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 Film Review - Greatest Story Ever Told, The

It's a good thing Jesus is dead, because this movie would have killed him!

The Greatest Story Ever Told is George Stevens' next to last motion picture. Stevens was no slouch director. He also made Shane, The Dairy of Anne Frank, and Giant. Here was a man who had a film career of 40 years. He knew what he was doing. So I'm at a loss to explain why he made this film in the manner he did.

The Greatest Story Ever Told is a painfully slow, uninspiring biography of the life of Jesus. Max von Sydow plays a stone faced Jesus. Geez, if this guy ever smiled, his face might crack and fall off.

The film used the Grand Canyon as a stand in for Judea, and big name Hollywood actors as stand ins for Jews and Romans. (Can you imagine John Wayne in a one shot role as a Centurian?)

This may be the greatest story ever told, but it's no where near the greatest telling of this story. Why does everyone in this movie look like they just came from a funeral? (I mean even before they do go to a funeral.) Why is this film so insanely slow and dull? Why is there no joy in the life of Christ and those he touches?

There are so many better films on this subject, not the least of which is the film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar.

But then I don't know you. Perhaps you like long, dull, boring movies. In which case, this is just the movie for you!

Sucks and Blows!

Film Facts

    Cast
  • Max von Sydow
  • Michael Anderson Jr.
  • Carroll Baker
  • Ina Balin
  • Pat Boone
  • Victor Buono
  • Richard Conte
  • Joanna Dunham
  • Jose Ferrer
  • Van Heflin
  • Charlton Heston
  • Martin Landau
  • Angela Lansbury
  • Janet Margolin
  • David McCallum
  • Roddy McDowall
  • Dorothy McGuire
  • Sal Mineo
  • Nehemiah Persoff
  • Donald Pleasence
  • Sidney Poitier
  • Claude Rains
  • Gary Raymond
  • Telly Savalas
  • Joseph Schildkraut
  • Paul Stewart
  • John Wayne
  • Shelley Winters
  • Ed Wynn
  • John Abbott
  • Rodolfo Acosta
  • Michael Ansara
  • Robert Blake
  • Burt Brinckerhoff
  • Robert Busch
  • John Considine
  • Philip Coolidge
  • John Crawford
  • Frank DeKova
  • Cyril Delevanti
  • Jamie Farr
  • David Hedison
  • Russell Johnson
  • Mark Lenard
  • Robert Loggia
  • John Lupton
  • Peter Mann
  • Tom Reese
  • Marian Seldes
  • David Sheiner
  • Frank Silvera
  • Joseph Sirola
  • Abraham Sofaer
  • Harold Stone
  • Chet Stratton
  • Michael Tolan
  • Ron Whelan
  • Gene Roth
  • Richard Bakalyan
  • Nesdon Booth
  • Marc Cavell
  • Kay Hammond
  • Dal Jenkins
  • Celia Lovsky
  • Dorothy Neumann
  • Gil Perkins
  • Joseph V. Perry
  • John Pickard
  • Frank Richards
  • Johnny Seven
  • Mickey Simpson
  • Renata Vanni
  • Harry Wilson

Directed by
George Stevens
David Lean
Jean Negulesco

Released in 1965

MPAA Rating: G

Reviewed by Mongo