Legendary Hollywood film director George Stevens (“Giant” 1956) put together a comprehensive look at the life of Jesus of Nazareth in “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” He succeeded in directing and co-writing (with James Lee Barrett) a movie with fine acting, excellent dialogue, flowing storyline, as well as beautiful photography.
Max von Sydow was outstanding as Jesus, one of the early roles of his career. He would continue to make films until 2018. Other major performers include Dorothy McGuire as Mary, Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas, Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate, and Claude Rains as Herod the Great, his final motion picture appearance. He began his career in 1920 in silent films.
The gigantic cast also consists of Martin Landau, Roddy McDowell, Pat Boone, Ed Wynn, Carroll Baker, Victor Buono, Van Heflin, Angela Lansbury, Sal Mineo, Russell Johnson, Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, Nehemiah Persoff, David McCallum, Donald Pleasence, Michael Ansara, Richard Conte, Jamie Farr, David Hedison, Mark Lenard, Robert Loggia, and John Wayne as the Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, who comments, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
The filming of the movie was done across the Southwest, in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. Cinematographers Loyal Griggs and William C. Mellor were nominated for Oscars for their efforts, one of five: Best Original Music Score (Alfred Newman), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Special Visual Effects, and Best Cinematography.
However, the very watchable and important film “The Greatest Story Ever Told” was not successful at the box office for producer George Stevens, George Stevens Productions, and United Artists. The original running time in theaters was four hours & twenty minutes, shortened to three hours & twenty minutes on most DVDs.
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
cinema
My Review
Legendary Hollywood film director George Stevens (“Giant” 1956) put together a comprehensive look at the life of Jesus of Nazareth in “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” He succeeded in directing and co-writing (with James Lee Barrett) a movie with fine acting, excellent dialogue, flowing storyline, as well as beautiful photography.
Max von Sydow was outstanding as Jesus, one of the early roles of his career. He would continue to make films until 2018. Other major performers include Dorothy McGuire as Mary, Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas, Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate, and Claude Rains as Herod the Great, his final motion picture appearance. He began his career in 1920 in silent films.
The gigantic cast also consists of Martin Landau, Roddy McDowell, Pat Boone, Ed Wynn, Carroll Baker, Victor Buono, Van Heflin, Angela Lansbury, Sal Mineo, Russell Johnson, Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, Nehemiah Persoff, David McCallum, Donald Pleasence, Michael Ansara, Richard Conte, Jamie Farr, David Hedison, Mark Lenard, Robert Loggia, and John Wayne as the Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, who comments, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
The filming of the movie was done across the Southwest, in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. Cinematographers Loyal Griggs and William C. Mellor were nominated for Oscars for their efforts, one of five: Best Original Music Score (Alfred Newman), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Special Visual Effects, and Best Cinematography.
However, the very watchable and important film “The Greatest Story Ever Told” was not successful at the box office for producer George Stevens, George Stevens Productions, and United Artists. The original running time in theaters was four hours & twenty minutes, shortened to three hours & twenty minutes on most DVDs.