The Greatest Story Ever Told
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The Greatest Story Ever Told

Year:
Duration:
199 min (edited version) | USA:141 min (re-issue version) | USA:225 min (premiere version)
Genres:
Biography | Drama | History
IMDB rate:
6.5
Director:
George Stevens
Awards:
Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 1 win
Details
Country: USA
Release Date: 1965-04-09
Filming Locations: Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, USA
Earnings
Budget: $20,000,000
Gross: $15,473,333 (USA)$5,000,000 (Non-USA)
Cast
Actor
Character
Donald Pleasence
Donald Pleasence
The Greatest Story Ever Told
David McCallum
David McCallum
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Max von Sydow
Jesus
Michael Anderson Jr.
James the Younger
Carroll Baker
Veronica
Ina Balin
Martha of Bethany
Victor Buono
Sorak
Richard Conte
Barabbas
Joanna Dunham
Mary Magdalene
José Ferrer
Herod Antipas
Van Heflin
Bar Amand
Charlton Heston
John the Baptist
Martin Landau
Caiaphas
Angela Lansbury
Claudia
Pat Boone
Angel at the Tomb
Janet Margolin
Mary of Bethany
Roddy McDowall
Matthew
Dorothy McGuire
The Virgin Mary
Sal Mineo
Uriah
Nehemiah Persoff
Shemiah
Sidney Poitier
Simon of Cyrene
Claude Rains
King Herod
Gary Raymond
Peter
Telly Savalas
Pontius Pilate
Joseph Schildkraut
Nicodemus
Paul Stewart
Questor
John Wayne
Centurion at crucifixion
Shelley Winters
Woman who is healed
Ed Wynn
Old Aram
John Abbott
Aben
Rodolfo Acosta
Captain of lancers
Michael Ansara
Herod's commander
Robert Blake
Simon the Zealot
Burt Brinckerhoff
Andrew
Robert Busch
Emissary
John Considine
John
Philip Coolidge
Chuza
John Crawford
Alexander
Frank DeKova
The tormentor (as Frank de Kova)
Cyril Delevanti
Melchior
Jamie Farr
Thaddaeus
David Hedison
Philip
Russell Johnson
Scribe
Mark Lenard
Balthazar
Robert Loggia
Joseph
John Lupton
Speaker of Capernaum
Peter Mann
Nathanael
Tom Reese
Thomas
Marian Seldes
Herodias
David Sheiner
James the Elder
Frank Silvera
Caspar
Joseph Sirola
Dumah
Abraham Sofaer
Joseph of Arimathaea
Harold J. Stone
Gen. Varus
Chet Stratton
Theophilus
Michael Tolan
Lazarus
Ron Whelan
Annas
Richard Bakalyan
Good Thief on Cross
Nesdon Booth
(uncredited)
Marc Cavell
Bad Thief on Cross
Jay C. Flippen
Drunken Soldier - Herod Antipas' Court (uncredited)
Kay Hammond
(uncredited)
Dal Jenkins
Philip
Kyle Johnson
Simon of Cyrene's Son (uncredited)
Felix Locher
Elderly Man Who Touches Jesus (uncredited)
Celia Lovsky
Woman Behind Railings (uncredited)
Victor Lundin
Centurion Guard (uncredited)
Leonard Mudie
Man (uncredited)
Dorothy Neumann
(uncredited)
Gil Perkins
Jacob of Bethlehem (uncredited)
Joseph V. Perry
Archelaus
John Pickard
Peter's Accuser #2 (uncredited)
Frank Richards
(uncredited)
Gene Roth
(uncredited)
Johnny Seven
Pilate's Aide (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson
Rabble-Rouser (uncredited)
Norm Taylor
Roman Soldier at Crucifixion (uncredited)
Randall Taylor
Male Baby Extra (uncredited)
Renata Vanni
Weeping Woman (uncredited)
Ronald Walkshorse
Male Child Extra (uncredited)
Harry Wilson
(uncredited)
Jimmy Yates
Herodian Guard
Did you know?
Trivia
Director George Stevens originally hired 550 Navajos from a local reservation to be Roman legionnaires, but they couldn't stay on the set for very long and eventually went back home to participate in a tribal election. Stevens replaced them with ROTC cadets.
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Final film of art director David S. Hall.
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While between his films Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965), David Lean directed some interior scenes with Claude Rains and José Ferrer as a favor for George Stevens, who was bogged down with the production in Nevada. Jean Negulesco, meanwhile, directed the Nativity scene.
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Goofs
In the film Judas Iscariot kills himself by jumping into a fire, but the Gospel accounts of this story say he hung himself. Also, after the Gospels, at the beginning of the Book of Acts, it is reported that Judas also died when he fell and his body split open, perhaps in the act of hanging himself. No where is his death associated with a fire. However, the director certainly was aware of these reports. As in other scenes in the movie, he may have decided to use a theatrical device to suggest something to the audience. Because Hell is popularly linked with fire, the implication may be that Judas sent himself to Hell, as if he literally jumped into it.
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Differences from the Bible accounts, and other historical inaccuracies, are not being counted as goofs, especially when they're reliant on sectarian traditions or Renaissance/Baroque art.
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After Jesus brings Lazarus back from the dead, three men run to a castle on a hill to announce the miracles that Jesus has performed. In the long shot, the first man runs up to the castle entrance into the shade. The shade disappears and reappears between shots.
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Quotes
James the Younger: What is your name?
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John the Baptist: Are you going to free me?
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John the Baptist: REPENT!
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Photos from cast
Donald Pleasence David McCallum
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