. Manuel Berengeur, who had worked with him since the start of production, replaced him, but MGM sent out contract cinematographer Milton R. Krasner to take over.[42][43] In September, an automobile accident resulted in the death of Arthur Resse, who had been serving as a horse trainer, while also injuring actor Harry Guardino (who was portraying Barabbas) as the two were en route from a location outside Aranjuez, Spain.[44] Around the same time, Ray, who was overwhelmed with the production woes, was temporarily replaced by Charles Walters.[45] On October 4, 1960, principal photography was completed.[1]
During the film's post-production, the editing was done at the MGM studios in Culver City, California. At the studio's requests, certain scenes were re-shot and added, and among of the edits made was the deletion of Richard Johnson's scenes.[41]Miklós Rózsa was hired to compose the score, which was recorded using a 74-piece symphony orchestra and a choir of 50 people.[36]Ray Bradbury was brought in to construct a new ending as well as write narration in order to connect the disparate elements.[46] Bradbury wrote an ending in which the resurrected Jesus commissions the disciples to preach the Gospel. Then, he elevates as he walks towards the horizontal shores of Galilee leaving only his visible footprints to be covered with blowing dust. The disciples would also leave footprints in all four directions to be covered with dust. That ending, however, was deemed too expensive to be filmed.[47] Orson Welles was hired to provide the narration, which was recorded in London.[48] Welles insisted on pronouncing the word 'apostles' with a hard 't' instead of the normally silent 't'.
Following a sneak preview, the studio felt another scene between Siobhán McKenna and Carmen Sevilla was needed, which was shot in the MGM-British Studios near London on May 8, 1961.[49]
Release
In June 1960, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had acquired the distribution rights to the film, intending it for a roadshow theatrical release as a follow-up to Ben-Hur (1959).[50]
Home media
King of Kings was released by Warner Home Video as a DVD on February 6, 2003, as a Blu-ray on July 28, 2009, and as a Region 1 widescreen disc on March 29, 2011. It has since been available for online streaming and download through Amazon, AppleiTunes Store and Vudu.
Reception
Critical reaction
Time wrote a negative review describing the film as "[i]ncontestably the corniest, phoniest, ickiest and most monstrously vulgar of all the big Bible stories Hollywood has told in the last decade".[51]Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that the movie had "the nature of an illustrated lecture" and was a "peculiarly impersonal film that constructs a great deal of random action around Jesus and does very little to construct a living personality for Him."[52] Robert J. Landry of Variety praised the film as "a major motion picture by any standard" that not only "succeeds as spectacle" but also "succeeds in touching the heart."[53] Philip K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "It is not great art, nor is it the definitive photoplay about Jesus (will there ever be one?), but it is at least permeated by a soberness of purpose that, allowing for ordinary human fallibility, can be tacitly felt and respected. Technically, of course, it is far glossier than the C. B. DeMille movie of 1927, and very probably at least its equal in effectiveness. Dramatically, I think, it falls somewhere between the theatrical entertainment that was Ben-Hur and the spiritual but spiritless Francis of Assisi."[54]
Harrison's Reports awarded its top grade of "Excellent" and declared that the film "will not only stamp its enduring imprint on the glorious history book of the motion picture industry, but will leave its memorable impact on the minds of all those millions who see it."[55]Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post, however, panned the film as "a picture which never should have been made" because of the portrayal of Jesus as "a universal, non-controversial figure," explaining that "to excise His dynamic, revolutionary concepts is to make His journey on earth a hollow ritual, a pointless fairy tale, an essay on How to Live Dangerously and Still Win."[56] The Monthly Film Bulletin stated: "As, simply, a version of the infinitely well-known story, it has some curious interpolations (Christ's visit to John the Baptist in his cell) and omissions. The overwhelming failure, though, is in finding any kind of style, in imagery, dialogue or music, which goes beyond the most insipidly conventional kind of Bible illustrations."[57]
