Line #9 Film/TheGreatestStoryEverTold


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_greatest_story_ever_told_von_sydow.jpg]]
2	->''"Truly, this man was the son of God."''
3	-->--'''The Centurion'''
4	The film so holy, it turned Creator/TellySavalas bald (well, balder).
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6	A 1965 epic from director Creator/GeorgeStevens, ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' portrays the life of UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}}, his ministry and miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheFourGospels.
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8	While ''Story'' was not the first film of its kind, this broad scope is one of its notable features and was something the creators wanted to play up. The then-unknown (in the U.S.) Creator/MaxVonSydow was cast as Jesus, but the rest of the cast and crew was [[AllStarCast filled with big names]], some coming in for short cameos. Among the actors seen here are Creator/CharltonHeston, Creator/ClaudeRains (This was his final role before his death), [[Creator/JoseFerrer José Ferrer]], Creator/DavidMcCallum, Creator/DonaldPleasence, Creator/SidneyPoitier, Creator/AngelaLansbury, Creator/JohnWayne (as the Centurion at the crucifixion), and the aforementioned Telly Savalas (who shaved his head for his role as Pontius Pilate in this film and then decided never to grow it back).
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10	Stevens, along with uncredited co-directors Creator/DavidLean (Mr. Epic Sweeping Landscapes) and Jean Negulesco, even added exterior shooting in the great open spaces of the Southwestern U.S. to add a more epic feel than RealLife Israel could offer.
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12	----
13	!! This work provides examples of:
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15	* AdaptationDistillation: Of Literature/TheFourGospels. The film also credits "the writings of Fulton Oursler and Henry Denker". It shares its title and subject matter with a 1947-1956 radio drama series written by Denker, based on a novel by Oursler that wasn't actually published until 1949.
16	* AdaptationalLateAppearance: James the Greater, the brother of John oddly isn't with his brother and only shows up later to ask Jesus to return to Capernaum.
17	* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The film leaves out Herod Archelaus, Herod's successor in Judea, and treats Herod Antipas as his only son, skipping over his reign to direct Roman rule in Judea.
18	* AscendedExtra: James the Less/ Little James gets more focus compared to the the the Gospels where he's a name on the list of disciples.
19	* BibleTimes: Naturally, along with many tropes one might find in the New Testament of Literature/TheBible.
20	* BookEnds: The film opens and ends with shots of a church, which has a mural of Jesus who looks exactly like Max Von Sydow.
21	* TheCameo: It was the fairly common practice at the time of casting a fresh new actor as the lead and then surrounding him with more familiar faces. Besides the major roles, the film has:
22	** Most famously, Creator/JohnWayne as the centurion at the Crucifixion
23	** Creator/SidneyPoitier as Simon of Cyrene
24	** Creator/CharltonHeston as John the Baptist
25	** Creator/JoseFerrer as Herod Antipas
26	** Pat Boone as the angel at the empty tomb
27	** Creator/ShelleyWinters as a woman healed by Jesus
28	** Creator/TellySavalas as Pontius Pilate
29	** Creator/AngelaLansbury as Pilate's wife
30	** Creator/RoddyMcDowall as Matthew
31	** A large number of other famous actors made brief appearances, some only for a few seconds. One reviewer quipped that "it made the Via Dolorosa look like the Hollywood Walk of Fame!"
32	** St. Veronica makes a brief appearance in her traditional role as the woman who wiped Jesus's face during his journey to Golgotha.
33	* CameoCluster: It is known for having so many cameos by so many stars that critics said the cameos distracted viewers from the story. Creator/DonaldPleasence, Creator/SidneyPoitier, Creator/AngelaLansbury, Creator/JohnWayne (as the Centurion at the crucifixion)...
34	* CarpetOfVirility: The extremely masculine Creator/CharltonHeston as John the Baptist.
35	* CompositeCharacter:
36	** Lazarus of Bethany is equated with the rich (young) man who asks Jesus about eternal life.
37	** Mary Magdalene is equated with the woman caught in adultery as is the usual tradition.
38	* CrushingThePopulace: The uprising after Herod’s death leads to the Roman army arriving. The uprising is crushed, crucifixions of the dissidents line the road, and Jerusalem is put under Roman control.
39	* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: Instead of hanging himself, Judas throws himself into the Sacrificial Pyre of the Temple.
