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Movies / On DVD / The Greatest Story Ever Told
The Greatest Story Ever Told

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The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

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Reviews Counted:18

Fresh:7

Rotten:11

Average Rating:4.7/10

Runtime: 3 hrs 25 mins

Genre: Religious

Synopsis: George Stevens presents his monumental adaptation of the story of Jesus Christ starring Max von Sydow. The film concentrates on the most familiar episodes of the biblical story, including the birth... George Stevens presents his monumental adaptation of the story of Jesus Christ starring Max von Sydow. The film concentrates on the most familiar episodes of the biblical story, including the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, Herod's (Jose Ferrer) decree of the execution of all male children in Judea, and the Holy family's escape into Egypt. It continues as Christ encounters John the Baptist (Charlton Heston) searches for the Twelve Apostles, and raises Lazarus (Michael Tolan), while John the Baptist is executed. It concludes with Jesus' expulsion of the moneylenders from the temple, the instruction of the Apostles at the Last Supper, Christ's betrayal by Judas (David McCallum), the Passion, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. The product of years of research and planning by Stevens, the film features a huge cast of stars, among whom Von Sydow, McCallum, Dorothy McGuire (Mary), Sidney Poitier (Simon of Cyrene), Claude Rains (Herod the Great), Donald Pleasence (The Devil), Martin Landau (Caiaphas), and Janet Margolin (Mary of Bethany), give fine performances. [More]

Starring: Max Von Sydow, Charlton Heston, Sidney Poitier, Claude Rains

Starring: Max Von Sydow, Charlton Heston, Sidney Poitier, Claude Rains, Bobby Blake, Dorothy McGuire, Robert Loggia, José Ferrer, David McCallum, Donald Pleasence, Angela Lansbury, Martin Landau, Van Heflin, Carroll Baker

Director: George Stevens

Director: George Stevens
Screenwriter: George Stevens, James Lee Barrett
Composer: Alfred Newman

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Mar 17, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • "A magnificent film, handled with reverence, artistic appreciation and admirable restraint" (NewYork Daily News), this glorious epic is an inspiring, grand-scale recreation of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, from His humble birth and teachings to His crucifixion and ultimate Resurrection. Lavishly produced at a cost of $20 millionan enormous amount for the timeand honored with five 1965 Academy Award® nominations*, this exceptional motion picture is exquisitely beautiful. Now fully restored to its original theatrical brilliance with intermission and overture, it is truly The Greatest Story Ever Told. *Cinematography (Color), Original Score, Art Direction (Color), Costume Design (Color), Special Visual Effects.
  • Source: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for The Greatest Story Ever Told

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    1 - 18 (sorted by fresh rating)
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    Mr. Stevens has done it in a generous and often stunning style. And the quality of his reverence should captivate the piously devout.

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    05/09/05
    Bosley Crowther
    Bosley Crowther
    New York Times

    Don't let the title fool you. It's all hype. The gratuitous cameos make it hard to take the movie seriously.

    Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
    07/21/02
    Collin Souter
    Collin Souter
    eFilmCritic.com

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    03/15/05
    James Plath
    James Plath
    Reel.com

    Yes, the celebrity cameos distract, but the film focuses more on Jesus' message than the overated King of Kings If you've never seen it in widescreen, you are missing a revelation.

    comment Comment
    02/17/05
    Jeffrey Westhoff
    Jeffrey Westhoff
    Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

    The New Testament meets "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" in this unintentionally funny all-star Biblical epic.

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    06/29/04
    Phil Hall
    Phil Hall
    Film Threat

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
    10/29/08
    Steven D. Greydanus
    Steven D. Greydanus
    Decent Films Guide

    The prophets should speak with respect of this $20 million Biblical epic.

    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    11/13/07
    Variety Staff
    Variety Staff
    Variety

    Tends to degenerate into a series of increasingly bizarre walk-ons.

    Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
    11/13/07
    Channel 4 Film

    Wile it's not quite as bad as the critics claimed upon its release, it's not particularly good either.

    Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
    11/13/07
    TV Guide's Movie Guide

    Interminable and intolerably reverential.

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    06/24/06
    Time Out

    One of the most boring movies ever made; if Jesus was a wooden in life as he is in this movie, he would not have attracted one disciple.

    comment Comment
    12/25/02
    Bob Bloom
    Bob Bloom
    Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

    Despite some rousing scenes, may be the most boring movie ever made ...

    comment Comment
    04/07/06
    Carol Cling
    Carol Cling
    Las Vegas Review-Journal

    If this is the greatest story ever told I can imagine how horrid is the worst story ever told.

    Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
    03/04/06
    Dennis Schwartz
    Dennis Schwartz
    Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    07/06/05
    Emanuel Levy
    Emanuel Levy
    EmanuelLevy.Com

    So call me a blasphemer and a heretic. Producer/director/writer George Stevens' ultimate project simply isn't a very good film.

    Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | comment Comment
    04/13/03
    John A. Nesbit
    John A. Nesbit
    Old School Reviews

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    08/08/02
    John J. Puccio
    John J. Puccio
    DVDTown.com

    By reputation, the results are so dull and so consistently undercut by a succession of star cameos that no one seems to mind the various shorter versions released since them, one of them less than half as long.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
    11/13/07
    Jonathan Rosenbaum
    Jonathan Rosenbaum
    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    The most unintentionally hilarious biblical epic ever to grace the silver screen.

    Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
    06/19/01
    Scott Weinberg
    Scott Weinberg
    Apollo Guide
     
     
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