History Film / TheGreatestStoryEverTold

* ReCut: Several versions of the film were officially released at one point or another, with the longest-known version running three hours and forty-five minutes and the shortest running a little over two hours. The most common version seen today runs three hours and fifteen minutes. There was reportedly a four-hour, twenty-minute version, but it is unknown whether or not that it ever was released at that length.

While ''Story'' was not the first 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, 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).

A 1965 epic from director George Stevens, ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' portrays the life of UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheFourGospels.

[[quoteright:280:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/51YFNAGFMDL__SL500__180.jpg]]

* CaliforniaDoubling: Shot in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah. The area standing in for the Jordan River is now a reservoir.

A 1965 epic from director George Stevens, ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' portrays the life of {{Jesus}} and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheFourGospels.

** Angela Lansbury as Pilate's wife

* CarpetOfVirility: The extremely masculine Charlton Heston as John the Baptist.

* GodInHumanForm: Jesus. Emphasized by Max Von Sydow's solemn portrayal; no JesusWasWayCool here, unlike other film versions.

While ''Story'' was not the first of its ilk, 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, 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).

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/51YFNAGFMDL__SL500__180.jpg]]

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.

Creator/DavidLean (Mr. Epic Sweeping Landscapes) and Jean Negulesco even added exterior shooting in the great open spaces of the U.S. to add a more epic feel than RealLife Israel could offer.

While ''Story'' was not the first of its ilk, 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. It had actors like Creator/ClaudeRains, CharltonHeston, Roddy [=McDowall=], Creator/SidneyPoitier, Creator/DonaldPleasence, the oft-commentated-on 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.

Creator/DavidLean (Mr. Epic Sweeping Landscapes) and Jean Negulesco even added exterior shooting in the great open spaces of the US to add a more epic feel than RealLife Israel could offer.

''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 epic from director George Stevens, portraying the life of {{Jesus}} and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheFourGospels.

While ''Story'' was not the first of its ilk, this broad epic 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. It had actors like Creator/ClaudeRains, CharltonHeston, Roddy [=McDowall=], Creator/SidneyPoitier, Creator/DonaldPleasence, the oft-commentated-on 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.

[[quoteright:325:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/51YFNAGFMDL__SL500__180.jpg]]

In 1965, director George Stevens' ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' portrayed the life of {{Jesus}} and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheFourGospels.

While ''Story'' was not the first of its ilk, this broad epic scope is one of the notable features of this film 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. It had actors like Creator/ClaudeRains, CharltonHeston, Roddy [=McDowall=], Creator/SidneyPoitier, Creator/DonaldPleasence, the oft-commentated-on 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.

In 1965, director George Stevens' ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' portrayed the life of {{Jesus}} and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheBible.

In 1965, director George Stevens' '''''The Greatest Story Ever Told''''' portrayed the life of {{Jesus}} and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheBible.

The film so holy it turned Telly Savalas bald.

While ''Story'' was not the first of its ilk, this broad epic scope is one of the notable features of this film 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. It had actors like Creator/ClaudeRains, CharltonHeston, Roddy [=McDowall=], Creator/SidneyPoitier, DonaldPleasence, the oft-commentated-on 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.

* {{Satan}}: Portrayed by Donald Pleasence, 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.

* LooksLikeJesus: Averted. Max Von Sydow has much shorter hair than other movie depictions.
* {Satan)): Portrayed by Donald Pleasence, 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.

* AdaptationDistillation: Of Literature/TheFourGospels.

* GodInHumanForm
** And many tropes one might find in the New Testament of Literature/TheBible.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Satan's temptation of Jesus in the desert is depicted as an encounter with a hermit on a mountain. Since the sequence isn't overtly supernatural, the hermit could be Satan himself or just a man.
** The hermit appears at various other points 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.
* NoNameGiven: Donald Pleasence's character is only called "the Dark Hermit" in the credits.