40	* DoomedNewClothes: Mary and Martha clothe Jesus in a white robe for his entry into Jerusalem. 24 hours later, the robe gets stained (sweat, dirt, blood) and ripped.
41	* GodInHumanForm: Jesus. Emphasized by Creator/MaxVonSydow's solemn portrayal; no JesusWasWayCool here, unlike other film versions.
42	* {{Intermission}}: Occurs when Bar Amand, Uriah, and Old Aram reach the Gates of Jerusalem and declare the miraculous powers (two of whom benefited from) of the Messiah named Jesus.
43	* KangarooCourt: At the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus, the Pharisee Nicodemus criticizes Caiaphas for filling the court mainly with members sharing his own biased view, excluding any member who would disagree and defend Jesus (like Joseph of Arimethea).
44	* LooksLikeJesus: Averted with the long hair. Max Von Sydow has much shorter hair than other movie depictions.
45	* ManlyTears: As in the Bible, Jesus weeps before he goes to raise Lazarus.
46	* MeaningfulEcho: The film has Jesus’ dying quote of Psalm 22 have an earlier recitation from the oppressed Jews when Jesus is an infant.
47	* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Several of Jesus' miracles such as turning water into wine, feeding the five thousand, curing lepers, and walking on water are referenced by characters as happening offscreen.
48	* PoliceBrutality: A peaceful crowd fills the Temple to hear Jesus. Pilate sends a squadron of soldiers to violently disperse the crowd. Bar Amand and Uriah are among those killed.
49	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Nicodemus who tries to defend Jesus before the Sanhedrin and protests the KangarooCourt.
50	* RelatedInTheAdaptation: James the Less is the brother of Matthew here.
51	* {{Satan}}: Portrayed by Creator/DonaldPleasence, called "the Dark Hermit" [[NoNameGiven only in the credits.]] The temptation of Jesus in the desert is depicted as an encounter with a hermit on a mountain. He shows up later when things are going bad for Jesus: He helps stir up a crowd to proclaim Jesus king, forcing Jesus to escape; Judas passes by him on the street when he goes to betray Jesus; he makes Peter deny Jesus; finally he leads the crowd in calling for Jesus's death.
52	* ShownTheirWork:
53	** Simon of Cyrene is depicted as black since he's Sidney Poitier in a cameo, but there is indeed a theory that Simon of Cyrene is the same man as "Simeon Niger" (Simeon the Black) in the Literature/ActsOfTheApostles.
54	** The Romans really did take charge of the high priest's vestments.
55	* StandardSnippet: Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.
56	* TitleDrop: In the opening narration.
57	* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Jesus, obviously. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Mary, Lazarus' sister:
58	-->'''Mary:''' I'm frightened for him.
59	-->'''Lazarus:''' Why, Mary?
60	-->'''Mary:''' He is too good.
61	* WhatTheHellHero: Grief-stricken Martha, having lost her brother Lazarus, criticizes Jesus for coming too late to save her brother:
62	--> Come to bury the dead? Or come to see the mourners? You made a leper well. You made a cripple walk. Was it too much to ask that you to keep my brother from dying? Why do come now that he is dead, when you could have come while he lived? When he needed you? Why?!?
63	* WidescreenShot: Filmed in Ultra-Panavision, which means many scenes suffer in PanAndScan:
64	** The Part 1 climax shot of Bar Armand, Uriah, and Old Aram; usually one of them is cropped out.
65	** The Last Supper scene. Half of the Disciples (the ones played by Creator/RoddyMcDowall, David Hedison, Jamie Farr, and Creator/DavidMcCallum) are cropped out.
66	** The end of the Sanhedrin Court, when Jesus admits his divinity, a Pharisee screams "Blasphemy!" Cropped versions make him offscreen.
67	* WolverinePublicity: [[http://incinerama.com/gset.htm This early advertisement]] showcases Creator/JohnWayne as the Roman Centurion-- a [[TheCameo cameo]] role in which he has exactly one line.
68	* TheWrongfulHeirToTheThrone: Herod Antipas ascends the throne of his father by right of succession. But he proves unable to keep the Jews from rebelling, forcing him to ask for Roman assistance. General Varus tells him of his failure to keep the people in order. As a result, Antipas is displaced as whole ruler of Judea, Rome taking over. Antipas does get to rule Galilee.

Context Film / TheGreatestStoryEverTold