Slideshow
George Stevens'
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
U.S., 1965
Directed by George Stevens
Based on book by Fulton Oursler
With Max Von Sydow, Dorothy McGuire, Charlton Heston, Claude Rains, Jose Ferrer, Telly Savalas, Roddy McDowall, Sidney Poitier, John Wayne
Approx. 196 min. IB 35mm Technicolor print courtesy of the George Stevens Collection at the Academy Film Archive.
The life of Jesus Christ is depicted; highlights include: His birth in Bethlehem, Herod's decree ordering the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem; the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, the selection of the Twelve Apostles, the execution of John the Baptist, the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead, the expulsion of the moneylenders from the temple in Jerusalem, the Last Supper and subsequent betrayal by Judas, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection.
Presented with support from the Ada Katz Fund for Literature in Film
Reviews
"Often stunning... there are scenes in which the grandeur of nature is brilliantly used to suggest the surge of the human spirit in waves of exaltation and awe. There are glimpses of Mr. von Sydow, playing the role of Christ, that light the huge screen with revelation of the raptures and torments of a soul."
– Bosley Crowther, The New York Times