King of Kings (1961)

Happy Good Friday everyone! As I had mentioned last week, another film from Cecil B. DeMille's Biblical Trilogy was remade. It "is" a film about Jesus, but otherwise not related to the 1927 silent film. Director Nicholas Ray retold Jesus’ story from his birth to his crucifixion and Resurrection, and it was called "King of Kings," which came out in 1961. Here is the basic premise that I will link from IMDB:

"When the Romans under General Pompey (played by Conrado San Martin) conquer Judea in 63 BC, an era of despair and fear begins for the Jewish people. In the trials and persecutions that the Jews suffer under the Romans and under King Herod (played by Frank Thring), they take hope in the promise that the Messiah someday would come. In the reign of Augustus, when Jesus (played by Jeffrey Hunter) is born in Bethlehem to Mary (Siobhan McKenna) and Joseph (Gérard Tichy), there are some who recognize him as the future king of the Jews. Later, when Jesus reaches adulthood and begins to appear in public, there are many different responses to his message, and there are also those who wish to use him for their own purposes." (IMDB)

"Filmed on a relatively grand scale, the film includes all of the major events referred to in the New Testament; his baptism by John the Baptist (played by Robert Ryan); the miracles - cripples walking, blind men seeing; the fishes and the loaves; and so on. The film actually begins with the Roman invasion by Pompey in 65 B.C., the appointment of King Herod the Great (played by Grégorire Aslan) by the Romans and finally the crowning of Herod Antipas (Thring) after he murders his father. The revolt led by Barrabas (played by Harry Guardino) is also included and John the Baptist's beheading as Salome's (played by Brigid Bazlen) price for dancing for Herod." (IMDB)

Even though the film does have a focus on Jesus, it doesn't give him the meat of the movie. New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther said the film had "the nature of an illustrated lecture" and was a "peculiarly impersonal film that constructs a great deal of random action around Jesus and does very little to construct a living personality for Him." (Crowther) I would sadly have to agree with Crowther there, because there isn't much of a focus on Jesus as much as on Herod and his court trying to kill Jesus. However, this is one of those films that over time, has gotten an acceptance. One of the critics, Leonard Maltin gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four. Musicians, such as Art Greenhaw, have said that this film influenced their work and even call it their favorite film of all time.

Also, one of the greatest actors, who is also an alcoholic, Rip Torn, plays Judas Iscariot, for those who remember, is the one who betrayed Jesus at the Last Supper. To add on top of that, the narration is done by another great actor for his time, the late Orson Welles.

In closing, since there is not that much to talk about in here that I haven't talked about in my post on DeMille's silent film, watch this film, since this is Good Friday and Monday is Easter. You may or may not like it, depending on how much you like the focus this film has on Jesus. Stay tuned for next month, where mostly I will switch gears and blog on films about Muslims.