YMMV / King of Kings

• Awesome Music: Miklos Rosza's score for the film. Having already composed Ben-Hur, he manages to do a unique composition for this film. Highlights include the Epic Opening Theme, Salome's Dance, and "The Lord's Prayer" piece, which takes over as the Main Theme for the second part.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: This Tragic Villain version of Judas is tenth in the credits, but is constantly cited as one of the best-portrayed characters in the film.
• Fair for Its Day: The film tries to avoid the potential anti-semitism of the Gospels. Here Judas and Caiaphas commit their actions not out of self-interest but for the good of the Jews. Pilate's Public Trial where the Jews cry for Jesus' death is offscreen, with Lucius' line that the conviction was the fault of Barabbas' followers.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: A detailed explanation of exactly what turns venomous Royal Brat Salome into the quiet, upset woman she is at the end of the scene would have been interesting, but fans are left to speculate if it is guilt over John's death, abuse by Herod, or something else altogether.
• Vindicated by History: The film was panned by critics and a financial failure at the Box Office. However, in the years that followed it has gained a considerable following.
• The Woobie: Judas, who is reimagined as an idealistic freedom fighter who tries to get his more militaristic comrades to ally woith Jesus, only to unwittingly give them the idea for a revolt that leads to failure and bloodshed, with his desire to atone unwittingly condemning Jesus to a horrible death. For the last act of the film, Judas has a haunted, tired visage that only ever gets worse.