The Greatest Story Ever Told
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| The Greatest Story Ever Told | |
|---|---|
| Image:GREATSTO.jpg Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | George Stevens |
| Produced by | George Stevens Frank I. Davis George Stevens Jr. Antonio Vellani |
| Written by | George Stevens James Lee Barrett |
| Starring | Max von Sydow Charlton Heston |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
| Cinematography | Loyal Griggs William C. Mellor |
| Editing by | Harold F. Kress Argyle Nelson Jr. Frank O'Neil |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | February 15, 1965 |
| Running time | 225 min. (premiere version) 199 min. (edited version) 141 min. (re-issue version) |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $20,000,000 |
| IMDb profile | |
The Greatest Story Ever Told is a 1965 United Artists film about the life of Jesus, directed by George Stevens (some scenes by Jean Negulesco and David Lean). Max von Sydow stars as Christ, and it features a number of other top Hollywood stars at the time, such as Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, and Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate.
The Greatest Story Ever Told held its world premiere on February 15, 1965 at the Warner Cinerama Theatre in New York City. It was filmed in Ultra Panavision 70, and exhibited in larger cities in 70 mm Cinerama.
The music was composed and conducted by Alfred Newman, and supplemented (at the request of the director) with the Hallelujah chorus from George Frideric Handel's Messiah and the Verdi Requiem, (both adapted and conducted by Newman associate Ken Darby).
Contents |
[edit] Awards
The film was nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Musical Score, Best Cinematography (color), Art Direction (color), Costume Design (color), and Special Visual Effects (Joseph McMillan Johnson).
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Max von Sydow | Jesus |
| Dorothy McGuire | The Virgin Mary |
| Robert Loggia | Joseph |
| Charlton Heston | John the Baptist |
| Joanna Dunham | Mary Magdalene |
| Telly Savalas | Pontius Pilate |
| Claude Rains | Herod the Great |
| Jose Ferrer | Herod Antipas |
| Disciples | |
| Gary Raymond | Peter |
| David McCallum | Judas Iscariot |
| Roddy McDowall | Matthew |
| Michael Anderson, Jr. | James the Younger |
| Robert Blake | Simon the Zealot |
| John Considine | John |
| Tom Reese | Thomas |
| David Hedison | Philip |
| Jamie Farr | Thaddaeus |
| Burt Brinckerhoff | Andrew |
| David Sheiner | James the Elder |
The large and notable cast also includes John Abbott, Rodolfo Acosta, Michael Ansara, Richard Bakalyan, Carroll Baker, Ina Balin, Pat Boone, Victor Buono, Richard Conte, Philip Coolidge, John Crawford, Frank DeKova, Cyril Delevanti, Van Heflin, Russell Johnson, Martin Landau, Angela Lansbury, Mark Lenard, Janet Margolin, Sal Mineo, Nehemiah Persoff, Donald Pleasence, Sidney Poitier, Joseph Schildkraut, Marian Seldes, Frank Silvera, Joseph Sirola, Abraham Sofaer, Paul Stewart, Harold Stone, Michael Tolan, John Wayne, Shelley Winters, and Ed Wynn. It should be noted that most of these stars play extremely short cameos. This was a criticism labeled at the film at the time, particularly John Wayne as the Centurion who supervises Christ's execution.
The movie was one of only nine feature films to be shot entirely in Ultra Panavision 70.
[edit] Impact
The Greatest Story Ever Told marked the end of the big budget theatrical Biblical/religious spectacle, until arguably The Passion of The Christ. It was Director George Stevens' first flop. The film cost an estimated $20,000,000 and made back $12,000,000 worldwide.
Max Von Sydow, Telly Savalas, and Donald Plesance all portray Ernst Stavro Blofeld, James Bond's arch enemy in various Bond-films: Never Say Never Again (though not an official release of EON Productions, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and You Only Live Twice respectivley.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
Films directed by George Stevens |
|---|
The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble • Kentucky Kernels • Hollywood Party • Bachelor Bait • Laddie • The Nitwits • Alice Adams • Annie Oakley • Swing Time • Quality Street • A Damsel in Distress • Vivacious Lady • Gunga Din • Vigil in the Night • Penny Serenade • Woman of the Year • The Talk of the Town • The More the Merrier • On Our Merry Way • I Remember Mama • A Place in the Sun • Something to Live For • Shane • Giant • The Diary of Anne Frank • The Greatest Story Ever Told • The Only Game in Town |
es:La historia más grande jamás contada fr:La Plus Grande Histoire jamais contée ru:Величайшая история, когда-либо рассказанная (фильм) sv:Mannen från Nasaret
