DramaHistory

The Greatest Story Ever Told

- Only once in a lifetime... an entertainment so rich... an experience so rewarding...

From his birth in Bethlehem to his death and eventual resurrection, the life of Jesus Christ is given the all-star treatment in this epic retelling. Major aspects of Christ's life are touched upon, including the execution of all the newborn males in Egypt by King Herod; Christ's baptism by John the Baptist; and the betrayal by Judas after the Last Supper that eventually leads to Christ's crucifixion and miraculous return.

Release Date : 1965-04-09

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : George Stevens Jr. Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : George Stevens Presents The Greatest Story Ever Told

Cast

Character Name : Jesus

Original Name : Max von Sydow

Gender : Male

Character Name : James the Younger

Original Name : Michael Anderson Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Veronica

Original Name : Carroll Baker

Gender : Female

Character Name : Martha of Bethany

Original Name : Ina Balin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sorak

Original Name : Victor Buono

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barabbas

Original Name : Richard Conte

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mary Magdalene

Original Name : Joanna Dunham

Gender : Female

Character Name : Herod Antipas

Original Name : José Ferrer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bar Amand

Original Name : Van Heflin

Gender : Male

Character Name : John the Baptist

Original Name : Charlton Heston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caiaphas

Original Name : Martin Landau

Gender : Male

Character Name : Claudia

Original Name : Angela Lansbury

Gender : Female

Character Name : Angel at the Tomb

Original Name : Pat Boone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mary of Bethany

Original Name : Janet Margolin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Judas Iskarioth

Original Name : David McCallum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matthew

Original Name : Roddy McDowall

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Virgin Mary

Original Name : Dorothy McGuire

Gender : Female

Character Name : Uriah

Original Name : Sal Mineo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shemiah

Original Name : Nehemiah Persoff

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Dark Hermit - Satan

Original Name : Donald Pleasence

Gender : Male

Character Name : Simon of Cyrene

Original Name : Sidney Poitier

Gender : Male

Character Name : King Herod

Original Name : Claude Rains

Gender : Male

Character Name : Simon Peter

Original Name : Gary Raymond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pontius Pilate

Original Name : Telly Savalas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nicodemus

Original Name : Joseph Schildkraut

Gender : Male

Character Name : Questor

Original Name : Paul Stewart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Centurion at crucifixion

Original Name : John Wayne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman who is healed

Original Name : Shelley Winters

Gender : Female

Character Name : Old Aram

Original Name : Ed Wynn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aben

Original Name : John Abbott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain of lancers

Original Name : Rodolfo Acosta

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herod's commander

Original Name : Michael Ansara

Gender : Male

Character Name : Simon the Zealot

Original Name : Robert Blake

Gender : Male

Character Name : Andrew

Original Name : Burt Brinckerhoff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Emissary

Original Name : Robert Busch

Gender : Male

Character Name : John

Original Name : John Considine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chuza

Original Name : Philip Coolidge

Gender : Male

Character Name : Alexander

Original Name : John Crawford

Gender : Male

Character Name : The tormentor

Original Name : Frank De Kova

Gender : Male

Character Name : Melchior

Original Name : Cyril Delevanti

Gender : Male

Character Name : Thaddaeus

Original Name : Jamie Farr

Gender : Male

Character Name : Philip

Original Name : David Hedison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Scribe

Original Name : Russell Johnson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Balthazar

Original Name : Mark Lenard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joseph

Original Name : Robert Loggia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Speaker of Capernaum

Original Name : John Lupton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nathanael

Original Name : Peter Mann

Gender : Male

Character Name : Thomas

Original Name : Tom Reese

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herodias

Original Name : Marian Seldes

Gender : Female

Character Name : James the Elder

Original Name : David Sheiner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caspar

Original Name : Frank Silvera

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dumah

Original Name : Joseph Sirola

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joseph of Arimathaea

Original Name : Abraham Sofaer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gen. Varus

Original Name : Harold J. Stone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Theophilus

Original Name : Chet Stratton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lazarus

Original Name : Michael Tolan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Annas

Original Name : Ron Whelan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Drunken Soldier - Herod Antipas' Court

Original Name : Jay C. Flippen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman Behind Railings

Original Name : Celia Lovsky

Gender : Female

Character Name : Archelaus

Original Name : Joseph V. Perry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bad Thief on Cross

Original Name : Marc Cavell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pilate's Aide

Original Name : Johnny Seven

Gender : Male

Character Name : Philip

Original Name : Dal Jenkins

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

*Repent!* Sue me, but I like it plenty, all 3 hours plus of ass numbing is not a problem to me. It has been called a cumbersome bore, amongst other things, but some of the technical craft is amazing. The story itself is enthralling, building to the shattering Crucifixion parts of the tale, while for every pointless star cameo shoehorned into the production, there's also a Savalas, a Baker and a Heston. Then of course there's Sydow, giving a beautifully intense turn as Jesus, a magnetic portrayal that holds the attention throughout. Ironically director George Stevens struggled with his own ills during production, a cross to bear as it were, but just as Jesus had Sidney Poitier to share the burden, so to did Stevens, who had David Lean to help carry the load. Now that's a deity if ever there was one. It's a gorgeous film, grand and epic, sensitive and astute. Flaws? Plenty for sure, yet it harks back to a time of blunderbuss epic film making, when story telling meant something, when a musical score rattled the ears and the heart, and when cinematography soothed the eyes as if cool lemon slices had been placed upon the optical nerves. Yeah, I'm a fan. If you are not then I forgive you, for you know not what you do. 7/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-09-05

Max von Sydow is Jesus in George Steven's take on the "King of Kings" story and aside from a suitably effective contribution from José Ferrer as Herod Antipas, gives the only decent performance in this epically long, plodding, depiction of the life of Christ. Clearly money was spent - the photography is epic, as is Alfred Newman's score and a first-rate cast of Hollywood A-listers ought to have delivered better. Sadly, it is hampered by a static script - producing some seriously stultifying dialogue; authentic but murky lighting and a paucity of action that makes the film drag. Aside from a good, if brief, performance from Claude Rains as Herod the Great at the start, the acting is at best disjointed - too many people trying to impose themselves at the expense of any considered approach to the narrative. It may well be the greatest story ever written, but this is certainly not the best telling of it...