THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

US, 1965, 225 minutes, Colour.
Max von Sydow, Dorothy Mc Guire, Robert Loggia, Charlton Heston, Michael Anderson, Robert Blake, David Mc Callum, Roddy Mc Dowell, Ina Balin, Janet Margolin, Sidney Poitier, Telly Savalas, Angela Lansbury, Martin Landau, Joseph Schildkraut, Jose Ferrer, Claude Rains, Donald Pleasence, Richard Conte.
Directed by George Stevens.

The Greatest Story Ever Told was the last of the great New Testament blockbusters until Zeffirelli Jesus of Nazareth. It came out in the mid-sixties after such films as the King of Kings and Barabbas. Directed by George Stevens who had made fine films from the 30s, including A Place in the Sun and Giant for which he won Oscars. The Greatest Story Ever Told seemed to be very heavy. Filmed in Cinerama, with many guest stars, including John Wayne as the centurion at the Crucifixion, the film was in many ways distracting as people tried to spot the stars. Max Von Sydow was imported from Sweden and with his reputation for convincing acting in Ingmar Bergman's films, but makes the person of Christ seem over-serious and over-solemn. There is a rather fundamentalist approach in the interpretation of the Gospel stories. However, there is some use of imaginative symbolism in the devil played by Donald Pleasence who appears in the desert and at the Crucifixion. Perhaps the film could be described as ponderous and over-reverent. However, films like this are valuable in so far as they help us visualise the background of the Gospels and Jesus' life.

1. The impact of the title and its fulfilment in the film: the story of Jesus, the religious insight, the reverence in the treatment of the story? A valuable religious experience? Why, or why not?

2. Technique: panavision, of colour, classical music, Israeli landscapes? What did this add to the atmosphere of the film?

3. How solemn was the film? Was solemnity appropriate? How serious was the treatment? What response do audiences give to such solemnity?

4. Comment on the structure of the film: the use of quotations from the New Testament, the large number of quotations from the Old? The infancy narratives, the role of John the Baptist, Jesus' public life, the large amount of the film given to the Passion?

5. Was the film realistic? Should it have been realistic? Response to seeing Gospel incidents enacted so realistically? Where was the realism most successful? Where was it out of place? Consider the infancy narratives, the miracles, the crucifixion? Should the film have been more symbolic than realistic? Where was the film best symbolic? The use of the pilgrim as the evil figure for the temptations etc.?

6. How interestingly did the film fill out the world background to Jesus' life? The portrayal of the Herods, the Romans and their occupation, Pilate and his role in Judea, the influence of each of these factors on Jesus' life?

7. How successful was Max von Sydow's portrayal of Jesus? His style, personality? Was he a credible God-Man? figure? How attractive was he? The main qualities of Jesus as a person?

8. The portrayal of Jesus' infancy: was it too realistic, was it credible, birth, the Magi, the killing of the infants, the sequences in Egypt?

9. The importance of John the Baptist in the film? Charlton Heston's style? The Old Testament quotations, the preparation for Jesus, the Baptist's encounter with him at the Jordan, the importance of John's imprisonment, his death?

10. What were the film's main emphases on Jesus' personality and preaching? The use of the Sermon on the Mount, the preaching on wealth and poverty, the choosing of the disciples, the miracles, friendship with Martha and Mary, the raising of Lazarus etc.?

11. How important was the portrayal of Herod, his questioning of the Magi, his persecution of the children, the influence on his son? Herod Antipas and his relationship with the Baptist, Herodias and Salome, the sequence during the passion when he mocks Jesus?

12. How imaginative was the portrayal of Jesus' temptations? The pilgrim and his questioning of Jesus, his re-appearing during miracles and the casting out of devils, at the passion and his call to crucify Jesus? The evil characterised by him?

13. How important was the Last Supper? The role of each Apostle, of Judas, the background of Judas during the film, the money and Mary's anointing, his betrayal to the High Priests, the significance of his death (not hanging)?

14. Agony in the Garden: insight into Jesus' trouble and suffering?

15. How convincing was the passion and suffering of Jesus? The questioning of the High Priests (and the background preparation for this in insight into their characters?) : Pilate and his trying to be fair, his wife's dream, his absolving himself?

16. The impact of the carrying of the cross, the help by Simon (was Sidney Poitier too obtrusive in this role? the black man helping the white man the civil rights overtones) : Veronica and the various people on the way?

17. The visualising of the crucifixion - was the thunder and lightning overdone, the place of Mary, the conversation between the thieves, the centurion's call (and John Wayne's saying of this).

18. Was the Resurrection well handled? Did it seem real? Did it seem a dramatic anti-climax? Or the culmination of the film?

19. The achievement in this religious film? Was it as successful as other films of the life of Christ?