In 1965, director George Stevens' '''''The Greatest Story Ever Told''''' portrayed the life of {{Jesus}} and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheBible. While ''Story'' was not the first of its ilk, this broad epic scope is one of the notable features of this film 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 filled with big names, some coming in for short cameos. It had actors like Creator/ClaudeRains, CharltonHeston, Roddy [=McDowall=], Creator/SidneyPoitier, DonaldPleasence, the oft-commentated-on 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. Creator/DavidLean (Mr. Epic Sweeping Landscapes) and Jean Negulesco even added exterior shooting in the great open spaces of the US to add a more epic feel than RealLife Israel could offer.

* AllStarCast: 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. Combined with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, this also led to a number of {{cameo}}s. Those stars with major or at least less-than-cameo roles include:
** Charlton Heston as John the Baptist
** Telly Savalas as Pilate
** Martin Landau as Caiaphas
** Claude Rains as Herod the Great
** Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas
** Donald Pleasence as "The Dark Hermit" ({{Satan}})

* {{Cameo}}: Including:

** Roddy McDowell as Matthew

In 1965, director George Stevens' '''''The Greatest Story Ever Told''''' portrayed the life of Jesus and his miracles from Nativity to Resurrection. For a plot synopsis you might as well just read Literature/TheBible. While ''Story'' was not the first of its ilk, this broad epic scope is one of the notable features of this film 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 filled with big names, some coming in for short cameos. It had actors like Creator/ClaudeRains, CharltonHeston, Roddy [=McDowall=], Creator/SidneyPoitier, DonaldPleasence, the oft-commentated-on 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. Creator/DavidLean (Mr. Epic Sweeping Landscapes) and Jean Negulesco even added exterior shooting in the great open spaces of the US to add a more epic feel than RealLife Israel could offer.

* {{Cameo}} - The fairly common practice at the time of casting a fresh new actor as the lead and then surrounding him with more familiar faces, combined with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, leads to a number of these.

** And all the other tropes one might find in the New Testament of Literature/TheBible.
* RoleAssociation - As said, this film has [[Film/TheTenCommandments Charlton]] [[PlanetOfTheApes Heston, Roddy McDowell]], [[InTheHeatOfTheNight Sidney Poitier]], Creator/DonaldPleasance and Creator/JohnWayne as well as Pat Boone, [[MurderSheWrote Angela]] [[Creator/AngelaLansbury Lansbury]], [[Series/{{Space 1999}} Martin Laundau]] and a young [[Film/FlashGordon Max Von Sydow]].
** According to the Medved Brothers' ''The Hollywood Hall of Shame'' (a book on expensive box-office disappointments, which this film was), when the project was announced Heston fans clamored for him to be cast as Jesus, given his Biblical epic reputation -- he was cast as John the Baptist instead.

* HeyItsThatGuy - [[Series/{{Mash}} Corporal Klinger]] as one of the Apostles.
** Also, [[{{NCIS}} Ducky]] as Judas.
** [[Film/FlashGordon Ming The Merciless]] is merciful Jesus.
** [[Film/BenHur Judah Ben-Hur]] is John The Baptist.
** [[Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService Blofeld]] is Pontius Pilate.
** [[Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice Blofeld]] is also the Devil.
** [[InTheHeatOfTheNight They call me MR. TIBBS!!!]], and I'll gladly bear that cross.
** John The Apostle is also known as Phillip Nordstrom, [[KnightRider who had KITT destroyed.]]
** And [[JohnWayne The Duke]] as...[[WTHCastingAgency the Centurion]]?

* RoleAssociation - As said, this film has [[Film/TheTenCommandments Charlton]] [[PlanetOfTheApes Heston, Roddy McDowell]], [[InTheHeatOfTheNight Sidney Poitier]], [[JamesBond Donald Pleasance]] and JohnWayne as well as Pat Boone, [[MurderSheWrote Angela]] [[Creator/AngelaLansbury Lansbury]], [[{{Space1999}} Martin Laundau]] and a young [[Film/FlashGordon Max Von Sydow]].