THE SILVER CHALICE

US, 1955, 142 minutes, Colour.
Virginia Mayo, Pier Angeli, Jack Palance, Paul Newman, Walter Hampden, Joseph Wiseman, Lorne Greene, E.G. Marshall, Michael Pate, Natalie Wood.
Directed by Victor Saville.

The Silver Chalice was based on a very popular biblical novel by Thomas B. Costain. However, the film version was greeted with some derision by critics – and later, Paul Newman, whose first film this was, took out a paid ad in Variety to apologise for the film and warn people not to see it.

However, it is one of the many popular biblical films of the period including The Robe, Demetrius and the Gladiators, The Prodigal. Virginia Mayo is at home in the role of the seductress Helene with Pier Angeli as the innocent leading lady. Jack Palance is Simon Magis, the character from the Acts of the Apostles. Paul Newman is Basil, a craftsman who has to shape the silver chalice with the faces of Jesus and the disciples. The supporting cast Walter Hampden as Joseph of Arimathea, Alexander Scourby as Saint Luke and Lorne Greene as Saint Peter.

The film is a typical biblical epic of the period, enjoyable tongue-in-cheek material. It was directed by Victor Saville, the British-born director whose last film this was. Saville had directed a number of interesting films in Britain in the 1930s including films for Jessie Matthews, Evergreen, Evensong. In going to the United States he directed The Green Years, Green Dolphin Street, If Winter Comes, Kim.

1. What was the overall impact of this film? What were its main successes? As history, as biblical drama, as a spectacular film?

2. The importance of the theme and its appeal? The cup of the Last Supper, the reverence for the cup, the nature of the silver chalice, the Holy Grail, the symbolism of a Christian quest? Was this evident?

3. The success of the commentary to introduce the film and take it through? Did this detract from involvement in the times? Was it important for reflection on the themes?

4. The quality of the wide screen colour spectacle, sets, the characteristics of the sets as being stylised rather than realistic? The musical background?

5. How interesting was the picture of Antioch twenty years after Christ? The nature of the place, pagan life, spread of Christianity? How convincing was this? The portrayal of Jerusalem, Roman influence, the Christians? The presentation of Rome in Nero's time, paganism? the role of the Christians, the Christians as scapegoats? Did the film give a rounded background of the time and places of early Christianity?

6. How interesting was the central character of Basil? As a boy, his art, the adoption? his role in society? The victim of a plot? Audience identification with him as a victimg as a craftsman, as a hero? The quality of Paul Newman's first performance? How interesting was Basil as a character? As a slave, in love with Helena, his relationship with the Christian Jews, his heroism for them?

7. The character of Ignatius as highlighting the life of Antioch? His place in rich society, his desire to adopt Basil, his plan being foiled by his brother?

8. Audience response to Basil's victimisation?

9. The introduction of Christianity via the character of Luke? Luke and his meekness? A convincing Christian? His inviting Basil to work for the Silver Chalice?

10. How interesting and attractive were the early Christians? The group in Jerusalem, the old man and his dying? The girl? The work for the Chalice? Basil's becoming involved in the Christians' life, love? His helping them to get money for the support of the preaching work?

11. The contrast with Simon? How interesting a character and villain was Simon? Jack Palance's sinister role? The magician, the performance of the tricks? His hold over Helena? His vanity and ambitions? His madness in wanting to become a new Messiah? his imitating of Christ, for example, Palm Sunday? His believing his own propaganda? his vanity in Rome? His practicality in preparing the tower, his dramatic obsession in wanting to fly? How moving and convincing was this finale?

12. The Sicarii: the zealot kind of Jew, their anti-Christian attitudes, their using of Simon, their pursuing of Basil to get the Chalice? The insight into this kind of Jewish Rebel?

13. How Interesting was the picture of Rome and Nero's court? Nero as ruler, as a fop, entertained by Simon, cruel in his ordering Helena's death? Was this a conventional picture of Rome? Or was there some insight?

14. The melodramatics of Basil and his flight to Rome, his fight in the desert with the Sicarii, the complications of emotions with Helena and his wife?

15. How interesting were the relationships between Basil, his wife and her danger for the death of the Roman etc and Helena's jealousy? Should more have been made of this?

16. How well did the film come to a climax with Simon and his death? Helena's death? Audience response to this? The irony of Basil and Helena as children - the way their life went?

17. How adequate was the happy ending of the film?

18. Could this film be described as religious? Were the film-makers religious in their attitude? Did it communicate a sense of religion? Religiosity?