Among later reviews, Leonard Maltin's home video guide awarded the film three-and-a-half stars out of four,[58] and Geoff Andrew called it "one of the most interesting screen versions of the Gospels," adding that "some of the performances appear to lack depth, but one can't deny the effectiveness of Miklós Rózsa's fine score, and of Ray's simple but elegant visuals which achieve a stirring dramatic power untainted by pompous bombast."[59] Musicians such as Grammy Award-winning Art Greenhaw have cited the movie as being an influence in their work and even their favorite film of all time.[60] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, King of Kings holds an approval rating of 80% based on 20 reviews with an average rating of 6.4/10 The website's critical consensus reads: "With enough narrative depth to anchor the expected spectacle, King of Kings is a true blessing for fans of Biblical epics."[61]
The film's music score, composed by Miklós Rózsa, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score. That same year, Rózsa was also nominated in the same category for his score of El Cid, which likewise was produced by Bronston.[62]
Box office
According to MGM records, the film earned $8 million in North America and $5.4 million overseas, earning a profit of $1,621,000.[3] According to Kinematograph Weekly the film was considered a "money maker" at the British box office in 1962.[63]
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The Visual Bible: Matthew is a 1993 film portraying the life of Jesus as it is found in the Gospel of Matthew. The complete Gospel is presented word-for-word based on the New International Version of the Bible. It was directed by South African film maker Regardt van den Bergh and stars veteran actor Richard Kiley in the role of St. Matthew, newcomer Bruce Marchiano as Jesus, and Gerrit Schoonhoven as Peter. Marchiano portrays Jesus as a joyous, earthy, personal man with a sense of humour.
In the canonical gospels, Pilate's court refers to the trial of Jesus in praetorium before Pontius Pilate, preceded by the Sanhedrin Trial. In the Gospel of Luke, Pilate finds that Jesus, being from Galilee, belonged to Herod Antipas' jurisdiction, and so he decides to send Jesus to Herod. After questioning Jesus and receiving very few replies, Herod sees Jesus as no threat and returns him to Pilate.
Secondo Ponzio Pilato is the traditional way of attributing Gospels authors' names) is a 1987 Italian historical comedy drama film written and directed by Luigi Magni. The film is an example of Magnis's typical approach to critical interpretation of history. It was filmed between Syracuse, Algeria and Tunisia. Stefania Sandrelli was awarded the Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress prize for her performance in the movie.
The Day Christ Died is a 1980 American television film directed by James Cellan Jones. The collaborative production by 20th Century Fox and CBS-TV dramatizes the last 24 hours of Jesus Christ's life and is based on Jim Bishop's 1957 book of the same name. The book was co-adapted by James Lee Barrett, who, 15 years prior, had scripted The Greatest Story Ever Told for George Stevens.
The Shadow of Nazareth is a 1913 silent movie set in Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. Starring Arthur Maude and Constance Crawley, it depicts the story of a vain woman named Judith, her brother Judas Iscariot, and her two admirers: Barabbas, who is a thief, and Caiaphas, the high priest of Jerusalem.
Son of God is a 2014 American epic biblical film directed by Christopher Spencer, and produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. The film retells the life of Jesus and is an adaptation of the ten-hour miniseries The Bible, which aired in March 2013 on the History channel, and immediately following the movie begins another TV series called A.D. The Bible Continues.
Wine of Morning is a 1955 American film directed by Katherine Stenholm and starring Al Carter, Joan DeVolk, and Katherine Helmond. It has Barabbas as the subject, who was pardoned according to the Biblical report in place of Jesus Christ by Pontius Pilate.
The Pilate cycle is a group of various pieces of early Christian literature that purport to either be written by Pontius Pilate, or else otherwise closely describe his activities and the Passion of Jesus. Unlike the four gospels, these later writings were not canonized in the New Testament, and hence relegated to a status of apocrypha. Some writings were quite obscure, with only a few ancient textual references known today; they merely survived through happenstance, and may not have been particularly widely read by early Christians in the Roman Empire and Christians in the Middle Ages. Others were more popular. The most notable example was the Gospel of Nicodemus, which proved quite popular and influential in medieval and Renaissance Christianity.
↑ Scheuer, Philip K. (October 24, 1958). "Bronston, Farrow To Repeat Aboard". Los Angeles Times. Part IV, p. 11. Retrieved January 29, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
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