A Jesus film stands or falls with its portrayal of Jesus, and whether or not you would follow him heart in soul if he were actually like on screen.
Much as I like Von Sydow as an actor generally, I couldn't stand his Jesus for a minute. He looks and talks like Obi Wan Kenobi on valium (just look at his face on the DVD cover; you just want to shake him from his bored drowsiness), and I pray to God the real Jesus was nothing like that. (I know he wasn't.)
love these top heavy with stars juggernauts they tossed at you to try to get you out from in front of your teevee sets! and this one drips with maybe too much reverence, and how, oh how can you do that?
Good but not the Greatest. Von Sydow is good as Jesus, but some of the other casting was odd, such as John Wayne as a Roman Centurion. I liked King of Kings better.
i so want to see this movie. it is so great! because i know that jeasous dyed for us on the cross. so i totaly want to see this movie! even thoe i never saw it before i will still rate it. and i give it five star!!!
again just love this film a must see Beautiful scenes. Many lit and set up like Rembrandts or Da Vincis. Max von Sydow does beautiful work as Jesus This is definitely a movie to see on the big screen.
So many stars in this old piece of film, its ridiculous. What else is ridiculous? The freaking length! I think I saw the original four hour cut. It must have originally been in like 20 cans. Yawn.
Not the best treatment of the life of Christ out there, but Charlton Heston as John the Baptist ruled. Max von Sydow's Jesus could have been a little less wooden and ethereal.
Hollywood put so much into this big budget epic, the production values alone make it worth seeing. It also doesn't hurt that they signed virtually everyone who was ever anyone to appear in the film in roles of various levels of importance. Biblical Epic veteran Charlton Heston puts in an especially great showing as John the Baptist, and they even got a past his prime John Wayne(!) to make a cameo as the Roman Centurion in charge of Jesus' Crucifixion.
The end result is a mostly-entertaining movie that gets ocasionally bogged down by some overly drawn out sequences and a few snicker-inducing "what were they thinking?" bits.
Wasn't the greatest story ever told the one about the Irishman, Englishman and a racially origniated non-specific third party and their exploits in the local freehouse?
Hmmmm, John Wayne as a roman centurion? No I don't think so. Von Sydow though is a great Jesus. And heston fits in the enviorment as a klingon fits on the battlefield.
I did like Sydow's portrayal of Jesus. Not as good as Jim Cavaziel's Passsion of the Christ depiction, but still very good. The random cameos were really silly.
A Really Great film, and i believe it to be the greatest story ever told. It's an older film, but it's one of the better ones i've seen of it's kind to date.
If this is the greatest story ever told, then where are the swordfights, the Italian villages, the unexplored ice caves, the spaceships, and Helena Bunham Carter?
Following mainly the gospel of John, this was the first of real block-buster examinations of the life of Jesus the Christ. Though soft and dream in tone the simple honest with which each scene is approached is appreciable. The allowance for humour and some startling imagery - given the era of film making this was made - show the humanity of the Christ before ever telling the story of his divinity. The only criticism really is that the acting rides a very calm wave' being neither too gritty or offensive, nor chasing after ethereal other-worldly motives. The film lacks the momentum to really 'present' the importance of its subject. So though this is the greatest story ever told, and the story certainly is told, it is not told perhaps as well as it could have been.
Ponderous, boring retelling. Sometimes religious material so intimidates filmakers that the final product lacks any energy. This is beautifully filmed, and Sydow is excellent, but it just plods along.
The greatest story ever told, and one of the best, when it comes to biblical movies, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. A true Christian classic.
One of the better movies about the life of Jesus. Max von Sydows highlights are the raising of Lazarus from the dead and the sequence of his entry into Jerusalem and speech at the temple. Few actors can portray the almost fanatic mania of John the Baptist a voice crying in the wilderness like Charlton Heston.
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